Below you will find the teachings from the book TED Talks. The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking, with all the ideas I learned from reading it.
A few years ago I watched one of the many TED talks for the first time, and as always, I was impressed by the presenter’s skills in communicating his point and managing the audience.
How great leaders inspire action (How great leaders inspire action) was the name of the talk and its presenter was Simon Sinek, author of the book Start With Why, which we have discussed in other articles.
Also, I was jealous of the way this character speaks so naturally. He conversed with the public with such confidence and conveyed a solid idea with a clear teaching.
How to learn these skills?
Who better than Chris Anderson, the official pillar and head of the TED talks since 2002, to teach us how to give a great presentation.
What are the most important tips for a successful talk? What do I need to do and learn to convey an idea effectively?
For this reason, I decided to read your book. TED talks. Official TED Guide to Public Speaking, where through his experience and analysis of hundreds of talks; it gives us the best strategies to ensure that we can rebuild our ideas in other people’s minds.
30 teachings of the book TED talks. Official TED guide to public speaking.
Through reading I compiled the 30 teachings of the TED Talks book, which from my perspective are the most important. Find them below:
1. The art of public speaking is a skill that can be built through practice and preparation. This means that you or anyone can master it.
two. Public speaking is one of the greatest fears of human beings. Sometimes more than death.
This scares us mainly because we care a lot about what other people think of us; without realizing that all human beings have the same fears. An audience goes to a presentation with the intention of learning, not judging.
3. The #1 mission in public speaking is to take an idea that is very important to you and reconstruct it in the minds of your audience.
Four. Anyone with an idea worth sharing is capable of mastering the art of public speaking.
In addition, you must first worry about having an idea that deserves to be shared; public speaking skills can be learned. (It’s not worth having style if there’s no substance).
5. Your main purpose in public speaking is to give, not to receive. Stay away from sales pitches. You will offend the public and you will gain nothing.
6. Make sure that your idea is not only interesting for you. Some people base their talks on the success of the company they work for or their job.
Keep in mind that most people don’t care who you work for or how you do it. That is only important to you. If you want to express how proud you are of your company and your work, talk to your best friend; but don’t waste the time of an audience that wants to learn.
7. We all dream of being cheered and applauded after a talk. It’s not bad to dream about that moment.
However, be careful that this is not your main reason for standing in front of hundreds of people and sharing an idea.
Think about your audience and deliver something bigger than yourself. Your presentation should be about an idea, not about you. Only authenticity, preparation, genuine knowledge and selfless delivery; They can generate real inspiration in the public.
8. Do not present your talk from the problem, emphasize it in the idea. Good ideas lead to solutions.
Let’s continue…
9. To structure the idea of your presentation, ask yourself the following questions.
- Am I passionate about the topic of my presentation?
- Does the topic inspire curiosity?
- Will sharing my idea create an impact on my audience, will there be a change, a difference?
- Are you asking for something from your audience or are you giving them something?
- Is the information fresh or has someone else exposed it in the past?
- Do I know enough about the subject?
- Do I have the credibility to tackle it?
- Can I encapsulate my presentation in 15 words?
- Are these 15 words enough to persuade?
10. The most important tools when speaking in public are:
- Connection.
- Narration.
- Explanation.
- Persuasion.
- Revelation.
eleven. It is important that you plan in advance what you are going to wear on the day of your exhibition. In this way you can concentrate exclusively on your ideas and how you are going to transmit them.
- Don’t wear anything shiny that might distract the audience with the reflection. This is also important if you are going to take photos or videos.
- Wear something that sets you apart from the backstage. Don’t use black or white. This could affect photos or videos of your conference.
- Find out who your audience is. It may be a good idea to dress similar; but look a little more elegant.
- Avoid clashing earrings or bracelets. This could cause annoying noise in the microphone.
12. Show the public that you are vulnerable too. Telling about your weaknesses can help ease your nerves while softening up your audience.
13. Humor is a very powerful weapon when speaking in public. It is definitely one of the best ways to connect with the audience and to make the audience feel in a comfortable environment to learn.
However, keep in mind that humor is not for everyone. Some people do it naturally and have own humor. If it’s not your thing, don’t force it; could work against you.
14. Leave your ego out. Nobody cares if you are a guru or an expert, or if you are the best or have a lot of money. Remember that the idea is to give, not receive.
fifteen. Be careful with sensitive topics like politics or religion. Something as simple as a joke can be offensive to someone in the audience.
There is still more to learn…
16. Use metaphors. They are an excellent way to explain your ideas giving more dynamism to the talk. You will make the audience feel identified with these comparisons.
17. Make your presentation a story that you can tell naturally. Stay away from complex explanations and far-fetched arguments. Try to tell a story that is easy to identify with.
18. Never assume that the concepts you mention are obvious. Make sure you are as clear as possible.
Make everything as simple as it can be, but not so simple that you offend the intelligence of the audience.
19. Inspire curiosity and keep order easy to understand. Deliver the concepts that make up your presentation one by one; but make sure that no one gets lost between one idea and another.
twenty. Use examples that can help you give a clearer explanation of your idea.
twenty-one. Practice your presentation with friends. Be sure to ask them if everything you say makes sense. It is likely that there are terms or words that not everyone understands.
22. Practice is vital. Don’t rely solely on your improv skills. Even if you achieve it, your public will notice it. Just like an actor practices before performing, or a musician practices before a concert; you should also practice.
23. Practicing will put you in a state of unintentional memorization. In the end you will know your presentation in its best version.
To end….
24. If you’re going to memorize something, make it the beginning and the end of your presentation. The first minute is when you have the opportunity to create intrigue, which is why it is of great importance that you take advantage of the fact that you have the full attention of the audience.
25. Start with a relatable anecdote or joke that breaks the ice and makes them feel comfortable and connected with you. You could also open with a fun fact that piques their interest.
26. Do not deliver at the beginning of your presentation the most important information or the conclusion of your research. If you do, you will have lost your audience because they already know what you want to achieve. They’ll feel like they already know what you’re going to say.
27. Out of nervousness, some people tend not to look at the public. However, Anderson explains that eye contact is a powerful connection weapon. Just like you look at a person when you talk to them, look at the audience when you talk to them.
28. There is no general rule when it comes to body language. We all have different ways of expressing ourselves and moving our bodies when speaking. Find your own way to do it.
29. Your movements are probably involuntary because of your nervousness. Be aware that this can happen and control your body.
30. If you are moving across the stage and need to emphasize a point, hold still. That will give strength to your words.
Conclusion teachings of the book TED talks.
As you may have noticed, all the teachings are skills that you can work on. Of course, some of them require time and practice.
Anyone can become a great speaker, you just need a good idea. The rest depends on working on all the points mentioned above.
In closing, I want to make it clear that these ideas were literally my notes from reading the book TED Talks, The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking.
If you want to read it, you might get your own ideas. But if you don’t, I hope my notes will be of great help to you 🙂
And remember, if you are really interested in creating your own business, you can purchase our book “How to create a company while working: Discover how to manage your time, manage your money and motivate yourself while creating a company and working for another” , where you will find all the information you need to found your own company, without having to leave your job.
