If you don’t follow TED on Facebook or Twitter, it’s time to start doing so.
Many of us know TED talks from the occasional clip professors show us in class when they don’t feel like lecturing. What many of us don’t know, however, is that TED—standing for Technology, Entertainment, Design—is a set of conferences run by a non-profit under the slogan “Ideas worth spreading.” Although TED was originally founded with an emphasis on the subjects in the acronym, it has now broadened to focus on many academic studies in the arts and sciences. As of April 2014, 1,700 talks are available on the TED website for free.
Why should you care? Many of the speakers use their allotted 18 minutes to be not just informational, but inspirational as well. Topics range from controversial social issues to breakthrough technology that will change the future. Past speakers have included Bill Clinton, Jane Goodall, Al Gore, Bill Gates, Nobel Prize winners, and more, making once privileged speeches accessible to anyone with a computer.
Join HerCampus Bucknell and the other one billion viewers as we watch five abolsute must-see TED talks for women.
Sheryl Sandberg: Why We Have Too Few Women Leaders
Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook’s Chief Operating Officer, looks at why a smaller percentage of women compared to men make it to the top in their professions. Using personal anecdotes, insights, and humor, she crafts three key pieces of advice for women who want to stay in the workforce: “One, sit at the table. Two, make your partner a real partner. And three, don’t leave before you leave.”
Amy Cuddy: Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are
Body language affects how others see us, but also may change how we see ourselves. Social psychologist Amy Cuddy from Harvard Business School shows how “power posing” — standing in a posture of confidence, even when we don’t feel confident — can affect testosterone and cortisol levels in the brain, and might even have an impact on our chances for success. She shows us that we can change other people’s perceptions simply by changing body positions.
Brené Brown: The Power of Vulnerability
Brené Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston. Brown has spent the past 10 years studying vulnerability, courage, authenticity, and shame. She spent the first five years of her decade-long study focusing on shame and empathy, and is now using that work to explore a concept that she calls “wholeheartedness.” She poses questions like: How do we learn to embrace our vulnerabilities and imperfections so that we can engage in our lives from a place of authenticity and worthiness? How do we cultivate the courage, compassion, and connection that we need to recognize that we are enough – that we are worthy of love, belonging, and joy? If you like this one, check out her second talk, Listening to Shame.
Courtney Martin: Reinventing Feminism
Courtney E. Martin, a blogger and Internet entrepreneur, chronicles and encourages the current generation of young activists and feminists through her editor position at Feministing.com and her book “Do It Anyway: The New Generation of Activists.” Her charisma and personal story of feminism through examining “cultural hipness” makes this talk a must listen. Plus, you should also check out her book.
Elizabeth Gilbert: Your Elusive Creative Genius
Elizabeth Gilbert, a writer and the author of “Eat, Pray, Love,” uses her talk to inspire us all to tap into our own personal genius. Her dry sense of humor used to explain her pre-midlife crisis in her book comes through in this moving, personal talk. If you like it, check out her second talk, Success, failure, and the drive to keep creating.