If you’ve read my post on why I’m a part of the TEDx organizing community, you might have picked up on my (obviously very restrained, unbiased and completely balanced) fanatical love of what the organization attempts to do. So I’ve got to be honest with you, my heart sinks a little when I have conversations that go something like this:
— Hey Agata, I would love to give a talk at TEDx! I enjoy public speaking, I’m really good at it!
— Oh that sounds great! What would you like to talk about?
— Oh, it doesn’t matter. You just choose any topic and let me know. I can prepare a talk about anything, whatever suits the event theme.
No, no, no, no. NO.
I’m really sorry to disappoint some of you, but this is not how it works. I’m really happy that you have good public speaking skills, that’s very useful. But if your vision of a TED(x) talk is based purely on style and not substance, then I would perhaps recommend a Toastmasters speech contest. Standing on the red dot of a TED stage demands so much more than oratory prowess alone.
Good morning, I have a special delivery for the TEDx audience
TED(x) is about sharing knowledge, inspiration and giving people a sense of possibility. At the center of each talk is an idea, a question that needs to be answered or an experience worth sharing. These topics cannot simply plucked out of thin air and then fed through a machine that adds poiniency.
So who is the ideal speaker? Well… he or she is only the messenger. The task is to unwrap this precious package on stage and offer the audience a gift. A precious insight, possibly even a new way of looking at the world.
Is it you?
At TEDxWarsaw we usually have approximately 1000 attendees. At the same time, people from across the world are following the online lifestream. What kind of personalities make up our audience? Activists, entrepreneurs, artists, engineers, to name a few. All hungry for inspiration and knowledge. They decide to share with us the most valuable resource they have – time. We have to begin by appreciating and respecting that. That’s why we make sure that everything happening on stage at the event is worth their time (and of course, our own!).
In order to speak at TED(x) you need to:
- have something worth saying, preferably unique and fresh
- be passionate about it
- be able to show why it matters
- be credible
Credibility is very important. The idea that you present needs to be an outcome of your work, research or personal experience.
Is your topic unrelated to Technology, Entertainment or Design? Don’t worry. Currently TED(x) covers almost everything from science to global issues, provided the topic complies with the community standards. This means no demagoguery and no polarising commercial, political or religious agendas. Arguments must be backed up in well founded evidence.
If the wish the become a TED or TEDx speaker is so important to you, but you still haven’t figured out what you’re passionate about and what your idea worth sharing is… Get to work.
As Thomas Edison said:
“One Percent Inspiration, Ninety-Nine Percent Perspiration”.
Which gives us hope that pretty much anything can be achieved if we commit ourselves to working hard on it. So what are you waiting for? But make sure you get that one percent inspiration first.
Next steps
Ok. You have a gift for the audience. You are convinced that you are the right person to deliver it. You’re passionate, credible and you’ve perspired enough to create something meaningful. You’re ready.
First prepare a short outline of your idea. What are the key takeaways for the audience? Why are you passionate about it? How does this idea connect to other things?
I would recommend checking out local TEDx events. Most of them should have a “Suggest a speaker” page. If you’re based in Warsaw, you can start with Suggest a Speaker – TEDxWarsaw.
If you aim globally, visit the TED Speaker Nomination page.
Don’t worry, it’s perfectly fine to nominate yourself.
But remember, it’s about giving, not taking. Make sure your application is not centered around who you are as a person, but around your idea and it’s value to the TEDx community.
Yay, 11 years on Facebook…
A couple of weeks ago I received a notification congratulating me for 11 years on Facebook. For some reason, Facebook was really into celebrating this special anniversary with me. I, on the other hand, didn’t feel like celebrating. I started wondering how many hours I have spent on social media in the last decade. And more importantly how I wish I had dedicated these hours to something meaningful instead. I’m sure that during all this time I could have accomplished something worth sharing on a TEDx stage.
Scarier than snakes and zombies
Are you doing something incredible? Do you have an amazing idea to share, but you’re just not too comfortable speaking in front of a large audience? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Chapman University conducted a survey on American fears, examining fears and anxieties across a variety of topics such as personal safety, the government, disasters and more.
Guess what ranked first?
Yup, public speaking. So if you feel petrified by the idea of delivering a talk in front of hundreds of curious minds, don’t worry, because:
- It’s normal.
- You’ll have time to prepare.
- TEDx has a great team of public speaking coaches and after months of preparations sharing your idea will be like a walk in the park.
So if the only thing holding you back from applying to TED(x) is your lack of self-confidence, please don’t let it stop you. After all, it’s often the most humble among us who have the most insight to share. We really want to hear from you and if your idea / experience is worth our audience’s time, we’ll make sure to help you deliver it in the best possible way.
Disclaimer: I am not in charge of selecting speakers at TEDxWarsaw. There’s a whole sub team responsible for that. We are all able to recommend people (or more importantly ideas), but at the end of the day the decision is made first by the team, then goes to the head of the speakers’ division and ends with the curator, Ralph Talmont. The thoughts and opinions presented in this blog post are my own, although they are strongly rooted in the official TED guidelines as well as in my personal experience as a TEDx organizer for the past 5 years.