Regardless of the type of business you're running, so much of your success will come down to your ability to stay ahead of your competitors. To do this, it's important to always learn from the lessons and experiences that other CEOs, entrepreneurs, and business experts are willing to share.
Over the last few years, in particular, TED Talks have become an invaluable resource to that end. Below are a few of the more interesting TED Talks that are out there, each touching on a unique topic and all of them offering a peek into the minds of people who can help get you from where you are to where you want to be.
First, on the list, we have "How to Manage for Collective Creativity," a fascinating TED Talk from the esteemed Linda Hill. Over the course of 17 minutes, she outlines the secrets to unlocking the creativity hidden inside your daily work. Not only that, but she goes into great detail about how to give every great idea the chance that it truly deserves as well. The more willing you are to embrace an idea like this upon its inception, the more likely it is that the idea will be given the chance to succeed.
No discussion of business-related TED Talks would be complete without a mention of Adam Grant's "Are You a Giver or a Taker?" This particular session is built upon the idea that in every workplace there are three types of people: those who give, those who take, and those who are matched. Figuring out which one you are is a great way to help better understand your role within the environment in which you're working. It also helps you put together the types of teams who play off of one another instead of against each other, as is the case in an unfortunately large number of situations.
Next up we have "The Anti-CEO Playbook," a presentation given by Hamdi Ulukaya. Ulukaya argues that today's modern CEO is really only focused on three things: profit, money, and doing whatever it takes to appease their shareholders. However, they're doing so at a pretty enormous cost that they may not even realize exists. Because of that, Ulukaya discusses why it is so important to prioritize people over profits in the fast-paced modern era we're living in and what you need to do to get to that point.
Equally worth checking out is "How to Lead in a Crisis," which was originally given by Amy C. Edmondson. Especially given everything going on in the world right now, it's important to periodically remind ourselves that there are some things that we cannot control. Yet at the same time, you will still need to run a business and lead people during these intense periods of uncertainty. Edmondson argues that you will need humility, transparency, and urgency in order to do it.
Finally, we arrive at "3 Secrets to Netflix's Success" - a TED Talk given by a man who was there at the start of it all, Reed Hastings. The man who was there at the start of it all goes into great detail about Netflix's humble beginnings and what had to happen in order for it to turn into the type of company that revolutionized an entire industry before our very lives.
Learn about all the key elements that go into creating a successful work culture, the techniques that you can use to build a company around inspiration, why creativity and candor are so essential, and much, much more.
In the end, TED Talks like those outlined above are a great way to focus on a critical element in the world of business: continuous learning. Never assume that you've "done enough" to become a successful business owner or entrepreneur because the moment you think you have, you'll find yourself passed over by your savvier competitors.
Instead, take advantage of these TED Talks to not just become a better business owner, but to run your company more efficiently as well.