Short answer: YES!

Long answer:

It is no coincidence that people revere such figures as Martin Luther King and Winston Churchill. They were inspirational leaders, who rallied people to a cause and provided a focal point for movements and belief.

But it’s worth stopping for a second to ask what made them so inspirational and why they are remembered many decades after their deaths.

The answer: speech.

In truth, many people have contributed to business and society just as much as figureheads like Churchill. They may have been exceptional administrators and organisers, or far-seeing visionaries with a great ideas. It is very rare, however, for such people to inspire others to new heights. Brilliant people often labour alone – struggling to convey their ideas to others. A wonderful new filing system could make huge differences to a company, but it probably wouldn’t serve to sway the masses.

What makes the difference? Communication. And a large part of that is speech.

If Martin Luther King hadn’t been a wonderful orator, the civil rights movement in the USA would have taken a much different course. Today, more than anything else, King is known to most laymen for his ‘I have a dream speech.’ It still resonates with people to this day.

So a good speaker can galvanise and inspire. The setting of an annual company function might seem less than inspiring, but a great motivational speaker can set the event abuzz. Good speakers will have great anecdotes to share, stories that can change the way people think about their problems.