Of speaking in public and then to Ted…

I haven’t given a Ted Talk as yet, but then, Ted was never around.

Public speaking is not easy.

There are many who speak in public, there are some who speak to the public and a few to who the public speaks back.

I have seen a lot of the first two, but a handful of the third.

And so every time I venture to a seminar, or an event, where people speak in public, I tend to lend a ear, but only for a few moments.

The type is understood in a few words. And then I carry on, not wanting to waste my time.

Then there are panel sessions, most of which tend to be laborious exercises in trying to sound insightful. Nothing major comes out of these sessions, other than rehashed talk from previous engagements and views that can be googled in a minute.

People then tend to walk out for the networking breaks, indulge in more pointless ‘insights’, have free coffee and cupcakes, and then call it a day.

A few cards exchanged, a few words heard, and a lot of time wasted.

How do we make such events more fruitful? More engaging? More insightful?

More importantly, how do we find the right people who can speak in public, and to who the public can speak back?

How can we ensure a meaningful debate, an exchange of ideas, rather than rehashed Google searches?

Points to ponder…see you tomorrow!