What is a Leadership Speaker?

A leadership speaker is a professional who offers speeches about leadership and related topics, usually in the form of keynotes at events such as conferences and training seminars. Like other keynote speakers, a leadership speaker can command a hefty fee for his or her services, and may also guide workshops and classes, especially if the event is organized around that particular speaker. Working as a leadership speaker can be very interesting, especially for people who enjoy motivating others and helping people realize their potential.

Leadership speakers can come from a wide range of backgrounds. They usually have extensive experience in leadership positions, and many come from the business world, where they have either run or founded companies to demonstrate their leadership skills. Pilots, astronauts, high ranking ex-military, and other people who have had dynamic, challenging jobs may also be used as leadership speakers, especially if they are famous for their accomplishments. Leadership speakers can also include administrators from fields such as the arts; the head of a major museum, for example, could be a keynote speaker at a conference on leadership in the arts.

During a keynote speech, a leadership speaker can use a variety of techniques to connect with the audience and to motivate them. Most use anecdotes from their own experience as leaders to illustrate common challenges experienced by people in leadership positions, and they may also share success stories from their lives or the lives of people they have worked with. Their goal is to motivate listeners into taking charge in leadership positions, and to show listeners how they can improve their performance at work and in their personal lives.

Conferences and workshops often use a leadership speaker to jumpstart the event and get attendees motivated, engaged, and interested. Leadership speakers can also work in the educational field, making speeches to graduating classes and groups of students, and they may work for community outreach programs working with troubled youth, recovering prisoners, and other groups who may benefit from the advice and experience of a leadership speaker.

Professional leadership speakers often have extensive branding. They may have a series of books on leadership topics which they sell at conferences, and they can also offer individualized training sessions, private workshops, and other services. Their speeches are used as self-promotion to get people interested in their products. Leadership speakers who still have active careers tend to speak less often, but they can still obtain high speaking fees if they are noted leaders in their fields.