What started as a one-off conference about technology, entertainment, and design has evolved into a worldwide phenomenon — hosting some of the greatest minds sharing their most powerful ideas.
Since launching as an annual conference in 1990, TED has put the speaking industry on a global stage, turning professional keynote speakers and thought leaders into household names. It’s impressive roster of presenters have included scientists, philosophers, musicians, business and religious leaders, philanthropists, and many others.
But TED has not only launched the career of several prominent speakers and thinkers, it’s also transformed the audience for the better of the industry as a whole.
The TED Effect
One of the most profound effects TED has had on the speaking industry is that it made keynote speakers more accessible. As such, audiences watch more speakers and they have a greater expectation of what makes a great talk. This means speakers have had to raise their game to keep up.
Pre-TED, people might have attended one or two conferences a year where they would have seen one or two speakers, Speaker Spotlight’s Co-Founder and President Martin Perelmuter said. Now, people watch TED talks in their free time. They’ve seen the best of the best and they expect the best of the best.
“Audiences have gotten more sophisticated…” Martin continued. “Their BS detectors are better than they used to be because they’ve seen a lot of speakers now… so they can better discern the difference between someone who really knows what they’re talking about and is a real expert, and someone who has just read a couple books or articles on a talk, memorized a speech, and is doing it from rote memory.”
“So, I think it’s been a really good thing because as audiences become more sophisticated, they expect more from speakers and the speakers who are true experts shine.” Hear more from Martin and how TED has changed the speaking industry in the video below.
TED Talks to Watch
Several of the speakers we represent have graced the TED stage, giving some of TED’s most memorable and most-watched talks. Check out some of our team’s favourite TED Talks below.
Colonel Chris Hadfield | What I Learned from Going Blind in Space
There’s an astronaut saying — in space, “there is no problem so bad that you can’t make it worse.” So how do you deal with the complexity, the sheer pressure, of handling dangerous and scary situations? Astronaut and former commander of the International Space Station, Colonel Chris Hadfield paints a vivid portrait of how to be prepared for the worst in space (and life).
Amy Cuddy | Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are
Body language affects how others see us, but it may also change how we see ourselves. Social psychologist Amy Cuddy argues that “power posing” — standing in a posture of confidence, even when we don’t feel confident — can boost feelings of confidence and impact our chances for success. Amy’s 2012 presentation is the second-most-watched TED Talk of all time with over 70 million views.
Simon Sinek | How Great Leaders Inspire Action
Renowned leadership expert Simon Sinek — bestselling author of Start with Why — may be best known for his TED Talk “How Great Leaders Inspire Action”. It explores his simple but powerful model for inspirational leadership, starting with a golden circle and the question, “why”. It has been viewed over 65 million times and is one of TED Talk’s most watched talks.
This article has been published as part of our content series, Behind the Spotlight, which explores the inner workings of the speaking industry.
