One of our favorite TED Talks is the TED Talk by Baba Shiv. In “Sometimes it’s good to give up the driver’s seat,” Baba provides insightful and research-backed advice for many of life’s important decisions – from selecting an appropriate medical treatment to determining the right financial investment to make. And his studies could even assist presenters contemplating several variables of their presentation design. Before we dive into the nitty gritty of his talk, watch it for yourself!
In making decisions capable of affecting others, it is important to realize when you should take the passenger seat and allow the experts to step in and grasp control of the situation. Here are 3 takeaways from Baba’s TED Talk:
Takeaway One: Don’t be ashamed to take the passenger’s seat
Baba helps the audience comprehend this through a personal story. When his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, they were both presented with a multitude of options and left directionless as they navigated the maze of decisions. Presenters at a crossroads with their content or design don’t have to rely on themselves either. Your presentations leave much at stake. You could be pitching an idea, concept, product, or service to investors. There’s a lot on the line there. Enlist the aid of expert outsiders to create the presentation that sparks action.
Takeaway Two: Too many simultaneous decisions raise doubt
If you are hesitant to let another person or group take the reins on such a critical project, task, or event, then consider Baba’s findings. His studies discovered that those who were given a decision to make prior to completing puzzles were actually less active in the process and less effective. They finished less puzzles than those that didn’t have to make a decision before the activity. Why did this happen? Baba says that a decision with so much tied to it leaves the decision maker less confident and full of doubt. Presenters could come out of the presentation creation process more confident and accompanied by a sleek product if they give some authority to a third party.
Takeaway Three: Focus and peace come from relinquishing agency
At the conclusion of his TED Talk, Baba book ends his story from the beginning. After surrendering the decision making task to doctors, he says that he and his wife were able to focus on her health. They gained clarity and inner peace. In decisions of your daily life that are not necessarily life or death, but that carry many consequences, the possibility of this type of outcome should ease your mind. As a presenter, you too, can retain focus and find peace in your presentation journey.
We love this TED Talk for a variety of reasons, but above all, it’s the message of recognizing that you don’t know all. That asking for help isn’t weak. Sometimes, it’s the best and right thing to do. Looking for more of our favorite TED Talks? Peruse these!
Pitching Hope: An Analysis of Johnathan Tepperman’s TED Talk
Creating a Viral Sensation: An Analysis of Susan Cain’s “The Power of Introverts”
5 Lessons from Adam Grant’s TED Talk
