We love keeping up with the most inspirational TED talks that are released throughout the year, especially when we feel like they can add value to those seeking to improve their own speaking skills. One of the most motivational and fun talks we’ve seen lately was delivered by analyst and author Jonathan Teppermen, called “The Risky Politics of Progress.” Take a few minutes from your day and watch it below:
Why do we love this talk? It not only delivers a message of positivity in the face of social upheaval, it also provides the audience with memorable, encouraging solutions. Speakers can learn from the way he uses narrative and repetition to structure their own talks, as well as better understand how hopeful messages can be pitched the right way.
Let’s take a deeper look into what we mean:
The Problem
You don’t have to be in a leadership position within government to really feel this problem: the world is bad and getting worse. The news consistently churns out stories of violence, social discord, and global upheaval. Everyone seems to suspect that we are in a spiral, and it is this suspicion that motivated Tepperman to both deliver this TED talk and travel the world looking for signs of progress. As you develop your own presentation, don’t hold back when you describe the problem at the beginning of your talk. It will make the solution that much more compelling.
Narrative Examples
“It turns out that there are remarkable signs of progress out there, often in the most unexpected places, and they’ve convinced me that our great global challenges may not be so unsolvable after all.” – Jonathan Tepperman
What do Canada, Indonesia, and Mexico have in common? They changed the course of their country in innovative ways, proving that things can get better. Tepperman uses rich detail and even humor to tell these three stories, emphasizing the problem each faced before showing how they arrived at a modern solution. Using the broad scope of a country as an example gives hope to a global future. If you want to deliver a similar message of hope, be sure that your stories reflect the scale of the solution.
The Magic of Three
Embracing the extreme, promiscuous thinking, and pleasing people some of the time are the three specific solutions that Tepperman offers at the end of the presentation. Solving global problems is a massive yet nuanced proposition, and yet somehow he is able to distill a solution in three parts that makes sense and feels very doable. Use this same tactic in your own speech by making sure that the steps you suggest feel attainable and clear. Your audience needs to see the carrot dangling in front of them before they will feel compelled to take a step forward.
Want to watch other TED talks that move, inspire, and motivate? Check out these related analysis posts from our archives:
5 Lessons from Adam Grant’s TED Talk
Psychology + Laughs: An Analysis of Tim Urban’s “Inside The Mind of a Master Procrastinator
Creating a Viral Sensation: An Analysis of Susan Cain’s “The Power of Introverts”
