WHAT DOES KEYNOTE SPEAKER MEAN?
When someone asks me what I do, I say I’m a keynote speaker.
The next question is very often: “What does keynote speaker mean?”
After a decade in this profession,
I realize that most people don’t really
know what a keynote speaker does. Let’s take a closer look:.
Keynote speaker definition
The keynote speaker definition Wikipedia uses is:
“keynote comes from the practice of a cappella, such as doo-wop or barbershop singers, playing a note before singing. The note played determines the key in which the song will be performed” In other words,
the keynote speaker sets the tone for an event. Traditionally, the keynote speaker is the first speaker on stage,
right after the host welcomes everyone. A typical keynote ranges from 30 minutes to 75 minutes. I usually speak for 45 to 60 minutes. Let’s look at two examples: • When I spoke at the opening of the Microsoft innovation center,
they wanted to stress the importance of a solid, but pragmatic approach to innovation. (the note they wanted to hit). • When I spoke at the global Gartner conference,
they wanted to stress the important of ‘doing’ in change management as opposed to ‘talking’ about change . (the note they wanted to hit). Over the years, the true meaning of a keynote speaker has eroded.
Today, the word keynote speaker usually refers to those speakers that take the main stage. (as opposed to break out session). An often used keynote speaker synonym is professional speaker.