TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking

by Chris J. Anderson

How others think of us matters hugely. We are profoundly social animals. We crave each other’s affection, respect, and support.

“When people sit in a room to listen to a speaker, they are offering her something extremely precious, something that isn’t recoverable once given: a few minutes of their time and of their attention. Her task is to use that time as well as possible.”

To say something interesting you have to take the time to do at least two things: Show why it matters . . . what’s the question you’re trying to answer, the problem you’re trying to solve, the experience you’re trying to share? Flesh out each point you make with real examples, stories, facts.

‘What can you unpack in a meaningful way in 18 minutes?’”