Even though this year’s TED conference wrapped up in February, I’ve been contacted multiple times over the past few months by executives who want advice on how to give TED-worthy talks in their own shops. For those unfamiliar with TED, the annual event brings some of the world’s brightest thinkers to Long Beach, Calif., to share ideas on diverse topics with the goal of changing the world. Despite charges of elitism — or perhaps because of it — TED, which charges $6,000 to attend in person, offers videos of the presentations free on its Web site. The videos are inspiring, fascinating, and thought-provoking. Beyond that, the speakers’ delivery is excellent. Here are pointers I’ve culled from the talks. I suggest business leaders consider using them to improve their own presentations.
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1. Keep it brief. TED is notable for limiting presentations to 18 minutes. I’ve written previously about the power of brevity.If scientist Stephen Wolfram, the creator of Mathematica, the world’s most powerful global computation system, can offer an 18-minute presentation on his quest to make all human knowledge computational and searchable, then you can surely deliver your team update in the same amount of time or less. Einstein once said that nothing is so complicated that it cannot be explained simply. TED talks prove it.
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2. Talk about something you’re passionate about. One of the most distinguishing traits of TED speakers is the most difficult to teach: The presentations are exciting and inspiring because the speakers are passionate about their subjects. Whether it’s Al Gore talking about global warming or Ken Robinson discussing a new model for public education, the talks are powerful because they are delivered by people who care deeply about their topic and in many cases, have spent their careers obsessing over the content. If you’re not genuinely thrilled…