TED Talks

Informative and inspiring

TED (Technology, Entertainment, and Design) is a non-profit organisation devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks. You’re sure to find something here which will interest, inspire, and instigate change!

How to turn a group of strangers into a team

Business school professor Amy Edmondson studies “teaming,” where people come together quickly (and often temporarily) to solve new, urgent or unusual problems. Recalling stories of teamwork on the fly, such as the incredible rescue of 33 miners trapped half a mile underground in Chile in 2010, Edmondson shares the elements needed to turn a group of strangers into a quick-thinking team that can nimbly respond to challenges. THE TALK >

Using the power of sound

A fantastic TED talk by sound consultant Julian Treasure that explains the how-to’s of powerful speaking to get your audience to listen. Using different techniques, from vocal exercises to speaking with emotion, Julian reveals some invaluable tools for all facilitators. THE TALK >

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Biomimicry in action

Janine Benyus has a message for inventors: when solving a design problem, look to nature first. There you’ll find inspired designs for making things waterproof, aerodynamic, solar-powered, and more. Here she reveals dozens of new products that take their cue from nature with spectacular results. THE TALK >

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The divided brain

Psychiatrist Iain McGilchrist describes the real differences between the left and right halves of the human brain. It’s not simply “emotion on the right, reason on the left,” but something far more complex and interesting. A very cool animated video. THE TALK >

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Innovative compostable packaging

The winner of last year’s Buckminster Fuller Institute Challenge is a manufacturing company that supplies home-compostable packing material called EcoCradle. What sustainable actions will you take this month? THE TALK >

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Transparency in business

One of our core values at TetraMap is transparency. In this great talk Charmian Gooch identifies the need for transparency at a global business level with the brave wish to identify “who owns and controls companies, to change the law, and to approach a new era of openness in business”. THE TALK >

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What I learned from Nelson Mandela

Boyd Varty, a wildlife activist, shares stories of animals, humans, and their interrelatedness or “ubuntu” (defined as, “I am, because of you”). He dedicates the talk to South African leader Nelson Mandela, the human embodiment of that same great-hearted, generous spirit. THE TALK >

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Want to be happy? Be grateful!

The one thing all humans have in common is that each of us wants to be happy, says Brother David Steindl-Rast, a Benedictine monk and interfaith scholar. Happiness, he suggests, is born from gratitude. This video is an inspiring lesson in slowing down, looking where you’re going, and above all, being grateful. THE TALK >

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What makes us feel good about our work?

Contrary to conventional wisdom, it isn’t just money. But it’s not exactly joy either. It seems that most of us thrive by making constant progress and feeling a sense of purpose. Behavioural economist Dan Ariely presents two eye-opening experiments that reveal our unexpected and nuanced attitudes toward meaning in our work. THE TALK >

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How to make stress your friend

Stress has been made into a public health enemy but new research suggests that it may only be bad for you if you believe that to be the case. Psychologist Kelly McGonigal urges us to see stress as a positive and introduces us to an unsung mechanism for stress reduction: reaching out to others. THE TALK >

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The power of vulnerability

Brené Brown studies human connection — our ability to empathise, belong, love. In a poignant and funny talk, she shares a deep insight from her research, one that sent her on a personal quest to know herself as well as to understand humanity. A talk to share. THE TALK >

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Quiet: the power of introverts

Social, outgoing extroverts are now prized in the western world, and it’s so often designed for them. Susan Cain, author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that can’t Stop Talking, makes a compelling case for the quiet and contemplative. Those Air and Water Elements bring a lot to our world that should be celebrated! THE TALK >

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Build a tower, build a team

Tom Wujec presents some excellent idea on teamwork and some surprisingly deep research into the “marshmallow problem” — a simple team-building exercise that involves dry spaghetti, a meter or yard of tape, and a marshmallow. THE TALK >

We’d love to know if you use activities like this to strengthen teams in your workshops.

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Ken Robinson on education

Creativity expert Sir Ken Robinson challenges the way we’re educating our children. He champions a radical rethink of our school systems, to cultivate creativity and acknowledge multiple types of intelligence. His talks are revolutionary, entertaining, and full of humour.

Let’s nurture creativity

Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining and profoundly moving case for creating an education system that nurtures (rather than undermines) creativity. THE TALK >

Bring on the learning revolution!

In this poignant, funny follow-up to his popular talk on creativity above, Sir Ken Robinson makes the case for a radical shift from standardised schools to personalised learning, creating conditions where kids’ natural talents can flourish. THE TALK >

 

Changing education paradigms

In this animated talk, Sir Ken Robinson lays out the link between three troubling trends: rising drop-out rates, schools’ dwindling stake in the arts, and ADHD. THE TALK >

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