TED speakers have revolutionized the art of public speaking through their methods of audience approach and intentionality. If your presentations feel dry and you find yourself more engaged with your script than your audience, it’s time to turn to TED for guidance.
For speakers looking to form a stronger connection with your listeners, pay attention to these 6 reasons behind the success of TED Talks:
- People Love Stories
No one enjoys being spoon-fed textbook information
TED speakers supplement their main points by incorporating personal experiences and stories into their talks. This helps bridge the disconnect between new information and the meaning it plays in people’s lives. Quoting author Mark Turner (The Literary Mind, 1996), Public Words notes, “Story is a basic principle of the mind.”
The talks often incorporate a visual aid to guide through the experience as well. Rufwork explains the impact visual aids have on increasing audience retention levels; “Clear pictures multiply the audience's level of understanding of the material presented, and they should be used to reinforce your message, clarify points, and create excitement.”
The combination of stories and visual aids throughout a speech takes listeners through a journey. When the speaker creates this experience for audience members, it establishes a connection needed for both sides to fully engage one another.
- Discussion Over Lecture
Excite and invite
The most effective speakers are those who can embrace real discussion. The conversational approach in TED Talks allow the listeners to feel as though they are being talked with rather than talked at: hence Ted Talks, not lectures. While some TED speakers may take a more formal approach than others, neither feel painfully scripted or reliant on predetermined sentences.
- Establish Credibility
Find power in experience
Whether the speech concerns methods for overcoming stage fright or discussing approaches to end racism, from the first minute of the speech, the audience understands why the presenter is qualified to speak on the subject.
The expertise from TED talkers comes from their direct experiences which enables them to approach the talk from their stories lived. This credibility helps speakers earn the trust of audience members to then hear the message with a more open mind.
- Build Rapport
Decrease the gap between you and your audience members
In a short window of time, TED speakers build rapport with their listeners by incorporating qualities of empathy and relevancy in their talks. This level of intentionality meets two needs of the audience members: the desire to feel connected and understood. Witt Communications explains, “When you establish rapport with your audience, they become your partners in a dialog, allies in your presentation. They’ll want you to succeed.” Find commonalities between you and your audience that make you relational and your speech relatable.
- The Speakers Are Human Too
Establish your humanity while maintaining professionalism
The TED stage highlights both those who have received prestigious awards and those newly emerging in their field of study. The speakers’ value is determined by the richness of their content and the reality in their words. The ideas and passions, shared on the TED stages are relatable and admirable.
When speakers are vulnerable with their listeners, Speak Fearlessly describes this as creating an authentic connection with your audience. The TED stage creates a safe space for speakers to admit their flaws, fears, hopes, and experiences.
- Compact - Quality - Content
Less words, more impact
In 18 minutes or less, TED Talks both educate and entertain. The TED time limit allows for speakers to condense their message into key points, but still have enough time to walk through a proper beginning, middle, and end. Speakers who walk through a long maze of words only to forget to find their way back leave audience members frustrated and confused.
TED speakers own the stage by creating an environment that makes their audience crave knowledge and desire to listen. The TED approach to public speaking proves the necessity of being a relationship with listeners throughout a speech to maximize message potential.
-Lisa Monteiro ‘17
FAQs
TED speakers own the stage by creating an environment that makes their audience crave knowledge and desire to listen. The TED approach to public speaking proves the necessity of being a relationship with listeners throughout a speech to maximize message potential.
What are the four 4 foundations of a powerful speech TED talk? ›
"There are four powerful foundations to stand on if we want our speech to make change." In his talk, Treasure highlights four critical components of effective speech: honesty, authenticity, integrity and love (HAIL).
What made it so effective in TED Talks? ›
The most effective TED Talks succeed because they master the art of clear messaging, engaging storytelling, and passionate delivery. By incorporating these techniques into your presentations, you can create a powerful and memorable experience for your audience.
What is the reason for TED Talks? ›
TED is dedicated to researching and sharing knowledge that matters through short talks and presentations. Our goal is to inform and educate global audiences in an accessible way.
What are the pros and cons of TED Talks? ›
Pros: Provides convenient, easily searchable access to every TED talk; accessible in many languages. Cons: Downloading talks for offline viewing can use lots of memory. Unclear icons make some functions obscure.
What are the advantages of watching TED Talks? ›
Top 9 benefits of TedX Talks for students
- Gives access to world-renowned speakers. ...
- Encourages critical thinking. ...
- Helps develop public speaking skills. ...
- Boosts confidence. ...
- Teaches about different cultures. ...
- Improves listening skills. ...
- Widens knowledge. ...
- Encourages questions and discussion.
What Makes a Good TED Talk? Now, if you're going to speak at a TED event or if you're checking out speakers from the past, there are a few key ingredients to a good TED talk. Most importantly, these include a new and interesting idea, a concise presentation, and visual aids.
What are the 4 P's of speech? ›
The Four P's of Public Speaking
The next four P's are the keys to effective and compelling oral delivery: Projection, Pace, Pitch, and Pauses. By skillfully controlling and varying your voice, you can attract and hold interest, combat monotony, add emphasis, clarify meaning, and convey enthusiasm and conviction.
What are the main points of talk like TED? ›
Talk Like TED
- Speak your passion. It really, really helps if you actually care about what you are talking about. ...
- Tell a story. ...
- Make it emotional. ...
- Make it 18 Minutes Long. ...
- Practice makes perfect. ...
- PowerPoint isn't everything. ...
- What is the one most important thing you want your audience to take away? ...
- Use the rule of three.
Each TEDx talk is an in depth look into a specific topic. This can be a topic you already know a little bit about but want to learn more about, or it can be a topic that you know nothing about but are just interested in learning something new. They are short enough to keep you interested and are kept to the point.
TED employs a science curator as well as fact-checkers and topic-specific advisors. Before a speaker is invited to the TED stage, we strive to ensure that their work has been peer-reviewed, and that they are well regarded by other scientists.
What is the impact of TED Talks? ›
Inspiration and Empowerment: Many TED Talks are not just informative; they are inspirational. Speakers like Brené Brown, Simon Sinek, and Elizabeth Gilbert have delivered talks that resonate on a deeply emotional level, encouraging viewers to embrace vulnerability, find their purpose, and pursue their passions.
What makes TED Talk special? ›
TED talks, however, explore a single idea with unwavering focus. When you present a singular idea, and avoid tangents and loosely related facts and stats, you give your audience a clear takeaway from your presentation, making your message easier to recall and more likely to inspire action.
Why do people like TED Talk? ›
The beauty of TED talks and why they have been so successful is that they remove all physical barriers in order to be as authentic as possible to the audience. This means no lecterns and most certainly no notes, which in turn puts a lot more pressure on your delivery style.
What is the motive of TED Talks? ›
The purpose of TED Talks is told in its motto itself. Its motto is : “Ideas worth spreading”. Therefore, it's purpose is to spread ideas and inspire and motivate its audience. TED talks are held on various disciplines like science, education, history, environmental issues, productivity tips, business, technology, etc.
How do TED talk speakers speak so well? ›
Storytelling. TED speakers use storytelling in every single talk – a great reminder for us to be personal and share our unique perspectives when we speak on any stage. Commanding attention. Everything about a TED talk – the time limit, the body language you use, and how you speak – is designed to command attention.
Are TED Talks academically credible? ›
At TED, we strive to present science in a way that is both compelling and 100% credible. Scientific claims by our speakers should be based on data that has survived scrutiny by experts in the field. Speakers should be transparent about the basis for any factual claims, and the scientific evidence for them.
Why do people enjoy TED Talks? ›
TED Talks almost always provide something that are uniquely individual and personal in nature. In this, they share a close relationship with motivational speaking. TED audiences want to feel a twinge inside of themselves, not necessarily about the entities they are part of.
