117 Best Questions to Ask a Guest Speaker: Fun, Deep & Controversial

Q&As can make or break an event. 

Ask weak questions and the room goes quiet. Ask the right ones and suddenly you’ve got stories, lessons, and insights people will talk about long after the session ends.

That’s why I pulled together this list of 117 questions to ask a guest speaker covering icebreakers, career, leadership, business, health, motivational talks, and more.

You’ll also see how the Talks Questions Generator can whip up personalized prompts in seconds, so you’re never stuck thinking, “What do I ask next?”

Consider this your Q&A playbook: all the engaging questions you need to ask your guest speaker, neatly sorted, so you’re always ready for every podcast episode, virtual event, or webinar.

What Are Good Questions to Ask a Guest Speaker?

Asking questions that are insightful and thought-provoking gets your guest speaker talking in a way the audience actually learns from and remembers.

Effective questions to ask guest speakers are:

• Clear and focused: The keynote speaker knows exactly what you’re asking.
• Open-ended: Encourages detail, not just yes or no.
• Audience-relevant: Gives your listeners real value.
• Prepared: Shows you’ve done your homework and respect their expertise.
• Story-driven: Lets answers turn into memorable and valuable insights.

Keep these principles in mind before you delve into your questions for your next event.

Talks Podcast Question Generator

Stuck on questions? The Talks Podcast Question Generator turns speaker and audience details into instant, ready-to-use prompts.

I tried it with this prompt: “Guest speaker on leadership and career development. Audience: coaches, authors, and entrepreneurs.”

Here’s what came out:

• Can you share a pivotal moment in your career journey that shaped your leadership style?
• What advice would you give to coaches and our attendees looking to inspire and motivate their clients?
• How do you balance personal growth and professional development in your own career?
• What strategies have you found most effective in leading a team through times of uncertainty?
• For entrepreneurs looking to enhance their leadership skills, what resources or tools do you recommend?

Fast, simple, and keeps your Q&A flowing with questions people actually care about.

117 Best Questions to Ask a Guest Speaker

Some questions get answers. Others get stories, sparks, and moments people actually remember. These are the ones that keep a room leaning in, hanging on every word, and asking for more. 

Use them right, and your Q&A stops feeling like filler and starts feeling like the best part of your webinars.

What questions should I ask a guest speaker to break the ice?

Icebreakers set the tone for the session and get everyone comfortable. They make it easier for the speaker to open up and the audience to tune in.

1. What’s one small decision early in your career that ended up having a huge impact?
2. If you had to describe your career in a song lyric, which one would it be?
3. What’s a childhood curiosity or project that shaped your career interests?
4. Who pushed you out of your comfort zone early, and what did that moment teach you?
5. How do you structure your morning or prep time to feel ready for a busy day?
6. If you could trade places with any mentor for a day, who would it be?
7. What’s the first professional risk you ever took, and what did it teach you?
8. If you could sit down with any expert in your field today, who would it be and what would you ask?
9. What’s a common myth in your industry that annoys you?
10. If you could share one insight with your past self before starting your career, what would it be?
11. What’s a routine or habit you use to jumpstart creativity?
12. How do you decompress after a stressful week?

Fun questions to ask a guest speaker

Lighthearted and funny podcast questions add energy and personality to the conversation. They help the room feel relaxed and keep people interested.

1. If your career had a highlight reel, what would be the funniest clip?
2. What’s the strangest compliment you’ve received about your work?
3. If your workspace could talk, what stories would it tell?
4. What’s a project mix-up that ended up being unexpectedly entertaining?
5. If you could swap roles with any celebrity or entrepreneur for a week, who would it be?
6. If your team had a personality, how would you describe it in three words?
7. What’s a quirky habit that always signals it’s time to work?
8. What’s the most ridiculous question someone has asked you in a professional setting?
9. If you could instantly master one new skill, what would it be?
10. What’s a challenge you turned into a laughable story later?
11. If your work day was a movie genre, what would it be?
12. What’s the strangest place you’ve found inspiration?

Great questions to ask a guest speaker about their personal life

These questions get your guest speaker talking about meaningful experiences. They reveal stories, lessons, and perspectives that stick with the audience.

1. What personal habit has shaped who you are as a professional?
2. Who challenged your assumptions about yourself and changed how you approach life?
3. What’s a decision you made that surprised others?
4. How do you balance personal priorities with your work ambitions?
5. What personal challenge forced you to rethink long-term priorities?
6. What’s the biggest risk you’ve taken outside of work?
7. If you could relive one moment in your life, which would it be and why?
8. What daily practice helps you maintain clarity when life gets hectic?
9. How do you handle criticism from people close to you?
10. Who has been the most unexpected influence in your life?
11. What’s an experience outside of work that reshaped your perspective?

Good questions to ask a guest speaker about their job

These focus on what your guest speaker does day-to-day. They show how their role works in practice and highlight challenges and successes.

1. What part of your day do you look forward to the most?
2. What’s a task most people assume is easy but is actually tough?
3. How do you handle a day when everything goes wrong?
4. What’s a part of your job outsiders would never guess takes the most time?
5. How do you decide which projects deserve your attention?
6. What’s a tool or resource you can’t live without at work?
7. How do you stay organized when priorities constantly shift?
8. What’s a skill you use every day that most people wouldn’t guess?
9. What’s the most rewarding project you’ve ever worked on?
10. How has collaborating with difficult colleagues or clients shaped your approach?
11. How do you measure success in your day-to-day work?
12. What’s a small tweak you’ve made at work that had a big impact?

Professional questions to ask a guest speaker on controversial topics

Professional questions highlight your guest speaker’s expertise and knowledge. They give the audience practical tips and actionable insights.

1. What’s a commonly held belief in your field that you disagree with?
2. How do you approach topics where opinions are deeply divided?
3. Have you ever changed your stance on a controversial topic? What led to it?
4. How do you present a difficult opinion without alienating your audience?
5. What’s a bold prediction you have that most people would question?
6. What’s a controversial insight about your field that most peers resist acknowledging?
7. How do you handle pushback from clients or peers?
8. What’s a topic people often avoid but you think needs attention?
9. How do you prepare for questions you know will challenge you?
10. How do you turn disagreement into productive conversation?

Questions to ask a guest speaker about career goals

These podcast interview questions explore ambition, planning, and growth. They help the audience see how your guest speaker navigates their career path.

1. What early career goal surprised even you?
2. How do you decide which opportunities align with your long-term vision?
3. Can you share a goal you left behind and what you learned?
4. Which achievement initially felt insignificant but later proved transformative?
5. How do you track progress on long-term ambitions?
6. What’s the most unconventional path you’ve taken toward a career milestone?
7. What’s one goal you’ve redefined over time and why?
8. How do you balance short-term wins with long-term objectives?
9. What’s a risk you took for a career goal that paid off?
10. How do you adjust your strategy when a career plan hits a roadblock?

Questions to ask a guest speaker about leadership

Leadership questions uncover strategies, values, and decision-making approaches. They show what makes your guest speaker effective at leading others.

1. Can you describe a time your leadership approach failed and how you adapted?
2. How do you build trust in a team when challenges arise?
3. What’s the most unconventional leadership tactic you’ve used successfully?
4. How do you motivate people who aren’t naturally motivated?
5. How do you handle conflict within a team without losing momentum?
6. How do you know when to take a risk as a leader?
7. What’s the hardest feedback you’ve given or received as a leader?
8. How do you encourage creativity while keeping focus on results?
9. How do you lead through uncertainty or high-pressure situations?
10. How do you measure success as a leader beyond numbers?

Questions to ask a guest speaker in business

Podcast questions for business owners cover strategy, problem-solving, and trends. They give audiences ideas for entrepreneurship and professional growth straigh.

1. What’s a business decision most would call risky?
2. How do you spot opportunities others tend to miss?
3. How do you turn a failing project into a chance to innovate?
4. How do you keep your team aligned when priorities shift quickly?
5. How do you evaluate whether to pivot or stick to a strategy?
6. How do you balance short-term revenue with long-term growth?
7. What’s the hardest part about scaling a business you didn’t expect?
8. How do you approach problem-solving when stakes are high?
9. What’s a decision that unexpectedly changed your business trajectory?
10. How do you maintain company culture as your team grows?

What questions to ask a guest speaker about health and wellness?

These questions focus on well-being, habits, and personal growth. Perfect for health coaches, lifestyle experts, and wellness-focused speakers.

1. What’s a daily habit that has had the biggest impact on your health?
2. How do you stay consistent with wellness when life gets busy?
3. What unconventional approach consistently improves your well-being?
4. How do you reset when your routine falls apart?
5. How do you recover mentally after a setback or burnout?
6. How do you balance physical, mental, and emotional health?
7. How do you adapt routines when travel or work disrupts them?
8. How do you approach wellness when it conflicts with professional demands?
9. What’s a wellness routine you do purely for enjoyment?
10. How do you know when to push yourself versus rest?

Questions to ask a motivational speaker

Motivational questions dive into mindset, inspiration, and transformation. They help the audience leave energized and ready to act.

1. What moment made you realize you had to push harder?
2. How do you stay motivated when others doubt you?
3. What belief almost held you back?
4. When a setback occurs, what practical steps do you take to regain momentum?
5. How do you handle days when your own motivation dips?
6. What’s an unconventional strategy you use to overcome fear?
7. How do you balance ambition with patience?
8. Which challenge taught you the most about prioritizing focus?
9. How do you encourage people to take action instead of just listening?
10. How do you push past mental blocks that hold most people back?

Questions to ask a judge guest speaker

These explore experience in law, decision-making, and courtroom insight. They give the audience a look into legal careers and real-world applications

1. What’s the most surprising case you’ve presided over?
2. How do you stay impartial when personal beliefs conflict with the law?
3. Which type of case tests your judgment the most, and why?
4. How do you manage pressure during high-stakes cases?
5. Which courtroom experience changed how you approach decision-making?
6. How do you prepare for cases outside your area of expertise?
7. What’s the most misunderstood part of being a judge?
8. How do you handle public scrutiny or criticism of your decisions?
9. How do you balance empathy with enforcing the law?
10. How do you ensure fairness when emotions run high?

The Importance of Having Great Questions to Ask a Guest Speaker

Good guest speaker questions can change the vibe of a session. They make the conversation lively, useful, and unforgettable. 

Here are five reasons to focus on asking the right questions:

• Keeps the audience engaged: Interesting podcast questions that matter hold attention and get people talking.
• Brings out stories and insights: The right prompts get the speaker sharing real-life experiences.
• Shows respect for the speaker: Thoughtful questions show you value their expertise.
• Creates actionable takeaways: Audience leaves with advice they can actually use.
• Sets the tone for the event: Strong questions make everything feel smooth and professional.

Looking for other questions for your next podcast episode? Check out our guides on podcast questions for friends, podcast questions about life, and podcast questions about relationships.

How to Be a Good Guest Speaker

A great guest speaker makes the session feel natural and interesting. Here are five ways to nail it:

• Be prepared but flexible: Know your key points, but go with the flow of the conversation.
• Use stories: People remember examples more than facts.
• Keep it clear: Simple, focused answers land better than long explanations.
• Pay attention to the audience: Adjust based on reactions and energy.
• Invite participation: Encourage questions and interaction to make it a conversation.

Questions Only You Can Ask

Every podcast host has a unique angle only they can bring to a conversation. The questions to ask a guest speaker that you choose set the tone, reveal perspectives, and guide guests in ways no one else could. 

With the right preparation, you control the flow, the energy, and the moments that matter most.

Talks makes it simple to turn that potential into reality. 

Your next conversation doesn’t have to be random. It can be intentional, engaging, and exactly the kind of content your listeners keep coming back for.

Create your free Talks Creator profile right now and start booking guests who make your episodes stand out.