Five TED Talks All Corporate Event Planners Should Watch
Since TED talks first launched, the free to stream “Ideas worth spreading” platform now boasts over 2000 informative, inspiring talks on some of the biggest issues facing humanity today. A veritable smorgasbord of ideas, TED talks owe their popularity to the ease with which one can tap into the minds of some of the greatest thinkers of the 21st century. We’ve listed our top five TED talks that address some of the biggest challenges corporate event planners might grapple with.
How to Make Stress Your Friend by Kelly McGonigal
As we mentioned in our previous blog, corporate event planners have one of the most stressful jobs in the modern workforce. But just because high stress levels are a given doesn’t mean that they have to be detrimental. In this short TED talk, Stanford University psychologist McGonigal argues that stress is only bad for you if you think it is. Her mission is to help professionals who work in highly-stressful environments to thrive by changing their mindset about stress, and as a result, changing the way their bodies respond to stressful stimuli. Find it here.
Why We Do What We Do by Tony Robbins
One of the world’s most recognised self-help gurus, Robbins’ popular talk (at last count, it had garnered over 3 million views), addresses the inherent driving forces behind passion and motivation. Robbins argues that once we better understand the core reasons behind why we do what we do, we can use this self-awareness to consistently improve both our professional and personal lives. Watch it here.
Connected, but alone? By Sherry Turkle
The director of the MIT Initiative on Technology and Self, Turkle explores the impact of technology on human connection. As events become ever-more saturated with and reliant on technology and event software, this is a timely and notable lecture to ponder. Turkle talks about the way in which technology has seemingly created inter-connectivity but how the reality is that we feel more alienated from our peers than ever before. A thought-provoking talk that reminds us why face-to-face communication and authentic connection are needed more than ever before. Find it here.
How to save the world (or at least yourself) from bad meetings by David Grady
Who hasn’t sat through a yawn-inducing meeting and silently bemoaned the fact that this was a mammoth waste of your time? Grady’s talk takes on the truth about our love-hate relationship with meetings, urging viewers to rethink the way we approach them. Grady argues that meetings can be productive, but only if all involved get clear about the desired outcome before hitting “accept”. Food for thought for all corporate event planners to help you get the most out of time in the boardroom. Watch it here.
Design for all five senses by Jinsop Lee
Industrial designer Lee explains his theory of “five sense design”, and argues that event planners need to move away from the one-dimensional emphasis on visual aesthetics. If we are to truly engage our guests and create an experience that builds a connection between the event and attendees, Lee advises that each of the five senses must be catered to. Lee’s talk is a refreshing flip on the tired script of creative execution. We advise that you gather your team around to watch his talk and brainstorm after watching. Find it here.
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The Easter Bunny, beloved by children (and many adults) the world over, pulls off a pretty impressive feat every year. Hiding chocolatey delights in millions of homes and gardens the world over, all without being seen. And when you come to think of it, event planners aren’t that dissimilar to this magical creature.
As a marketer, you know your brand better than anyone else. You know how you’d like your audience to perceive you and how you want to achieve this. Events are an effective way to nurture loyal brand advocates as well as connect with customers and suppliers – but only if they are planned correctly. Choosing the most 
