What do you think is the hardest thing about being in a new leadership role?
Is it learning how to supervise employees OR making difficult decisions for your team/ department? Well, there are many challenges that come with being a leader.
One of the most difficult ones is often learning how to become one, especially in the face of uncertainty and always circumstances. True leaders inspire and create a shared vision for the future. They know how to tell a story and how to listen to others’ perspectives. These unique skills and qualities are what separate from being just ordinary leaders to being transformational leaders.
While leadership development programs and training are important, we also need to focus on continuously targeting key leadership skill development.
That’s one of the great things about TED Talks. When it comes to leadership, the sheer volume of TED Talks out there is almost overwhelming. With that in mind, here are the top 3 TED Talks to help you build leadership skills.
Simon Sinek | How Great Leaders Inspire Action
In this TED Talk, Simon Sinek, author of the New York Times bestsellers Start with Why and Leaders Eat Last, explains the “Golden Circle” model.
The majority of leaders focus on the “what” — i.e., what their team needs to do. Some leaders focus on the how. But inspirational leaders always start with the why. They communicate from the inside out to get their team to understand their vision.
This type of communication requires using the limbic brain to come from a place of purpose. Sinek explains that leaders who start with why are more likely to inspire their team and get them to follow in their footsteps.
In this TED Talk, Patti Dobrowolski shares how drawing can lead to innovation. Her method, based on neuroscience, uses the power of thinking to create a vision for the future. Managers can use this to create a new reality for themselves, their teams, and their organizations.
When it comes to change, the deck is usually stacked against us. In fact, research has shown that we’re often facing 9 to 1 odds when it comes to making effective changes.
Dobrowolski suggests that when we envision our desired future, we start to believe. Once we believe, we can then train and execute our vision to the fullest.
Chris Anderson | TED’s Secret to Great Public Speaking
Whether presenting to a small group or large, speaking to an audience causes many to tense up. Once we get past the initial anxiety of public speaking, we often face another challenge: figuring out how to effectively present and ensure our audience is engaged.
As a new leader, your managers will likely be faced with situations where they need to get their team on board with a new project or present an idea to executive leadership for sponsorship.
In this TED Talk, Chris Anderson expresses that “ideas are the most powerful force shaping human culture” and, as speakers, our number one task is to build that idea inside the minds of our audience.
Take, for instance, a presentation about new software. Before you can get your audience to care about how to use it, they need a clear understanding of the value the technology brings.
Anderson describes this as the “one major idea.” For the most effective presentation, focus on a single idea and make it worth sharing. Give it context and use it to inspire others.
Be a Transformative Leader!
Great leaders inspire and authentically lead teams in creating a shared vision.
Leadership development is a continuous process. Although sometimes overlooked, TED Talks like the ones shared in this article can be a powerful way to help new managers step into their role as leaders. So go ahead and build on those leadership skills, inspire others and be a transformative leader yourself!
