Steve's Top TED Picks: #7--Derek Sivers

Derek Sivers: How to start a movement. A leader needs guts to stand out. However, the first follower transforms a lone nut into a leader. Then a third person joins, and the movement becomes public. Next, comes a tipping point and the movement is now less risky for others to join. Great 3-minute film about leadership and how to make a movement, because the word “leadership” is over glorified. 

CLICK HERE: http://www.ted.com/talks/derek_sivers_how_to_start_a_movement

Steve's Top TED Picks: #6--Stanley McChrystal

General Stanley McChrystal: Listen, learn…then lead. Inspirational and gritty, this presentation by General Stanley McChrystal tells us how to build a sense of shared purpose among people of different ages and skills. His advice: By listening and learning—and addressing “the possibility of failure.”

CLICK HERE: http://www.ted.com/talks/stanley_mcchrystal

Steve's Top TED Picks: #5--Sir Ken Robinson

#5...Sir Ken Robinson: How schools kill creativity. In a hilarious presentation, Ken describes in detail how schools take our creative kids and put them into an environment that systematically pounds creativity out of their souls. He talks about what we can do, giving us more than a few belly laughs    along the way.

CLICK HERE: http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity

Steve's Top TED Picks: #4--Dan Ariely

#4--Dan Ariely: What makes us feel good about our work? A behavioral economist, Dan tells us that money doesn’t motivate. Rather, it’s a sense of meaning and purpose that does the trick. Employers need only to motivate people with things like recognition, affirmation and a smile—encouragement to keep on keeping on to get great results. It’s amazing. 

CLICK HERE: http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_ariely_what_makes_us_feel_good_about_our_work

Steve's Top TED Picks: #3--Sheryl Sandberg.

#3--Sheryl Sandberg: Why we have too few women leaders. The COO at Facebook tells us why a smaller percentage of women than men reach the top of their professions—and offers 3 powerful pieces of advice to women to get to the
C-suite.
CLICK HERE http://www.ted.com/talks/sheryl_sandberg_why_we_have_too_few_women_leaders

Steve's Top TED Picks--#2--Dan Pink

#2 Dan Pink: The surprising science of motivation. Despite what many companies do, financial incentives not only don’t work, they hurt. Pink explores this counterintuitive subject and concludes that to get people AMPed (my mnemonic) up, you have to give them Autonomy; let them work in areas of Mastery (stuff they’re good at); and, give them a sense of Purpose in their work.

CLICK HERE http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pink_on_motivation

Steve's Top TED Picks--#1--Simon Senik

Steve’s Top Ten TEDs for Leaders
To say I am a fan of TED Talks would be a huge understatement. I believe that any company could pull a number of these together to form the curriculum of a robust leadership development program.  So, here are my Top Ten TEDs:

#1 Simon Senik: How leaders inspire action. Senik talks about the “golden circle” of the brain that at its center is emotional (limbic system). We feel first and think second. Companies that want people to buy their products must first talk about why they do what they do (emotions), then how they do it, then what they do. Apple executives and other leaders have figured this out.
CLICK HERE http://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action

Do More: FINAL Post: Practice #6--Learn in Order to Change

Practice #6: Learn in Order to Change. T
Traditionally, nonprofits do what’s called in education summative evaluation at the end of a project. Such evaluations are based on the list of goals originally set out by the grantee. However, folks like Bill and Melinda Gates and other catalytic donors use what’s called formative evaluation that informs the process along the way, allowing it to adjust, change and adapt to what works.

Do More: Post #9: Practice #5--Lead Adaptively

Practice #5: Lead Adaptively. Adaptive Leadership emerged from the Kennedy School at Harvard (Heifetz and Linsky). Their theory is to figure out which behaviors will get an organization to the future they want, conduct experiments, and incorporate best findings into practice within the organization. Catalytic donors are these kinds of active experimenters who will add substantially to the future of any community.

Do More: Post #8--Practice #4: Empower the People

Practice #4: Empower the People. If you want to change something for people, ask PEOPLE what they need! The person most informed on any issue is the person closest to it. Unfortunately, when organizations want to help people, they rarely ask them what they need or want. Catalytic donors ask and listen.

Do More: Post #7--Practice #3: Forge Nonprofit Peer Networks

Practice #3: Forge Nonprofit Peer Networks. Often nonprofits view one another as competitors for donors. They often view school systems and politicians as barriers to change, and the list goes on. Fact is—it takes a community to grow a child. When donors, nonprofits, politicians, and governments get engaged and in synch, big things happen. The authors offer stories about how this works. In particular, they demonstrate how a collaborative effort of many diverse socially catalytic entities changed the HS graduation rates in Cincinnati.  Forging partnerships and requiring accountability for everyone involved are the keys to success.