How to Deliver a TED Talk, Secrets of the World’s Most Inspiring Presentations, by Jeremey Donovan, McGraw-Hill 2014

It may be difficult to translate the excitement of a TED talk into a print book, but despite the challenges, author Jeremey Donovan breaks down the preparation and delivery method so well, with such great detailed illustrations and charts, that the reader will find this systematic approach invaluable for other daily public speaking opportunities, from team reviews, to quarterly reports, keynotes, even dinner meetings.  Because what any speaker wants to do is project and engage, deliver a positive message, and be remembered, and  Donovan’s book is a great tool to help readers do just that.

 How to Deliver a TED Talk is a thorough and well-constructed approach to the challenge of public speaking for this very special venue.  In the twenty years since the TED (Technology, Entertainment, and Design) concept’s debut in 1984, internet advances have taken the medium to a wider audience.  TED is now non-profit, and as of April 2014, there were 1700 talks free on line, with over one billion talks viewed on-line, one billion.  The topic list has expanded to include poetry, humor and some relatively unknown presenters.  But all TED presenters are well-prepared, in some cases well-made up, and they get it done in 18 minutes. 

Readers will find “Part II, Delivery” covering verbal and non-verbal delivery,  useful – how to move, what to do with the face, the hands, and especially the eyes.  Chapter 8, “Projecting Emotion” is a wonderful chapter on what makes a good presentation great – the hook and flow from one human to another of basic emotional current.  Here Donovan advises us to think about taking the audience through the broadest possible emotional range, from six emotions for speaking – anger, disgust, fear, happiness, love and sadness.   Next, he offers a chart illustrating in “Tip 53:  Invite your audience to ‘imagine’ “ how punk musician Amanda Palmer used these emotions in her TED talk to reach the audience and stay with them long after the talk had ended.  

Tip 65 in Chapter 10 advises speakers to use self-deprecating humor that works on multiple levels.  The illustration here is brain researcher Jill Bole Taylor’s famous TED talk in which she describes her own stroke as it happened.  This 2008 TED talk was brave and funny, something most viewers would never expect to hear, and it was a killer.  It was impossible to watch this talk without experiencing great fear – “oh my gosh could this happen to me?”  – and compassion as she describes each symptom of the stroke while her scientist brain records the at-first puzzling signs and events.  Finally, we are left with the inevitable question of what happened next for her, and did she structure a recovery of some sort. 

For readers who may aspire to other kinds of presentations – professional conference keynotes, or local and regional events, the principles Donovan very skillfully presents and illustrates in this book are just as relevant because everyone wants to be entertained and engaged.  No one wants to see ugliness on stage, and no one wants to be embarrassed for a speaker. 

Mill Girl Verdict:  Use this book well for your own public speaking challenges, and think about preparation, design, humor, even make-up, because it comes from a proven successful product that has changed the way we learn and share.