A Near TED Experience

I'm a TED addict. Diving into TED.com eats untold hours of my life. For a busy, curious human, what's not to like about TED? The talks are 18 minutes max, all of them given by amazing meritocrats. Their subjects range from the incredible data-bubble system of Hans Rosling to Elizabeth Gilbert's fine idea that we need to get back to artists having a genius on-call, (as in a working muse), instead of calling frail humans "geniuses" themselves.

A few weeks ago I was asked to talk at TEDxPugetSound, one of the many regional "franchises" that are now springing up. I signed on for the September date with perhaps unseemly speed and enthusiasm; I may well have said, "Hell yes."

I was allotted 10 minutes to talk about "Global Heroes." Not so bad; some speakers got only 8 minutes, or 4. And so to work. I don't have an ounce of the common fear of public speaking. Writing about real heroes far and wide has been my core work for 25 years. I've been a professional speechwriter. I've given speeches myself for years. How hard could this be?

Answer: Very. Speakers are given the TED Commandments, which writer Amy Tan called a prescription for a near-death experience. Said rules include: Be personal. Be vulnerable. Make people laugh/cry. Do something the audience will remember forever. Say something you've never said before. Share an idea that could change the world. Do not pitch for your company or organization. Do not go over your allotted time. Do not read. Rehearse and be spontaneous. [Italics added, with a "yeah-right" laugh.]

Uh. Well. Sure. OK. If that's what it takes to be TEDish, I'd give it a go.

Day of the talk, I drive into Seattle, the words of my 10 minutes running in my head. I know I've incorporated many of the Commandments. I'm certainly not doing my usual speech, which is way longer, not about me at all, and which I do from a combination of crib notes, reading and ad-libbing. (My favorite thing is the usual Q & A afterward. Being truly spontaneous is fun. For me, anyway.)

I've assembled stunning photographs of the people I'll be talking about, pulling them in from far and wide. I seem to remember the good stuff I've written for this gig, despite the fact that memorizing is not my thing. I can't even give you one of my own briefest poems without reading it.

Arriving at the conference, I find that my wonderful pictures are in place but the TED-style head mikes aren't working; I'll have to use a hand-held. With a slide-changer remote in the other hand, that pretty much kills any natural gesturing. (Head mikes are the best, and I'm spoiled.)

I'm up early in the program. The speaker before me gives an enormously polished talk that I recognize from his website is what he always says. But what he always says is really good stuff. I hear my intro and am quite sure that I don't know one word of my talk--I should go up there and do my usual text. But it's too late now.

On stage, gadgets in both hands, I look into lights so bright there's no connecting with anyone in the house. But boy can I see the big digital clock counting down in the blackness at the back of the room. The words start coming from somewhere and I'm off and running.

With what I think is 3 minutes more material, I see 2:20 remaining on the clock and start editing in my head. One minute and 17 seconds later, I'm closing. Damn. I didn't have to cut quite so much. But I'm done, people are clapping, and I'm looking forward to the wine bar at the break and to hearing the other speakers--it's a great lineup. One of them is Ed Viesturs, a legend for climbing all the world's tallest mountains--without oxygen--and living to tell the tale.

Listening to him, I consider the fact that I've just done a public-speaking echo of his climbing feats. I have climbed Mount TED, without notes. I can do this, and live to tell the tale.

But I'm buying my own head mike.

 

 

Comments

[CCB poodlelover]

I always enjoy Huffpost and especially Ann Medlock's clever take on life.

[Hemiboso]

Ann, thanks for sharing your Ted adventure. You made the experience come alive for me. I admire your courage putting yourself out there the way you do. There has never been a more pressing time to promote heroic Giraffic behavior!

[mek in dc]

Congratulatons Ann. Very cool being on the same program as Ed Viesturs - I'll bet John was impressed! I look forward to seeing the video. Be sure to post the URL here as a comment so your fans and others will have easy access. Be well, Mary Ella

[Ann Medlock - Huffpost Blogger]

OK, mek in dc, the footage is now online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzo2T9ZQu3E&feature=related

[8chandra8]

Good story. Glad you nailed that one, despite the mic and other obstacles to your peace of mind. But then, I would expect no less from an old pro like you.
Chandra

[chjohnson]

funny piece -- love your style, ann!

claudia johnson

[Goatherdess]

Thanks Ann...for sticking your neck out there into the light and darkness and letting the wisdom come through! I'm going to check out TED now. Thanks!

[bolopatterpatter]

I have done a lot of public speaking in my life, from small workshops, to lectures for The Discovery Channel. What Ann has is passion for what she talks about. All the clever speaking skills do not make for a good speech, it is more about your passion for what you want to share. Ann's work with The Giraffe Heroes Project reflects one of her lifes mission, of wanting to wake the world up to who our true heroes are, and how to help kids see this, and become heroes themselves. In this day and age of big power brokers, and individuals not feeling like they can make a difference, Ann's message, and The Giraffe Heroes Project, is much needed. Bob

[Mary Farmer]

Congratulations! Great to learn the behind-the-scenes scoop. Now for the important part - has your regional TED talk gone public so that those of us in the rest of the world can see it?

[NETime]

With her typical grace, skill of observation and vulnerability Medlock shows how standing up and speaking out isn't as easy as it looks. But believing in one's cause is an overshadowing attribute that clearly led her to shine in this TED speech.

[tmyawtb]

That's what I call sticking your neck out! Thank you for being willing.

[Becky Blanton]

Ann, if a professional speaker got nervous about preparing for TED, then I don't feel so bad about my nerves! Thanks for sharing your story. It's so true...Con­gratulatio­ns on your talk! And you're right! About all you can see is the clock counting down!

[AnnMedlock]

Becky--You did TED Global! I'm in awe. And thanks for using your own name here so I could find the story: http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/2009/09/23/how-to-deliver-talk-life/
Bravo Becky Blanton!

[maryanneradmacher]

anne:
i was exhausTED just reading your account.
what a spine tingling, thrilling experience. and, of course,
reading about it wasn't as good as being there...but, since
it was YOU telling the story...almost.

[PetraMartin]

Who needs a TV when there's TED? Thanks for showing us what it's like on the other side of the mike. I have been blown away by the caliber of TED presenters and am in awe of the fact that you're now among them. Is there a video of your talk available anywhere?

[Ann Medlock - Huffpost Blogger]

No, this was TEDxPuget Sound, not Big TED. I'm told footage will go on YouTube but right now the only talk there from TEDxPuget Sound is by Greg Bennick--who brought his own head mike and camera. Smart guy! And his talk is fun.

[CyberDiva]

Well done, Ann. No doubt in my mind you did great, and I know the slides of our giraffe heroes were stunning indeed.

Note to self: order head mic for Ann.

[creekgal50]

I discovered TED a few months ago when someone sent me a link. Woa! VERY cool!
It's great to see folks like Ann getting their 4-18 minutes of fame... and I'm with Ann
Be vulnerable, be brilliant, but ALWAYS carry your own technology!
WEll done Ann -- even though we are a continent apart, I can hear your voice in your writing.