Vetting a Good Speaker: From “Sage on the Stage” to Strategic Storyteller
To be an elite speaker in the modern business environment, one must do more than simply speak loudly and show a few PowerPoint slides. In today’s high-pressure world of 2026, the issue of being a good speaker has changed from “how do I perform?” to “how do I connect?”
Ready to elevate your event with talent vetted through our rigorous STRIVE framework? Explore our Mega-hub of motivational speakers to find the perfect voice for your stage. From powerhouse female motivational speakers to soul-stirring spiritual motivational speakers, we ensure every artist is a seamless fit for your transformation goals.
At engage4more,, we have sat in the front row for thousands of sessions since 2010. We have realized that while many individuals search for how to be a good speaker to improve their own skills, HR leaders use these same ‘secrets’ as a high-stakes checklist to ensure their event ROI. If you are looking to skip the learning curve and book motivational speakers who already embody these traits, our roster is curated for immediate impact.
The Evolution of the Stage: Why the “Monk” has Company
For decades, the image of a motivational speaker was synonymous with a monk delivering spiritual epics. While that wisdom still holds a place, the 2026 corporate stage is far more eclectic. We have moved into the era of the “Practitioner.”
Today’s most impactful sessions come from:
- The Tech Evangelists: Addressing human anxiety in the AI age.
- The “Virgin Story” Athletes: Sharing raw, unscripted moments of rejection, like Navdeep Singh or Mithali Raj.
- The Corporate Survivors: Ex-CEOs who talk about the “loneliness of the sack.”
When vetting talent, ask: Is this person a ‘Sage’ or a ‘Practitioner’? Practitioners drive the most engagement in modern town halls.
Understanding the Target Audience: The “Monday Morning Rule”
The first and most critical step in how to be a good speaker, or hiring one, is shifting focus from “content” to “context.” At engage4more, we call this the Monday Morning Rule.
A professional speaker must pass this test: If your employees cannot do one thing differently on Monday morning because of the talk, the booking was just a ‘corporate nap.’
To master this, analyse the audience’s Psychographics:
- The Cynics vs. The Seekers: Engineers need “Strategic Proof.” Sales leaders need “Emotional Ignition.”
- The Cultural Chemistry: A startup needs “Pivot or Perish” energy; a legacy giant needs “Digital Transformation” clarity.
The Ultimate Checklist on Public Speaking Skills
For an HR Manager, being ‘good’ is hygiene; being ‘great’ is the goal. Use this checklist to audit your next speaker’s showreel:
- The 30-Second Hook: Do they start with “Thank you for having me”? Discard them. A pro starts with a “Virgin Story” that puts phones into pockets immediately.
- Vocal Range over Volume: A monotone voice is the death of engagement.
- The Sparsity Principle: Slides are for atmosphere. If the audience is reading the screen, they aren’t listening to the speaker’s soul.
- The Power of the Pause: A five-second pause lets the insight travel from the ear to the heart.
The E-E-A-T Factor: Why Experience Trumps Eloquence
In the age of AI-generated content, “Experience” is the only currency that hasn’t depreciated. Google’s E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) framework isn’t just for blogs, it’s the secret sauce of how to be a good speaker. Audiences can smell a “rehearsed” speech from a mile away. They are looking for vulnerability. When a speaker like Aman Gupta or Santosh Desai take the stage, they don’t just bring expertise; they bring “lived truth.” They talk about the scars, not just the medals. This transparency builds an instant “Trust” bridge that no amount of stage pyrotechnics can replace.
The 2026 Power Roster: Who is Shaping the Narrative?
When companies ask us how to be a good speaker for their specific event, we point to these master practitioners who dominate the 2026 circuit:
Viswanathan Anand
The “Grandmaster of the Long Game.” Viswanathan Anand remains a powerhouse because he does something few can: he takes the silent, cerebral tension of a 64-square board and maps it onto the chaotic grid of global business. He is the living embodiment of how to be a good speaker by remaining the calmest person in the room while everyone else is playing speed chess. (Image courtesy: thebridge)
Radhika Gupta
As the “Girl with a Broken Neck” (and CEO of Edelweiss), Radhika embodies the E-E-A-T framework. She is the gold standard for how to be a good speaker because she blends hardcore financial expertise with a vulnerability that makes “failing forward” feel like a strategic advantage. (Image courtesy: mrmultiherbs)
Shashi Tharoor
The master of “Intellectual Defenestration.” To hear Shashi Tharoor speak is to be tossed out of the window of ordinary conversation and into a linguistic stratosphere. He is booked not just for his vocabulary, but for his ability to weave historical context into future-ready strategy with an elegance that is impossible to replicate. (Image courtesy: news18)
Anand Neelakantan
A master of the “Counter-Narrative.” Neelakantan has carved a niche by teaching us how to look at the “Asura” in the mirror. He is a corporate favourite because he forces leaders to question their own hero-complexes, using ancient epics to solve modern leadership blind spots. While talking to Nishant Parashar on our podcast, Good Gobar Show, he beautifully talks about the art of storytelling.
Steven Bartlett
The global poster boy for the “Diary of a CEO” vibe. He is searched for because he represents the “Modern Practitioner”, someone who is actively building businesses while talking about them. He has killed the “Sage on the Stage” model and replaced it with “Strategic Transparency.” (Image courtesy: stevenbartlett)
Gaur Gopal Das
Gaur Gopal Das has become an iconic figure in the era of monks for his ability to evolve and change with the way monks evolve and change over time. He has shown that spirituality can be practical by using humour and urban wisdom to deal with corporate issues in today’s world, such as burnout and work/life balance. (Image courtesy: penguin.)
Anand Ranganathan
The “Data-Striker.” In a world of fluffy motivation, Anand Ranganathan is the antidote. He is searched for because he brings a scientific rigor to social and economic discourse. He depicts the shift toward “Strategic Proof”, proving that being a good speaker means having the courage to let the facts do the shouting. In his conversation on our podcast Good Gobar Show with Nishant Parashar, it was quite evident how he is a master storyteller.
Palki Sharma
The “Global Lens.” Palki’s transition to the big stage has been seamless because she brings the high-stakes urgency of a newsroom to the boardroom. She doesn’t just give you information; she gives you “Information Gain,” synthesizing the world’s chaos into a clear, actionable “Monday Morning Rule.”
The Art of Defenestration: A Masterclass in Impact
In 2026, the best speakers use a technique we call “defenestration.” It is a metaphorical act where a narrative is so gripping it “throws the audience out of the window” of their comfort zone. If your speaker can’t defenestrate the audience, they won’t transform your culture.
Conclusion: Your Voice is the Strategic Asset
Whether you are refining your own skills or scouting for a voice that can change the heartbeat of a room, authority comes from authenticity. Since 2010, engage4more has been a pioneer in the corporate engagement industry, bridging the gap between talent and transformation. We believe that every success story has a “messy middle”, the raw, unscripted truth that often stays hidden behind a polished corporate facade.
To ensure this authenticity translates into impact, engage4more utilizes the STRIVE framework to meticulously scout and vet artists. By evaluating 5,000+ artists, talents and keynote speakers through the lenses of Skill, Temperament, Relevance, Impact, Versatility, and Engagement, we guarantee that every artist is the perfect fit for the unique cultural fabric of your organization. This rigorous selection process ensures that the talent doesn’t just perform, but resonates.
This philosophy is also the heartbeat of Good Gobar Show, our hit podcast hosted by our founder, Nishant Parashar. On the show, Nishant uncovers “Virgin Stories”—the gold amidst the “gobar” (waste/chaos). It’s where India’s most successful icons reveal the failures they’ve never shared on a keynote stage, proving that the best talent is forged in the fire of real-world experience.
FAQs
1. How much does it cost to book a motivational speaker in India?
Speaker fees vary significantly based on the “Character Tier” and industry experience. In 2026, fees typically range from ₹2L to ₹5L for emerging practitioners and subject matter experts, while national icons and global business leaders can range from ₹10L to ₹35L+. For a detailed breakdown of what to expect in each budget bracket, check out our Price Guide on Motivational Speaker Costs.
2. What are the non-negotiable public speaking skills today?
Technical polish is fine, but the public speaking skills that actually book stages in 2026 are vulnerability and “Strategic Proof.” Use the “30-Second Hook” to grab attention with a “Virgin Story,” then deploy the STRIVE Framework (Trust, Relevance, Intensity, Value) to ensure your message sticks to the ribs of the audience long after the lights go down.
3. How can I measure the success of a motivational speaker session?
Success is measured by the “After-Taste.” Beyond immediate indicators like a standing ovation or social media outpour, we look at the “Monday Morning Rule”—do employees apply the speaker’s insights to their work the following week? For a full checklist on tracking ROI, engagement rates, and long-term behavioural shifts, visit our guide on How to Measure the Success of a Motivational Speaker Session.
4. What is meant by the term “Defenestration Art” in storytelling?
To put it another way, the defenestration is a psychological awakening. It’s a figurative act in which an orator uses a disruptive story to literally toss the audience out of their own security by breaking the illusion of safety and landing them into a new mental state.
5. What names are trending in relation to relatively fast corporate bookings?
2026’s trending list is filled with “Truth-Tellers” who provide an incredible amount of “information gain.” Examples include Viswanathan Anand in the area of strategic thinking; Radhika Gupta in the arena of radical acceptance; Shashi Tharoor in the category of intellectual prowess; and Anand Ranganathan in the category of factually supported beliefs. These individuals represent the best bridge between theories and “Monday Morning” application.
