Jill Bolte Taylor's 2008 talk has viewed 12 million times (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
In 2008 at the elite TED Conference, brain researcher Jill Bolte Taylor brought the house down with a very personal and unusual talk.
She described in explicit detail, as only a brain researcher could, what was happening as she faced the fascinating and terrifying experience of having a stroke. Since her talk was posted online, it has been viewed 12 million times in 45 languages, and word has it a Hollywood movie about her story is in development.
In the last five years or so, the TED Conference has revived the dramatic talk as a popular art form. A year ago, TED talks had been viewed more than a billion times online. Under the slogan “Ideas Worth Spreading,” TED talks are a powerful way to convey an innovative idea to a giant global audience and have helped turbocharge hundreds of careers. If making it onto the TED main stage is near the top of your bucket list of career achievements, you wouldn't be alone.
The only problem is, you have to be invited. And being invited seems about as likely as winning a lottery ticket.
The good news is, anyone has a shot if they have an idea worth spreading. And I’m eager to share what I’ve learned from the TED team, fellow TEDx organizers, and my personal experience about maximizing your chances of making it into the TED spotlight.
The TED main stage
Once a year, the who’s-who of the global tech illuminati gathers for an intense week of intellectual stimulation, hamachi crudo and kale salad, custom-roasted espresso pulled by hipster baristas, and late-night socializing and dancing to surprise guest artists. It has been called "the ultimate brain spa" and the "Davos for the Mind."
If you want your idea to get an in-person audience with Bill Gates, Al Gore, and 1,200 other intellectuals and random billionaires, this is the place.
But who gets picked for the TED main stage? Kelly Stoetzel is content director for TED, overseeing the programming and coaching of TED speakers. “We’re looking for people who are doing something really important or thinking of something in a new way, and can communicate it really clearly, directly, with passion, and authentically,” Stoetzel explains. “We start with a broad theme – something important right now. We put together the program slowly to make sure we get the right mix of speakers, and to create an interesting narrative during the whole conference, each day, and each session.”
The TED team will take nominations from anyone and anywhere. The best way to make sure a nomination is looked at quickly and gets into the system is through the online nomination form, assures Stoetzel. Otherwise it might fall through the cracks.
How can you have a greater chance of being noticed? “It’s always better to be recommended by someone known in the field,” acknowledges Stoetzel, "because that’s a piece of research already done for us." It doesn’t hurt to get nominated by someone active in the TED community, either.
Plan X
TEDx events are independently organized around the world. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Truth is, for each TED conference, Stoetzel’s team considers about 10,000 submissions for only about 65 slots on the main stage. That’s daunting.
But another way to harness the power of TED is through a network of independently organized TED conferences around the world called TEDx events. They aren’t organized by TED directly; nevertheless, many of them are incredibly high caliber.
As a condition of the license, all talks and performances are videotaped and posted on the TEDxTalks YouTube channel, providing speakers with valuable exposure. Further, all of them are reviewed by the TED team once they are uploaded. As the creator of the first TEDx, TEDxUSC, I curated and coached about 60 TEDx talks, and ten of those ended up highlighted on TED.com. In at least one case, one of our speakers was subsequently invited to the TED main stage.
But don’t let main stage envy get in the way of appreciating a TEDx event in its own right; it can be just the right vehicle to reach hundreds or thousands of constituents in your local community.
The map on the TEDx website will guide you to upcoming events in your area.
Not all TEDxes are the same
Each TEDx is vastly different from the next, and you should consider if a particular event is a good fit for you.
“TEDx events have taken place all over the world, from shanty communities in Kenya, to Parliament buildings in England, to the Sydney Opera House in Australia,” explains Lara Stein, director of the TEDx program. “From the inception of the program, it was very important to build in as much flexibility as possible to enable organizers to infuse their events with a sense of place, culture and local nuances.”
Whether it’s sitting on a dirt floor or floating on a cruise ship, those nuances can add to the event’s charm, or they can detract from your ability to spread your message.
Giving a TED talk can be a powerful way to get your idea heard by an influential audience (Photo... [+]
You might ask the organizers how many attendees their license allows and how they plan to curate the audience. “Tier 2” events are for more experienced organizers, and they tend to be bigger and more polished. But don’t be discouraged from speaking at rough-and-tumble salons or smaller events. It’s most important that an event’s audience, theme, and vibe resonate with you and your talk.
Regardless of the event’s sophistication, video production quality is possibly the most important. Your live talk will be done in less than 20 minutes, but the video lives on. If it isn’t the first year of the TEDx in question, you can watch previous talks on YouTube to get a sense of their style. The best productions use three or four cameras and a professional crew.
Regardless, get a level of comfort that their team has the commitment and resources to present you in a good light. Putting together a killer TED talk takes a huge commitment, and you’ll want to make sure you get as much out of it as you put in.
Getting invited
If you haven’t already been invited to speak at a TEDx yet, don’t despair. From Nevada to Nigeria, most TEDx organizers say they welcome nominations; check each website for more information.
That said, curators lament that people eager to give TEDx talks don’t often fully understand the spirit of TED. “I generally do not find myself drawn to people who suggest themselves as speakers,” says Diane Michlig, Executive Producer and Curator of TEDxSanJoseCA. “I get tons of emails like this and none of these have worked for me... yet!”
But this is an opportunity for you to rise above the crowd. Before you nominate yourself, note that a TED talk isn’t your typical talk. Organizers emphasize the importance of an “idea worth spreading” and are turned off by motivational speeches, or worse, people looking to advance their reputations.
“We are not really inviting people. We are judging the idea. It has to be something we have never heard of, or a new way to present something,” says Denis François Gravel from TEDxQuebec. Also, it is frowned upon to sell from the stage, and TED strictly prohibits sponsors giving talks.
Janet Echelman's talk on imagination has been translated into 20 languages by TED's network of... [+]
Extensive speaking experience isn’t required. In fact, TEDx organizers usually shy away from speakers who have too much exposure already. Michlig says past speakers are her most valued source of speaker ideas. If you already know a former speaker at the event you’re interested in, see if they will recommend you. Many curators start looking for speakers a half a year or more before the event.
Finally, demonstrating an eagerness to put the time in and accept feedback will make you especially welcomed. A speaker should be “prepared to follow a rigorous process of rehearsals and speaker coaching to refine their idea and their presentation style,” cautions Tony Chapman of TEDxLaunceston in Australia.
And after all, if you want to knock everyone’s socks off, you should embrace every opportunity for input.
What are you waiting for?
With thousands of TEDx events happening around the world, there are many chances to get in the TED limelight. So while it may seem like a long shot, you have a good chance of realizing your dream if you play your cards right.
And once you’ve been invited to the venue that’s the right fit for you, it’s time to start working on preparing that talk of your life.
In a future column, I’ll explore different approaches to prepare a killer TED talk. To stay apprised of the next installment – and for more insights on the future of creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship – follow me on Forbes here and on Twitter (@krisztinaholly).
