Evangelise for TED and TEDx - my call to action at TEDxWarsaw 2015
Ralph Talmont asked me if I wanted a couple of minutes on the stage at TEDxWarsaw 2015 In a two minute annoucement a lot gets left out. Lots of updates about the event itself and who spoke are here Thanks to Ewelina and Suzane from TEDxKazimierz team for their input into my talk, and who heard my nervous preparation the day before..
The main objectives of the announcement were:
- encourage attendees to spread the word about TED and TEDx, to support their local TEDx-es and the Open Translation Project, and
- to encourage and build community among TEDx attendees and fans - not just TEDx organisers and team members,
(and to be memorable, entertaining, inspiring and motivational).
So - more or less - this is what I said or wanted to say, with links and details, Thanks Ralph for giving me the stage.
"My purpose is to encourage you to evangelise for TED and TEDx, and build community among attendees of TEDx events. Can the foreigners here raise their hands ? can the TEDx organisers and team members raise their hands, and the first timers raise there hands..? TED is an international movement and everyone is welcome here. I am not sure who should be applauding who - because TEDx is a journey . Please appreciate each other with a round of applause....(applause)
My TEDx story started in 2008/9 and the first TEDx I was involved in was 2010. It's been a wonderful experience and journey for me with great relationships and experiences.. .but this is not about me - it's about you and what I want you do. It's not just about what you can get from TED and TEDx it's about what you can give and contribute. The more you do for TED the better your experience will be.
What about the people who are not here with us today ?
how can you spread the wonderful idea of "ideas worth spreading" to people who are not in the room and don't know about us. Being here is a privilege - there are people who wanted to come who did not get tickets - and with privilege comes responsibility. What can you do to spread the word and share with this wonderful world ?
Let me tell you how and what to do.
At TEDxKazimierz one of our goals has been to spread the word about TED and TEDx, not just about our event. You can take small, medium or big steps
A small step can be showing a friend your favourite TED or TEDx talk on line, posting it on your Facebook page, joining the TED and TEDx Fans in Poland Facebook group, making thoughtful relevant posts about how TED and TEDx inspires you. If you are into Couchsurfing - join the TEDsurfing group bring Couchsurfing values to the world of TEDx.
A medium step can be to to take inspiration from Derek Sivers inspirational TED talk and be a "first follower", which he calls a under appreciated form of leadership.
Derek Siver's "how to start a movement" TED talk
You can track down and offer to help in your local TEDx movement (if one exists). it's easy enough to find either on TED.com here or if even like this - if you excuse my passive aggressive sense of humour, or you can get involved in the wonderful TED Open Translation Project Even if (like me) you are not a translator, you can do same language transcription. The first step to get your favorite Polish language talk into English -> is to transcribe and subtitle the Polish to make it ready to translate.
For those who want to do more - a big step can be: to emulate what we have have been doing in TEDxKazimierz. That includes (I'm putting a few more links in here than I could do from the stage)
- Presentations about TED and TEDx at other people's events. For example at 10 slides x 10 seconds each presentation about TED, TEDx and TEDxKazimierz at a Pecha Kucha night here ( slides used are here Years ago Krystian Aparta of the OTP and I did a session at the Krakow SLOT festival, (though I can no longer find a link).
- going into schools and other institutions to give talks about TED, TEDx and your local TEDx. Irka, Ewelina and łukasz were doing this in a Kraków No V Liceum earlier this week - Anyone can do something in their school, university or company. Just make clear it is a meeting about TED and TEDx, not a TEDx itself.
- organising open information meeting about TED and TEDx, so "meetings about TED and TEDx", as opposed to TEDx meetings. In the past I have done with with local Couchsurfers as per here We are trying different formats for TEDxKazimierz open information meetings. This is coming. 20th March. In December 2014, with a guest from TEDxKyiv we did events like this It is important in communications to make clear that these are not TEDx events. (For more ideas about how to make your events inclusive and welcoming read this article)
With responsibility comes accountability - .so I want to you choose whether you are going to take a small medium or big step; - Stand up and face your neighbour - noting their eye colour - (this guarantees eye contact). Please tell you neighbour in 10 seconds whether you are going to take a small medium or large step to spread the word about TED, TEDx and build community
(A roar of noise, which I stopped with my red football whistle )
now I want to you seal your Commitment to your neighbour with one of three actions, A hand shake, a hug or a kiss)
(laughter, chaos and lots of hugging)
Good, thank you: Go out and Evangelise for TED
thank you very much