4 TED TALKS THAT WILL HELP YOU LEVEL UP YOUR LEADERSHIP

Leaders are learners. One of the best ways to learn (other than by our own failures and successes that is) is to glean from wisdom and proven ideas other leaders. I am a huge fan and consumer of books and resources that help me become better as a leader – in my work, family, life, and ministry. It all works together, really. But TED Talks are just one of those many outlets.

Below are four of my favorite TED Talks on leadership along with my key takeaways for each. If there’s a talk you’ve enjoyed that isn’t on this list, share it in the comments below!

1. DREW DUDLEY: EVERYDAY LEADERSHIP

How are you making the lives of those around you better? In this talk, Dudley believes that the way you do that is through the “lollipop moment”. Creating, acknowledging, and paying them forward is what leadership is all about.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Maybe the biggest impact we make are those “lollipop moments” — moments where someone said or did something that fundamentally made your life better.
Celebrate leadership as the everyday act of improving each other’s lives.
Leadership is not about changing the world, but about changing someones world.

2. SIMON SINEK: HOW GREAT LEADERS INSPIRE ACTION

Sinek, the author of Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, breaks down “the world’s simplest idea”. Great leaders compel others with a ‘Why’ because people don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it. If you want to inspire action, start with ‘why’.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Everyone knows WHAT they do, some know HOW they do it, but few know WHY they do what they do.
Our “why” is not about our results, its about out core beliefs and what makes us get up in the morning.
If you want to lead from inspiration, think, act, and communicate from the inside out (If you communicate with a team, see 6 ways to spice up your meetings).
The goal is not to do business with everybody who needs what you have. The goal is to do business with people who believe what you believe.
People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.
There are leaders and those who lead. Leaders hold a position of power or authority, but those who lead inspire us… we follow those who lead, not because we have to, but because we want to.

3. STANLEY MCCHRYSTAL: LISTEN, LEARN… THEN LEAD

How do you build a sense of shared purpose among a team of diverse people, backgrounds, ages, and skillsets? McChrystal suggests by listening and learning — and addressing the possibility of failure. If there’s anything leaders know, its that failure is possible. But what we do with that possibility makes a difference!

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Leaders can let you fail and yet not let you be a failure.
Failure isn’t the end. When we do, it’s an opportunity to reach out and rebuild.
A team is made up of people with different experiences, vocabulary, and skill sets. But a successful team celebrates those differences and has a shared purpose and shared consciousness.
Leadership is about relationships. Relationships make a team.
A leader isn’t good because they’re right; they’re good because they’re willing to learn and to trust

4. BRENÉ BROWN: POWER OF VULNERABILITY

Brené Brown, author of Daring Greatly, studies human courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy. In this talk, she drives the importance of connection through the lens of vulnerability. This is one of my top 5 favorite Ted Talks of all-time. So much so that I listen to it again at least twice a year to help “check” myself and reframe my heart attitude.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Connection is why we’re were. Its what gives purpose and meaning to our lives.
Shame is really easily understood as the fear of disconnection — It’s universal; we all have it. The only people who don’t experience shame have no capacity for human empathy or connection. No one wants to talk about it, and the less you talk about it, the more you have it.
People who have a strong sense of love and belonging believe they’re worthy of love and belonging.
Courage is “to tell the story of who you are with your whole heart”.
We can’t practice compassion with other people if we can’t treat ourselves kindly.
What makes you vulnerable, makes you beautiful. It’s not comfortable or excruciating, but it is necessary.
When we work from a place that says, “I’m enough”, then… we’re kinder and gentler to the people around us, and we’re kinder and gentler to ourselves.

4 TED TALKS THAT WILL HELP YOU LEVEL UP YOUR LEADERSHIP

1. DREW DUDLEY: EVERYDAY LEADERSHIP

2. SIMON SINEK: HOW GREAT LEADERS INSPIRE ACTION

3. STANLEY MCCHRYSTAL: LISTEN, LEARN… THEN LEAD

4. BRENÉ BROWN: POWER OF VULNERABILITY

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