Here's a list of some top TED Talks for Leaders, Creative and people with a thirst to grow. In coaching I often share Ted Talks to inspire clients and we can pick up little aha moments where the seeds of knowledge, wisdom and perspective are planted.
This special leadership series of Ted Talks is covering a range of topics including inspiration, team-building, decision-making, personal development, communication, creativity and entrepreneurship. I hope you enjoy the series and if you're thinking about doing some leadership coaching I encourage you to book a free intro call for a chat.
Simon Sinek: How Great Leaders Inspire Action:
Simon Sinek presents a simple but powerful model for how leaders inspire action, starting with a golden circle and the question "Why?" His examples include Apple, Martin Luther King, and the Wright brothers -- and as a counterpoint Tivo, which (until a recent court victory that tripled its stock price) appeared to be struggling.
Dan Pink: The Puzzle of Motivation:
Career analyst Dan Pink examines the puzzle of motivation, starting with a fact that social scientists know but most managers don't: Traditional rewards aren't always as effective as we think. Listen for illuminating stories -- and maybe, a way forward.
Derek Sivers: How to Start a Movement:
With help from some surprising footage, Derek Sivers explains how movements really get started.
Gitte Frederiksen: Great Leadership Is a Network, Not a Hierarchy:
What if leadership at work wasn't for a select few, but rather shared among many? Management consultant Gitte Frederiksen gives us the recipe for "distributed leadership" -- dynamic, multi-dimensional networks of leaders that tap into everyone's knowledge and creativity -- and shows how it allows teams to do more and do it better.
Margaret Heffernan: Dare to Disagree:
Most people instinctively avoid conflict, but as Margaret Heffernan shows us, good disagreement is central to progress. She illustrates (sometimes counterintuitively) how the best partners aren't echo chambers -- and how great research teams, relationships and businesses allow people to deeply disagree.
Carol Dweck: The Power of Believing That You Can Improve:
Carol Dweck researches “growth mindset” — the idea that we can grow our brain's capacity to learn and to solve problems. In this talk, she describes two ways to think about a problem that’s slightly too hard for you to solve. Are you not smart enough to solve it … or have you just not solved it yet? A great introduction to this influential field.
Susan Cain: The Power of Introverts:
In a culture where being social and outgoing are prized above all else, it can be difficult, even shameful, to be an introvert. But, as Susan Cain argues in this passionate talk, introverts bring extraordinary talents and abilities to the world, and should be encouraged and celebrated.
Adam Grant: The Surprising Habits of Original Thinkers:
How do creative people come up with great ideas? Organizational psychologist Adam Grant studies "originals": thinkers who dream up new ideas and take action to put them into the world. In this talk, learn three unexpected habits of originals — including embracing failure. "The greatest originals are the ones who fail the most, because they're the ones who try the most," Grant says. "You need a lot of bad ideas in order to get a few good ones."
Julian Treasure: How to Speak So That People Want to Listen:
Have you ever felt like you're talking, but nobody is listening? Here's Julian Treasure to help you fix that. As the sound expert demonstrates some useful vocal exercises and shares tips on how to speak with empathy, he offers his vision for a sonorous world of listening and understanding.
Roselinde Torres: What It Takes to Be a Great Leader:
There are many leadership programs available today, from 1-day workshops to corporate training programs. But chances are, these won't really help. In this clear, candid talk, Roselinde Torres describes 25 years observing truly great leaders at work, and shares the three simple but crucial questions would-be company chiefs need to ask to thrive in the future.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie:
The Danger of a Single Story: Our lives, our cultures, are composed of many overlapping stories. Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice -- and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding.