{"id":15875,"date":"2021-08-05T08:01:23","date_gmt":"2021-08-05T08:01:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.myspeaker.fi\/keynote-speakers-why-we-need-them\/"},"modified":"2023-09-25T07:48:02","modified_gmt":"2023-09-25T07:48:02","slug":"keynote-speakers-why-we-need-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/myspeaker.fi\/en\/news\/keynote-speakers-why-we-need-them\/","title":{"rendered":"Keynote Speakers – Why We Need Them"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n
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Winston Churchill, John F.\u00a0Kennedy, Socrates, Martin Luther King- what do they have in common? They\u2019re some of the best public speakers in history. But why? What did these individuals have that set them apart from the rest? In these series of blog posts on keynote speakers, we\u2019ll go through everything about public speaking and why you- need keynote speakers in your life. Where else to start than at the beginning. In the following blog post, we\u2019ll start with the history of keynote speaking and introduce Aristotle\u2019s three pillars of persuasion- the foundation for creating a great speech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Where did the word keynote come from?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Keynote speeches, keynote addresses and just the mere word keynote are commonly and widely used nowadays, however, the roots of the word keynote lay in American history, more specifically, in its music. When separated, the \u2018key\u2019 in keynote refers to the crucially important tonic note or chord that sets the pitch of a musical performance. There are 24 possible keys to which a musical piece can be performed. So, giving the tonic note or three initial notes of a chord at the beginning of the performance tells all musicians and singers in which key they will perform. In this way, like a keynote speech, the musical keynote sets the tone for the entire performance or the entire event. \u00a0<\/p>\n
More specifically, the term keynote stems from a cappella singing such as doo-wap, where an indicative note is played before singing. Doo-wap was a common way to bring teenagers together in the 1940s-1950s. Hence, it is interesting that today, \u00a0the figurative use of the word (keynote), also aims at bringing people together.<\/p>\n
Keynote speeches are a subcategory of public speaking or one \u2018genre\u2019 of speech. To understand what keynotes speeches are it is useful to briefly look at the history of public speaking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The History of Public Speaking<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
“Speech is the mirror of action” -Solon<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although multiple sources date public speaking back to 2,500 years ago during the reign of the Roman Empire, it actually predates the Romans. Meriam Webster, defines public speaking as \u201cthe act of or process of making speeches in public,\u201d and we\u2019ve been doing it for years, starting back from when cavemen told tales around campfires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
In ancient Athens, public speaking was actually an Olympic event where the winner would receive a wreath and be paraded around the city. Rhetoric as defined by Aristotle is \u201cthe faculty of discovering in the particular case all the available means of persuasion.\u201d Athenians realized their very future depended on their ability to persuade, which is why boys were sent at the age of 14 to theoretical instruction in public speaking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
When did the formal study of public speaking begin?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The development of public speaking started with the movement from oratory rules to written rules. Back in Ancient Athens, criminal offenses were being solved by either brutal means \u201can eye for an eye\u201d or rulings by the king. In 621 B.C the citizens of Athens commissioned Draco who was considered to be the wisest of the Greeks to record their rules into an organized system and so it was, that courts and juries were set up.<\/p>\n
In 612 B.C,\u00a0Solon was entrusted with writing a new constitution and it was thanks to him, that citizens could take their grievances before a magistrate and argue their case. Pericles expanded upon Solon\u2019s work. All laws would be reviewed annually and any Athenian citizen had the right to propose or oppose a law during assembly. His achievements made Athens the crossroads for the rest of the world and the birthplace of Western democracy.<\/p>\n
With Solons\u2019 and Pericles’ contributions to society with courts, juries and debates on peace and war, public speaking became a more common phenomenon. Persuading individuals required elite speaking skills, which brought to the light a need for training in public speaking. Aristotle and his works would become the primary source of rhetorical theory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Aristotle\u2019s Three Pillars of Persuasion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
In making a speech one must study three points: first, the means of producing persuasion; second, the language; third, the proper arrangement of the various parts of the speech. – Aristotle<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ethos, Logos, Pathos<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Aristotle divided the means to persuade into three parts, ethos; the credibility of the speaker on the topic, logos; is the logical argumentation and rational foundation of the speech and pathos; is the emotional appeal that can be used to obtain the audience\u2019s acceptance. His three pillars laid the foundation for what would become the structural guide for an excellent speech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is Ethos?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Ethos translates from Greek as \u201ccharacter.\u201d Ethos stands for the credibility of the speaker. The higher the ethos, the more credible the speaker. The characteristics of ethos are trustworthiness, respect, similarity to the audience, authority, expertise and reputation. Ethos should preferably be achieved early in a speech. Once established, the audience comes to respects the speaker. Listeners then believe the speaker has a valuable message to deliver and makes them more willing to concentrate and listen to the speech.<\/p>\n
Below is the beginning of Barack Obama\u2019s 2012 convention speech. It provides an excellent example of how to establish credibility\/ethos by setting his authority as president and taking the audience on a journey on what he\u2019s learned during his presidency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
“Now, the first time I addressed this convention, in 2004, I was a younger man \u2014 (laughter) \u2014 a Senate candidate from Illinois who spoke about hope, not blind optimism, not wishful thinking but hope in the face of difficulty, hope in the face of uncertainty, that dogged faith in the future which has pushed this nation forward even when the odds are great, even when the road is long.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eight years later that hope has been tested by the cost of war, by one of the worst economic crises in history and by political gridlock that’s left us wondering whether it’s still even possible to tackle the challenges of our time. I know campaigns can seem small, even silly sometimes.” – <\/em>Barack Obama<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In order to ensure a positive perception of ethos, speakers should research their audiences before they speak. What are the interests of their audience and what do they want to learn? Vice versa, someone organizing an event and looking to hire a keynote speaker should do their research, finding the right speaker fit for their event. When the speaker fits the event and overall theme\/audience, his or her ethos is aligned and ensures better reception.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is Logos?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Logos is derived from the word logic.\u00a0Is the argument\/speech logical? Are there facts and figures that support the argument? Will the audience believe the speaker?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Say a speaker is talking about the need for new product development, he might state the following to justify his argument:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPrivate demand for the product has tapered off for the past three years, and this year\u2019s sales figures are at an all-time low. It\u2019s time to research other options.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
A speaker can achieve logos not only by facts, figures, and references but also through the structure and content of the speech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is Pathos?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Pathos is Greek for suffering and experience. It is an appeal to other people’s emotions. If one can create pathos, the audience will be more likely to understand the speaker, accept the arguments and be persuaded to act a certain way. More on the science of emotions in speaking under Storytelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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