Why I’m part of TEDx and you should be too

Have you heard of TEDx? Most probably you have. Maybe you are able to decipher the Technology, Entertainment and Design acronym and might even have visited TED.com. Maybe you have watched dozens of intellectually stimulating videos and you already have your favourites! (scroll down if you want to see my personal top 10 favourites of all times).

But the distinction between TED and TEDx is not an obvious one for everybody, and while they share a similar impetus, there are crucial differences. Let me give you a quick overview – TED events usually have a global approach and are run by TED’s core team, whereas TEDx events are independently organised by local communities around the world. Most of the time they concentrate on local issues, conveyed by local voices and attendance is free of charge (or the fee is minimal to cover small organisation costs, contrary to TED conferences which cost thousands of US dollars to attend).

Can I help making it better?

I was already a TED.com addict when the first TEDxWarsawSalon took place. I was lucky to be in the audience. My first TEDx event. Small, cosy, short… just a couple of hours in the evening on a weekday. But still powerful. I was amazed by the atmosphere, the quality of the networking, the engagement of attendees. Writing now, many years on, I’m not precisely sure who was on stage that night and what ideas were shared exactly. Nevertheless, the connections that I made then are still alive now and have resulted in many interesting ventures and close friendships

But back to that first TEDx salon event. I loved it, but I also had this strong feeling that I could contribute toward making it better. I felt that I could add a missing piece to the puzzle and enrich the overall experience. Back home I emailed the organiser and quickly found out that many individuals had done same! We all met the following weekend for breakfast – Suddenly, TEDxWarsawSalon was no longer a one-man initiative, we were a team ready to work together on the events that followed.

Some of TEDxWarsawSalon team members back in 2014

I quickly got more involved, becoming the core team member of the main annual conference TEDxWarsaw, the special edition TEDxWarsawPresidentialPalace and soon the licensee of TEDxWarsawSalon.

Organising TEDx events is a non-profit activity. Organisers don’t get paid, they don’t work for the money but out of the passion to make a difference in the local community. There were months where my involvement with TEDxwas comparable to a full-time job! So I juggled between my regular projects and TEDx on late nights and weekends.

Our core team members are often cross-functional, but I was most engaged in working with speakers on their talks and planning the audience experience. For the last 4 years, I also had the privilege of co-hosting the main TEDxWarsaw event, a personal dream come true.

Where’s the magic?

Well… it’s not purely in the talks. Don’t get me wrong, the talks are a crucial part of the event and most of the work in the 6 months preceding the event focuses on the quality of the speeches to be delivered. Talk curation and idea selection – these are and always will be a top priority.

Nevertheless, if the magic lay only in passively watching the talks, our attendees would simply stay home and enjoy the playlists available online. But they actively apply to be part of the audience. We often have 3x more applications than seats in the venue and audience selection is also an important process.

So what makes TEDx events so special?

If you gather thinkers, activists, artists, entrepreneurs and other open-minded individuals hungry for inspiration in one place, if you feed them with intoxicating ideas and provide the right circumstances for interaction, networking and conversation, be ready for an incredible energy discharge.

Steve Jobs once said that

“Those who are crazy enough to think they can change the world usually do.”

Well, believe me, that the average TEDx event attendee is crazy in that oh-so undefinable way, and is ready to change the world. Be careful, because it’s contagious.

I received a lot of positive feedback about the “TEDx effect” on the audience. Successful networking stories and new projects initiated out of inspirational moments. Many people already have an idea, a dream or a plan when they come to us, but I like to believe that TEDx gives them a positive boost, a friendly kick even, in the right direction.

Speed networking at TEDxWarsawSalon in Teatr 6. piętro

I remember Kasia, a shy foodie working for years as a project manager within the machinery of a large corporation. During the dream map workshop that we held, she confessed her desire to one day quit her job and start a food-related business. Today she’s running a successful restaurant in the centre of Warsaw. One of countless examples of the great people who attend TEDx – people who dare to step out of their comfort zones and turn their dreams into reality.

Examples of my own initiatives that started with great TEDx relations include the “Spread Your Wings” project (a series of inspiring workshops for orphanage kids focused around technology, art, sports and making things happen) as well as the Enough Baby mobile app (helping party people get back home safely). Currently, inspired by a recent talk on neuromarketing by Maciej Kraus, I’m exploring the possibilities of launching a service design/neuromarketing agency here in Qatar.

Besides projects, we also started some great friendships. And a few marriages too.

How engaged will you be?

You don’t have to jump into the deep end if you don’t feel like it. You can take it step by step, but chances are that once you’re hooked up, there’s no turning back 😉

So what can you do?

1. Discover and watch talks online

If you haven’t already, visit TED.com and get inspired by talks on a huge variety of topics, given by a diverse range of speakers. No matter what your areas of interest are, with over 2500 TED videos (and over 100k TEDx videos on the official YouTube channel!!), I’m sure that you’ll find many ideas that you’ll love and be inspired by.

2. Find a local event and apply to attend

The magic I told you about. This happens when curious TED/TEDx fans get together. It’s certainly not as illusive as it sounds! Don’t miss the next TEDx event in your area (you can find upcoming events here – TEDx | Event Listing)

3. Co-organize an event

If you want to inspire your local community, you have the opportunity to obtain a licence from TED and create an extraordinary event yourself.

But what if I’m not focused on the entire local community?

Chances are that you’re a working professional dedicated to the development of your organisation. An organisation with its own mission and a set of values. You might be working in R&D, HR or CSR. If you fell in love with TED / TEDx and you would like to bring the same level of inspiration, engagement and collaboration to your organisation then I have some good news. It’s possible to organise internal TEDx events. You might have never heard of them because according to the license agreement they might only be advertised internally within the organisation and outsiders might not be able to attend. Don’t let this hold you back though.

Why is holding a TEDx event in your organisation/company a great idea? First of all, it’s a powerful platform to share ideas inline with your organisation’s values. It’s a way to spotlight innovation, ignite conversation and trigger action. By leveraging the TEDx brand and the successful TED format you can amplify great ideas among your employees. Companies such as Google, PwC, Deloitte and many more are already taking this opportunity.

My future with TED & TEDx

Long distance relationships are hard. Mine with TEDxWarsaw is a strong one and we try to make it work, but let’s face it, it’s not the same when you’re 5000km apart. I get to coach speakers remotely over Skype, I participate in Slack discussions with the team and I join them in Warsaw a week before the event for the final preparations and rehearsals.

But I really miss the team spirit and excitement of working on everyday basis on great events locally. So… If you’re based in Qatar and you feel like your community or organisation would benefit from a TEDx (or similar) event format – shoot me an e-mail. Let’s engage people and make magic happen.

On stage with TEDxWarsaw curator and TED Ambassador, Ralph Talmont

And as promised,

my top 10 personal favourite TED (and TEDx) talks of all times

Enjoy!

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If you would like to find out more about my Middle Eastern experiences, UX/UI projects and TEDx, don’t hesitate to contact me.