First, A Little Background on TED The TED conference (which stands for technology, entertainment, design) began life in 1984 as a yearly and very expensive conference where industry leaders and creative types gathered to exchange “Ideas Worth Spreading.” Back then, it was all about the live experience, and speakers were expected to bring some quirky spontaneity to the Read More
TED and TEDx Talks
If you're invited to speak at a TED or TEDx event, say yes! These public speaking platforms offer a unique chance to grow your skills and reach a wider audience with your message.
Public Speaking Tip 82: Don’t Let the “TED Talk” Style Intimidate You or Stand Between You and Making a Good Enough Speech
How Do You Know if You’ve Given a “Good” Speech? As public speakers, we want to do our best. But presentations can be hard to evaluate. Was it a good speech if: You felt comfortable? The audience was engaged (and what about the audience that’s hung over, only got 3 hours of sleep last night, and Read More
Giving a TED-Style Talk? Here’s How They’re Different from Business Presentations
In the past few years, TED, TEDx, and TED-style talks have become so pervasive and so popular that, even in business settings, speakers are often asked to give “a TED talk.” (And BTW, TEDx refers to independently organized events held for local communities, or communities of interest.) If you have a TED, TEDx, or TED-style talk coming Read More
How Joe Kowan Beat Stage Fright (and You Can, Too)
“Embracing??” “Exploiting?” Do these sound like words you would use in relation to fear of public speaking, a/k/a stage fright? Probably not. But Joe Kowan, who performed and spoke as part of a TED program said: By thinking about my audience… by embracing and exploiting my problem, I was able to take something that was blocking my Read More
TED Has Eliminated Two Things That Used to Be Said In Most Speeches: Hello and Thank You. Should You?
Even, if you’ve never heard of TED talks, they’ve changed the way you think about public speaking. I’ll get to how this happened in just a minute. But first… Who the H*** Is TED, Anyway?? TED isn’t a person. It’s an organization (the letters stand for technology, entertainment, design) that, for more than 30 years, has Read More