TEDx Talking: Elaine Powell On What You Need To Know To Secure, Prepare, and Deliver a Highly Effective TEDx Talk
Put the audience first. An audience is potentially sitting there thinking “What’s in it for me.” Therefore focus on them from start to finish and you won’t go wrong.
In a world that is more connected than ever, the power of a well-crafted message to inspire, educate, and evoke change cannot be understated. TEDx Talks have emerged as a prestigious platform for sharing ideas worth spreading, reaching a global audience, and creating impact on a grand scale. In this series, we are discussing the process of delivering a TEDx Talk that resonates and leaves a lasting impression. We are talking with experts who have successfully navigated the TEDx journey, including TEDx speakers, speaking coaches with a focus on TEDx preparations, and organizers involved in the selection and coaching of speakers. As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Elaine Powell.
Elaine is The Thought Disruptor Speaker and creator of the T.H.I.N.K. Methodology. These five thinking principles are game changers for individuals or organizations to excel in their performance, productivity, and profits when applied individually or collectively.
She has spoken at over 200 events worldwide, and trained over 35,000 people including senior leaders, c-suite executives, and thought leaders in the power of transformational thinking and communication skills. A former TEDx curator in London for three years, she has been featured in Forbes talking about TEDx and is an Amazon Prime Speak UP Producer. Lastly, Elaine supports experts and thought leaders, to increase their visibility, credibility, and authority by amplifying their ideas, messages, and stories in outstanding presentations and TED and TEDx talks.
Keynote Speaker – Peak Performance, Leadership, Communication | Elaine Powell
Thank you so much for your time! I know that you are a very busy person. Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us your “Origin Story”? Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?
I grew up with my parents, older brother, and sister in London. Our family home was filled with love but I often felt that I wasn’t allowed to speak my mind and voice my opinions. I began to believe that my thoughts and what I had to say were not worth sharing, so I became quiet as a teenager. This affected me in many areas of my life.
When I turned 30, I started the journey of personal development. That was the turning point in my life. I began to face the issues from my past and turn them around. It is not surprising that life led me to a career as a speaker.
Being a speaker requires a lot of introspection. It requires us to be vulnerable and to share honestly from the heart, to be vocal. The audience has a knack for detecting when a speaker is being guarded and hasn’t done the internal work.
As I continued to work on myself, it became easier for not only the audience but people in general to connect with me emotionally and mentally.
I love making a difference in people’s lives, connecting, and having people see how incredible they truly are. This is why I do what I do.
Can you tell us a bit about what you do professionally, and what brought you to this specific career path?
I am a keynote speaker and public speaking coach who supports those wanting to become a TEDx speaker. I have been in the field of speaking for 15 years. I had previous experience working with young offenders and at the same time been part of a Toastmaster amateur speaking club for two years.
When an opportunity arose to deliver public speaking workshops in schools I jumped at the chance. This meant combining two areas that I thoroughly enjoyed and I was very good at; working with young people and public speaking.
Then ten years ago I started to deliver presentations and break-out sessions in conferences all around the UK. For the past three years, I have been a keynote speaker, which means you open and close conferences or you are the headliner speaker.
My signature keynotes are ‘The Power of Choosing Your Being; Turning Challenges into Transformative Results,’ and ‘The Hidden Secret of Productivity.‘
Due to my experience in the world of TEDx, I have coached over one hundred people to become TEDx speakers. Last year I received a three-year visa to speak on stages in the USA. I currently live in Atlanta.
Thank you for all that. Let’s now turn to the main focus of our discussions. Can you tell us a bit about your particular experience with TEDx talks?
I had been delivering public speaking workshops in schools to pupils for three years. Then in 2011, the UK riots raged for six days. The students stated that one of the key reasons for the riots was that young people felt that their voices were not being heard.
I decided to give local young people a voice and a platform to be heard by hosting TEDxYouthCroydon in London. I had a core team of 15 volunteers, including eight public speaking coaches from two local Toastmasters clubs.
We ran our event for three years and forged some amazing partnerships with many organizations including The Brit School, Science Museum, and The Big Lottery Fund. Currently, I am a speaker coach for TEDxLadbrokeGrove.
I also run a LinkedIn room bi-weekly on “How to Become a TEDx, Paid or Corporate Speaker” and I have coached over 100 people to become TEDx speakers and still do.
Before we talk about the details, let’s consider the big picture. Preparing for a TEDx talk and securing it obviously requires a lot of mindshare, bandwidth, resources, and energy. From your personal experience, why is it worth it to invest all that to do a TEDx talk?
TED and TEDx create an unparalleled opportunity for thought leaders to share their ideas worth spreading. It provides a global stage for individuals to elevate their visibility, credibility, and authority through compelling talks that motivate listeners to contemplate and make positive changes in their lives.
Speaking has always been held in high regard because it is a one-to-many conversation along with the huge impact it makes. The rigor, time, effort, and expertise required to deliver an outstanding TEDx Talk will elevate even the most experienced speakers’ skill sets in oracy, performance, and persuasion.
I believe that it is not always the end result that counts but who you become during the journey. Who I see people evolve into when they go through the process is truly phenomenal.
Now, let’s talk about the how. Can you describe the application process for becoming a TEDx speaker? What are some common challenges faced in the application process that our readers should be forewarned about?
Last year there were over 3,600 TEDx events were happening worldwide. Even though they all follow TED’s guidelines, they are independent and can do some things differently. That means they ask different questions on the application form and have varied processes. So, there’s no one simple answer about how to apply.
For every TEDx event, you will generally need to fill out an online form with your contact information and share your idea worth spreading. Then, they’ll ask different questions.
Some might want a short explanation of your idea in fifteen words or less and some might give you five hundred words. Others might ask for a one-, two-, or five-minute video about your idea or yourself.
After you apply, some will let you know if you’ve been chosen to speak that year and some won’t. Sometimes, they might invite you for an interview or have you deliver part of your talk beforehand.
On three occasions TEDx events have asked my clients for a draft of their full script.
One of the biggest challenges is that there are usually only eight to fifteen speaker slots for that year’s event. They might get hundreds or even a thousand application submissions. There can be a supply and demand issue — therefore competition can be high.
Just make sure your idea is unique, original, engaging, and something you’re an expert in or have a unique experience that will make a difference.
Is there a website where you can apply for a TEDx talk? How do you apply and submit? How can you find out about all of the TEDx’s that are available?
How can you find out about all of the TEDx’s that are available?
Go to TED.com and click on the ‘Attend’ tab in the menu bar. Then, select ‘TEDx events’ or click here. You can then explore past and upcoming TEDx events in your relevant country.
Finding out when TEDx speaker applications are open can be challenging.
Here are some methods to support you:
- Subscribe to a source that researches current open TEDx events. TEDx events can only hold one standard event a year. They typically open speaker application submissions for three to eight weeks. Since TEDx events are independently organized, their application processes may vary.
- You can also visit the relevant TEDx event website to see if the speaker application is open. If not then subscribe to their email list where they will notify you when their speaker application is open and the deadline. Be aware some TEDx events are speaker invite only.
- Lastly, you can use Google to search for open TEDx speaker applications in your country and the current year.
How do you apply and submit?
Getting selected for a TEDx talk is highly competitive. To increase your chances:
- Follow the application’s requests. If they ask for two hundred words — do not submit two hundred and two words. If they ask for a one-minute video — do not submit a one-minute five-second video. They are looking to see if can you follow instructions.
- Ensure your idea is unique, original, impactful, and potentially global.
- Write a proposal about your idea of three hundred to five hundred words, tailored to the specific TEDx event’s requirements and theme. If you want the best result — always seek feedback from a trusted source.
- If a video submission is required, follow these steps: Write a script for your video, and edit the script for clarity and impact. Seek feedback on both the script and your performance and revise as necessary based on this.
- Apply consistently, understanding that success is not guaranteed. Regardless of the outcome, the application process helps refine your message and presentation skills, fostering personal growth along the way.
What strategies did you use or would you recommend to ensure that a talk is engaging and impactful?
Firstly, the audience wants to be your central focus. Secondly, they say, one minute of your talk takes one hour of preparation. I say one minute of a TED or TEDx talk takes three hours of preparation, based on how difficult it is to say everything you need to say in eighteen minutes.
How can you leverage a TEDx Talk? The answer is that you want it to be the best talk ever. Why? Because it’s your intellectual property. So give it the attention that it deserves and hire a speaking coach who can help you raise that talk to the next level.
Speaking is performance. If you are an actor and or a music group getting ready for a show, would you not want professional feedback? Why is it that so many people don’t get professional support when they are speaking?
My recommendation would be, to make sure your talk is the best talk ever, and get professional support.
There’s a saying from Mark Twain about how it takes more time to prepare for a five-minute talk than for a two-hour talk. The point is that crystallising an idea and using the exact words is much more difficult than a freeform talk. So, how does a person do that? How does a person boil down an idea into five minutes?
Start with what do you want the audience to take away at the end. It is like building a house, you need a solid foundation, structure, and plan before starting to build.
There are many structures you can use for instance; a hook-able opening, engaging story, sharing the problem, talking about your three key points, then summary, and conclude. I always suggest writing out your talk following the structure you choose, so you keep on track.
When I help work with clients we often go through many many drafts and edits. They call me Edward Scissorhands as I do a speech autopsy™️ Every word has to earn its right to be spoken. So cut the fluff.
That is why it is helpful to work with a professional who understands how to write and engage an audience from start to finish.
Most of us can think of maybe half a dozen different topics that they could speak about. How does a person choose, and say “Okay, this is the one for a TED talk”? How do they choose which of all their ideas should be the one?
Finding your idea worth spreading is one of the most challenging parts of the process. It is not usual to have so many ideas — knowing which one is ‘the talk’ can be hard to find.
You are trying to see which one of your ideas is unique, original, and different than all the other talks out there. Do your research. Also, trust your gut instinct.
I have found that trying to do this solo is very challenging. It is like trying to see the frame when you are inside the picture. Talk it out with others. This allows you to hear what you are thinking and can give you clarity and a sense of what feels right.
There are many approaches to finding your idea.
One of them is to use the Ikigai concept which is Japanese and means your ‘reason for being.’ Ikigai asks you to consider four areas; passion, mission, vocation, and purpose. When you find the one topic that overlaps — you have found your purpose for living.
You potentially have found the talk you were destined to deliver.
Feedback is crucial in shaping a compelling TEDx talk. Can you describe how to seek out and incorporate feedback during the talk’s preparation? Who do you turn to for honest critiques, and how do you iterate on your presentation based on the feedback received?
Ken Blanchard said feedback is The Breakfast of Champions and I thoroughly agree. And not just any feedback. Feedback from professionals in that field. In this instance, I would seek feedback from public speaking coaches or professional speakers for general public speaking.
To deliver a TEDx talk there are many nuances, so having somebody who is experienced in working specifically with TED and TEDx speakers is recommended.
You want to receive feedback on:
– What works and what doesn’t work in your talk?
– Did you lose the attention of the person listening?
– Are there segments that left them confused?
– Was there any elements of repetition?
– Are there any areas that you can cut and it wouldn’t be noticeable?
– What did they take away from your talk?
– What do they think was the key message
Then trust your gut instinct when you deliver your talk out loud, to distinguish what you want to keep or take out of your talk.
Let’s talk about the actual delivery of an excellent TEDx Talk. Most people are scared of speaking in public. How do you manage the stage fright before the talk?
Fear of public speaking is normal. Many people are nervous, even professional speakers. There is a fine line between nerves and excitement. If someone is scared, then sometimes I will need to go deeper to establish the source of where that comes from.
Was it an incident in school when speaking? Are they not valuing themselves and what they bring to the table? Together we will then reframe that story into one that will support them going forward.
I also want speakers to focus on what is the most important element of speaking which is the audience. You are speaking because they are waiting to hear your message.
When you focus from the heart on how you can make a difference to them — your fears just disappear — as your talk is not about you it is about them.
What can a person do to ensure that people will remember the talk and that it won’t just go in one ear and out the other? Can you share how you gauge and adapt to audience reactions in real-time during your talk to ensure maximum engagement?
Preparing for a presentation is an art form. Start with the basics. Keep the audience in mind. Then a solid structure. When delivering a normal presentation I usually suggest memorizing the opening and closing which are highly important.
Other than that you can freestyle if you know your area of expertize. Extensive practice is paramount. I invite people to treat speaking as a performance. Just like singers, actors, dancers, or sports people, they all dedicate hours to perfecting their craft.
When it comes to a TEDx Talk, I suggest that people memorize it. You are on a time limit of eighteen minutes or under. I have seen many people deliver their talk, start to freestyle, and forget where they were in their presentation.
Once you have memorized your talk you can change the odd word, react to the audience, and allow for slight variations.
Rehearse in front of a small audience, friends, and family before speaking at a TEDx event. This will provide valuable feedback and you can gauge their reactions. Spend time to practice to ensure your talk comes off as professional and natural as possible.
Based on your experience or research, what are the “Five Things You Need To Deliver a Highly Effective TEDx Talk ”?
1 . Put the audience first. An audience is potentially sitting there thinking “What’s in it for me.” Therefore focus on them from start to finish and you won’t go wrong.
2 . Craft an idea worth spreading. Ask yourself what are you an expert in. What is a problem that you have a solution to? What is the one thing you would share with the world? And then go share it.
3. Passionate and speak from the heart. People buy into passionate people. Speak about something you care about and speak from the heart. This will connect to the audience’s heart.
4 . Write the best talk of your life. Treat your TEDx Talk with the same respect you would to write a book. If you do that then you have the potential to be able to leverage it. Remember because your talk is short it is easily digestible, and can potentially reach more people than a book. It can also be a starter to your main course of other products, books, and services that you may have to offer.
5 . Perform. Understand that writing a speech is a science and performing it is an art form. As such please treat it with the respect it deserves. Practice and get feedback, then practice some more. Lastly, the audience is a reflection of you, therefore if you enjoy sharing your talk, they will enjoy listening to it too.
After delivering a TEDx talk, what strategies do you use to maximize its impact and reach? Could you share how to engage with your audience through social media, follow-up events, or other means to encourage action or further discussion on the topic?
Simon Sinek, Brene Brown, and Amy Cuddy are all well known for having been able to leverage their TED and TEDx talks beyond that platform most effectively. They are the exception to the rule but there are many things that you can implement to maximize your talk’s impact.
Here are 10 things you can do:
1. Start writing a book in line with the subject matter of your talk
2. Create video footage leading up to and following your talk that you can share on social media
3. Begin sharing on your social media before your talk is published to engage, and build anticipation before its release.
4. Ensure you have a clickable title and hashtags for when your talk is released on YouTube.
5. Share your talk with all your networks, including your personal email list, and individuals with large email lists. Ask them to like, comment, and share.
6. Share a 60-second excerpt of your TEDx Talk on all social media platforms.
7. Embed your TEDx Talk in LinkedIn — so that people can watch it directly there without having to leave the platform.
8. Request TED to translate your talk into the 10 most spoken languages. As of Feb 9th, 2023 in an article written by James Lane, they are Mandarin, Spanish, English, Arabic, Hindi, Bengali, Russian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Lahnda.
9. Use TED and TEDx hashtags on social media.
10. Ask 10 of your trusted family and friends to share, like, and comment on your TEDx talk. Then ask each of them to ask their most trusted friends to do the same. Creating a domino effect.
How can our readers watch your TEDx talk and follow your work?
My TEDx Talk is due to be released in June 2024. Watch this space.
Those interested can follow my speaking career at https://elainepowell.com/ and https://www.mindspeakacademy.com/
Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!
TEDx Talking: Elaine Powell On What You Need To Know To Secure, Prepare, and Deliver a Highly… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.