As a leader, your rate of growth will largely be influenced by your commitment to continuously invest in your own self-development.
However, finding the time to attend seminars regularly or read a new book each week (or 600 pages a day in Warren Buffet’s case) isn’t always realistic – especially when you’re already trying to juggle pressures at work, with family, relationships, health, and exercise.
While it might be easy when you’re feeling too busy to throw in the towel and forget about self-education, this approach is short sited and could stop you from achieving long-term goals.
If this sounds like you, instead of giving up entirely, why not commit 25 minutes a day to watching a TED Talk? Something you can easily achieve on your commute, at the gym (if you download the podcast version) or instead of watching television in the evening.
To get you started here’s our top 5 TED Talks on leadership for the time poor CEO:
1. Simon Sinek – How Great Leaders Inspire Action
Often considered the holy grail of TED Talks on leadership, this is a must-watch for any leader or aspiring leader. Throughout this compelling talk, Simon Sinek presents a simple but powerful model for inspirational leadership – starting with a golden circle and the question “Why?” His examples include Apple, Martin Luther King, and the Wright brothers …
2. Brene Brown – The Power of Vulnerability
Brené Brown studies human connection – our ability to empathise, belong, love. In a poignant, funny talk, she shares a deep insight from her research, one that sent her on a personal quest to know herself as well as to understand humanity.
3. Tony Robbins – Why We Do What We Do
Tony Robbins makes it his business to understand the motivations behind why humans do the things they do. The pioneering life coach has spoken to millions of people through his bestselling books and three-day seminars. In this talk he discusses the “invisible forces” that influence our actions, empowering listeners to harness these forces to influence their own success, contribute more and understand others better.
4. Amy Edmondson – Building a Psychologically Safe Workplace
Are you ever afraid to speak up in your workplace? If so, you need to watch this talk by Amy Edmondson The Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at Harvard Business School.
In this talk, Edmondson explains how psychological safety and accountability interact to produce a high-performing team in an environment where there’s uncertainty and interdependence. To emphasise the seriousness of her argument, she uses powerful examples to highlight the negative impact of not having a psychologically safe workplace.
5.Yves Morieux – As Work Gets More Complex, 6 Rules to Simplify
Why do people feel so miserable and disengaged at work? Because today’s businesses are increasingly and dizzyingly complex – and traditional pillars of management are obsolete, says Yves Morieux. So, he says, it falls to individual employees to navigate the rabbit’s warren of interdependencies. In this energetic talk, Morieux offers six rules for “smart simplicity.” (Rule one: Understand what your colleagues actually do.)
So there you have it, our top 5 TED Talks to help you become a more effective and inspiring leader to those around you.
In the comments below, we’d love to know – which TED Talk has had the biggest impact on you?
