A little inspiration needed for your next speech? Then take a look at TED(Technology, Entertainment and Design), a non-profit organisation dedicated to sharing forward-thinking concepts and practices from around the globe.
Having started out in 1984, TED organises “exclusive conferences” and posts presentations from those conferences online for free viewing. Each TED Talk takes place in front of a live audience and must take 18 minutes or less. The world’s most successful entrepreneurs, most brilliant scientists and most famous pop stars have all given TED Talks, as have thousands of lesser-known, hardworking people.
What I really like is that these are not lectures, these people telling inspirational tales using a compelling narrative so that you can go away and find out more. My favourite talk is by Frans de Waal: Moral Behaviour In Animals; the investigations his team lead have given me a completely new view on what working together really means.
In order to prepare, every speaker is provided with the TED Ten Commandments of content and delivery. This set of “best practices” can equally be applicable to Toastmasters:
1) Avoid clichéd “shtick”
2) share a big vision or a new idea
3) “tell a story”
4) don’t sell
5) welcome laughter
6) share your “curiosity” and “passion”
7) refer to other speakers to generate “connection” or “controversy”
8) be “vulnerable” and not egotistical
9) don’t “read your speech”
AND MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL 10) finish on time.
One of my life long ambitions is to deliver a knock out speech at a TED conference having attended a global event in 2005; but it’s going to take a bit more practicing at Toastmasters.
Regards
Ga Lok, VP Education
