In our last blog, we started a year-in-review of the top 5 most popular TED Talks from 2022. Each of these 5 presentations got over 2 million views, so they must be doing something right. We’re on the quest to figure out what that something is. First we looked at presentation design. Check out that blog here if you missed it. Today we are breaking down the TED speakers’ delivery styles to see what made their popularity soar. And in our next blog, we’ll be unpacking the content of these presentations.
But for today, we are talking about delivery. What is it that these wildly popular speakers are doing to resonate with their audiences so strongly? Let’s jump in.
1. “How a ‘Hi Level’ mindset helps you realize your potential,” Cordae.
Cordae’s delivery was laid-back and engaging. He did uses notes and was the only speaker to do so, but the notecards he held in his hand weren’t distracting. He used movement well and interacted with the audience several times throughout the presentation, giving his talk a distinctly conversational feel.
The Takeaway: Use notes if you have to, but don’t rely on them or read from them.
2. “Why having fun is the secret to a healthier life,” Catherine Price.
I liked watching Cordae and Price’s presentations back-to-back, and here’s why. It illustrates the spectrum and beauty of personal speaking style. These two TED speakers had vastly different delivery styles, but they were both incredibly effective. Price’s presentation felt professional and polished, but it didn’t lack warmth. She did not use notes. She held a presentation remote in her hands but that didn’t keep her from gesturing often. She made great use of facial expressions and pauses in her delivery.
The Takeaway: Don’t try to speak in a style that is not your own. Embrace your unique communicative style when you are giving a presentation.
3. “How to discover your authentic self–at any age,” Bevy Smith.
Smith’s delivery was incredibly engaging because of her raw vulnerability. Audiences love authenticity in speakers, and Smith was a great example of this. She didn’t move as much as other speakers (which may have been due to the high heels she’s wearing which she references twice in her talk). She didn’t hold anything in her hands and gestured often. Smith uses incredible vocal expressiveness, varying her rate and pitch and even her accent at times.
The Takeaway: If one part of your delivery is restricted, like not being able to move as much due to being stuck behind a podium, lack of space, or high heels, you can make up for it with other elements of delivery. In this presentation, Smith’s voice did the heavy lifting for delivery, capturing our attention and keeping us entertained.
4. “We can make COVID-19 the last pandemic,” Bill Gates.
Gates is no amateur when it comes to public speaking. His delivery style is clear and compelling. And he always appears comfortable. One of my favorite things about Gates’ style is that he exudes confidence without losing any warmth or relatability. He doesn’t use notes. He also doesn’t tend to move very much other than hand gestures.
The Takeaway: Use your delivery to enhance your credibility with the audience. We trust people who appear confident and comfortable when speaking.
5. “’A seat at the table’ isn’t the solution for gender equity,” Lilly Singh.
It probably won’t surprise you to know that Singh, as a comedian and late-night talk show host, excels at delivery. She doesn’t use notes, but she does hold a presentation remote. She moves quite a bit and even sits down for a portion of her talk. She’s an incredibly expressive presenter, using all the tools (face, voice, body, etc.) available to help her get her message across and capture her audience’s attention.
The Takeaway: There’s no such thing as unbreakable rules in public speaking. It made sense for Singh to sit down for parts of her presentation, and she didn’t lose any attention or respect when she did. In fact, it reinforced the content of her message. Each presentation is its own event. Sometimes we have to challenge a few rules to break new presentation ground.
These 5 TED speakers all had different presentation delivery styles. And we love that.
At Ethos3, we work with clients just like you to help them recognize, embrace, and elevate their own unique way of presenting. It’s not about presenting like someone else. It’s about taking your own authentic style to the next level.
Ready to start improving your presentation delivery? We’ve got you.
