Leading a team: My 3 go-to TED talks to create a spark
When starting up a project with a new team, I want to get people comfortable with each other so that we can push for bigger results. One source of inspiration to jumpstart the forming process is sharing and discussing with individuals and with the team some readings and TED Talks. Here are some I keep coming back to and why.
one leadership & impact
Derek Sivers has a fantastic (and quick) TED talk on "How to start a Movement." I have made this talk a staple when I am onboarding new team members and want to spark a discussion about a couple of things.
First, what it means to be a groundbreaker in our work, meaning that we may look or sound like lone nuts, particularly if it hasn't been done before. How can you make the team member stepping out of his or her comfort zone feel supported and celebrated? What type of leadership are you willing to show to help the team member get his or her idea to the next level? Are you willing to be a lone nut, and if not what can we do to make this easier for you? At the heart of this is psychological safety (thank you for inspiring me in this Amy Edmondson).
And of course the point of our work is to have impact. It's not just about "checking the box" and getting it done. We need to enroll people in our vision, make sure we are checking our progress against the "why" of what we're doing, and of course getting the team focused on how what they're doing feeds the impact of the project. Our work and efforts matter.
two it's not the what, it's the how
There is a talk I share with people when they are preparing for a public speaking gig, Will Stephen's "How to Sound Smart in Your TEDx Talk." Not only is it a great example of being convincing on stage, it's stupid funny. And funny goes a long way with me. It also serves as an entry point into a mantra I often repeat to people, it's not the what it's the how. We can have the best of intentions, greatest aspirations and strategy, but if we don't approach it with rigor, humor and compassion, no one will be able to get past the how to see the what. The wonderful, inspiring Maya Angelou said it best. "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." What do you want people too feel about your contributions? What energy do you want to give when you're communicating?
three who are you serving?
BuzzFeed's Publisher Dao Nguyen shared insights into "What Makes Something Go Viral" and I really love the examples and stories she shares and insights into how they approach studying data. She goes full nerd and I could debate with people for days why their approach of cultural cartography (versus traditional known performance indicators) will bring you the most impact to your program.
And at the heart of what she's getting at is not just about media going viral, but putting the end user at the center of the process. I LOVE THIS. I want each of us on the team to become advocates and "friends" to the end user. We should build our work around a real person (Jane) and create a profile with dreams, pain points and habits. We should print a picture of Jane and then orient ourselves regularly around the question: "Will Jane like this?" "What will Jane think of this?" We are all here to serve a Jane. Our work as a team should be rooted in this.
What are your favorite TED Talks and how do you use them with your teams?