best persuasive speeches ted talk

5 TED Talks That'll Make You More Persuasive

Knowing how to sell is crucial in many jobs. But knowing how to sell yourself is crucial in your career—to land a job, a promotion, a high-profile project.

What does it take to make yourself the person people count on and go to? These five TED Talks will teach you everything you need to know about being persuasive , from standing your ground, to bouncing back from rejection , to having a successful conversation with anyone.

1. Know Your Worth, and Then Ask for It by Casey Brown

As a pricing consultant, Brown is very familiar with the concept of “getting paid what you’re worth.” That being said, she still had to overcome her own fears to discover her value. Here’s how she did it, and how you too can confidently earn what you deserve.

2. What I Learned From 100 Days of Rejection by Jia Jiang

Rejection stings. But what happens when you face it over and over again? Blogger and entrepreneur Jia Jiang realized that once you experience rejection, you become stronger—and just maybe, you can begin to turn a “no” into a “yes.”

3. How to Speak Up for Yourself by Adam Galinsky

Sometimes, we speak up at the wrong times. Other times, we don’t speak up when we should. There’s a balance for when you should make a risky ask or voice a strong opinion—and social psychologist Adam Galinsky has the sweet spot for you.

4. 10 Ways to Have a Better Conversation by Celeste Headlee

Writer and radio host Celeste Headlee knows the importance of interpersonal skills –but do you? Here’s how we can get better at holding conversations, no matter how much we dislike the person we’re speaking to.

5. The Hidden Power of Smiling by Ron Gutman

This may not come as a surprise, but smiling makes you appear likable , confident, and competent. Now that’s something to grin about.

Want to know how else it makes you look and feel awesome? Health entrepreneur Ron Gutman has the answers.

Tap into the power to persuade by using these 6 techniques of clear and compelling speech

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Politicians and other public figures deploy particular rhetorical devices to communicate their ideas and to convince people, and it’s time that we all learned how to use them, says speechwriter Simon Lancaster.

This post is part of TED’s “How to Be a Better Human” series, each of which contains a piece of helpful advice from someone in the TED community; browse through all the posts here.

There is a secret language of leadership — and it’s one that anyone can learn, says UK speechwriter Simon Lancaster in a TEDxVerona talk . He has made a career out of crafting addresses, remarks and talks for top politicians and CEOs of international corporations such as Nestle and Unilever, and continues to do so . Refreshingly, rather than clinging Gollum-like to what he’s learned and knows, he believes everyone should have access to the same tools that he and his colleagues use.

By tools, he’s not talking about special software or databases — he’s referring to rhetoric. Rhetoric has its roots in ancient Greece ( think: Aristotle ) as clear, convincing speech was seen as an essential component of communication and participation in a democracy. Instruction in rhetoric remained part of the curriculum in many secondary schools in Europe and the US until the 19th century.

“The reason we all used to learn rhetoric at school was because it was seen as a basic entry point to society,” explains Lancaster, who is based in London. “How could society be fair, unless everyone had equal ability to articulate and express themselves? Without it, your legal systems, your political systems, your financial systems are not fair.”

Yes, the power to persuade is just that — power.

Lancaster states there is only one school in England that still teaches rhetoric: Eton, the alma mater of 20 Prime Ministers (including current officeholder, Boris Johnson). He adds, “It should be of intense concern to all of us that education in this has been narrowed to a very small … elite.”

While Lancaster can’t send the world to Eton, he can share the 6 rhetorical building blocks needed to speak persuasively. Here they are:

Building block #1: Breathless sentences or phrases

Barack Obama gave an acceptance speech for the ages in 2008 after he was first elected president of the US. He spoke vividly of the challenges that lay ahead for the country: “Even as we celebrate tonight, we know that the challenges tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime: Two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.”

Lancaster wants us to pay special attention to the last part of that sentence, the “two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century” part. Yes, it’s a stressful mouthful — not just because of the content but because of how it’s delivered. Short, staccato phrases like these mimic how we speak when we’re anxious and in a hurry. This technique helps communicate urgency to an audience.

Building block #2: Speaking in 3s

What’s the other rhetorical trick underlying “two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century”? The rule of 3.

Humans are accustomed to things coming in 3s: whether it’s judges on American Idol , bowls of porridge in a fairy tale , or sides in a triangle. Our minds and ears have been trained by speeches (Abraham Lincoln’s “government of the people, for the people, by the people”); slogans (reduce, reuse, recycle); and book titles ( Elizabeth Gilbert ‘s memoir Eat, Pray, Love ). “You put your argument in 3s, it makes it sound more compelling, more convincing, more credible. Just like that,” says Lancaster.

Recall British PM Winston Churchill’s stirring triplet from the speech he delivered to Parliament on June 4, 1940 : “We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight on the fields and in the streets.” Besides the rule of 3, he gave the line additional rhetorical firepower by repeating the opening clause.

Lancaster explains, “When we are emotional about things, our perspective distorts, and this then manifests in our speech. So this is the authentic sound of passion.” Doing this can catch an audience in the speaker’s enthusiasm.

Building block #3: Balanced statements

“Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.” It’s a line from president John F Kennedy’s inspiring 1961 inaugural address , and one that’s stood the test of time. Why? Its balanced construction, says Lancaster. “If the sentence sounds as if it’s balanced, we imagine that the underlying thinking is balanced and our brain is tuned to like things that are balanced.”

Grouping balanced statements in 3s further amplifies the effect:

“We’re looking to the future, not the past.

We’re working together, not against one another.

We’re thinking about what we can do, not what we can’t.”

Building block #4: Metaphor

According to Lancaster, people use a metaphor once every 16 words on average ( side question: Where do statistics like this even come from? ). He declares, “Metaphor is probably the most powerful piece of political communication.”

Metaphors are rich in imagery and awake immediate feelings in people, so it follows that politicians love them and sprinkle them like birdseed (“like birdseed” is a simile, not a metaphor , and similes are other strong rhetorical tools to have in your kit). At times, they can employ them to point us to an ideal or aspiration. For example, in his farewell address , president Ronald Reagan movingly invoked America, h/t to John Winthrop, as a “shining city upon the hill.”

Too often, however, metaphors are used to manipulate, incite and denigrate. Politicians and talking heads could have called the 2015-16 refugee encampment in Calais, France, a “refugee camp” or “refugee settlement.” Instead, they deployed this loaded word: “jungle.” Lancaster says,“It’s planting in your mind the idea that migrants are like wild animals to be afraid of, that they are dangerous, that they represent a threat to you. This is a very dangerous metaphor because this is the language of genocide; it’s the language of hate.” Unfortunately, media outlets picked up “Calais jungle” and used it as their shorthand identifier of the camp, extending the metaphor’s reach.

Building block #5: Exaggeration

In the same way that we get breathless when they’re speaking with passion, our speech distorts in another significant way. We exaggerate. So when we’re sitting down to a meal after having eaten little that day, we tell our family and friends: “I love this pizza.” But when we say things like this to each other, we also realize it’s a bit of distortion: We do not love the pizza in the same way that we love our children or parents or the planet, and everyone present knows that.

Similarly, politicians and leaders might say things like “I’ve waited my whole life to say these words” or “I will work to achieve this with all my heart and soul.” These utterances are indeed over the top, but because they’re acceptable and even welcome since they echo how we speak.

Building block #6: Rhyming

Starting from childhood, many of us are taught concepts through rhymes — such as “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” or “i before e except after c.” With their musicality, they’re a pleasing informational snack that sticks in memories like a musical earworm .

Rhymes can seem corny, but sprinkled in at the right time, they can be incredibly potent. We all  remember the pithy “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit” from defense attorney Johnnie Cochran during O.J. Simpson’s 1995 murder trial.

Rhyming’s appeal comes “down to what linguists talk about as the processing fluency of language — how easy is language to swallow?” says Lancaster. “If you speak using long words and long sentences, it’s like giving someone a steak and asking them to swallow it. Whereas if you give them something pithy, like a rhyme, it’s like asking them to just sip on some Prosecco.”

These six tricks can help us speak directly to people’s instinctive, emotional and logical brains, and they are extremely effective, says Lancaster. There’s no need for us to be in the public eye to use them in order to sway others or make our words stay in people’s minds. Even if we never employ them in our own lives, it’s equally important for us to recognize them. Politicians, con artists and advertisers utilize them to win votes, spread opinions, or sell products people don’t need. By being alert to these rhetorical devices, we can be better citizens and consumers.

To learn more about rhetoric, watch this:

Watch Simon Lancaster’s TEDxVerona talk here:

About the author

Daryl Chen is the Ideas Editor at TED.

• how to be a better human
• public speaking
• simon lancaster

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Best TED Talks: 10 inspirational speeches you absolutely have to hear

Looking for a good TED Talk to expand your worldview? Here are 10 of the best

The best TED Talks make you think, leave you inspired and, very often, make you laugh as well. We've been watching Ted Talks evolve and grow over the last 15 years and have come to treasure the nuggets of wisdom they impart. 

But if you're just discovering Ted Talks for the first time - or feel like you've missed a bunch throughout the years - we want to help you dive head-first into the heady lecture series with a round-up of our absolute favorites: What you'll find below is a collection of personal picks from the TechRadar team that we feel best exemplify what a Ted Talk can be. 

Not seeing one of your favorite talks below? Drop me an email and I'll try to add it to the list.

How to gain control of your free time by Laura Vanderkam 

There’s a certain irony in watching a YouTube video on how to save time, but Laura Vanderkam’s talk is worth the 10 minutes of your life. It’s all built on the basic idea that shaving 5 minutes here and there from your favorite activities isn’t really going to give you more control of your life - rather, you need to set priorities for yourself and then build a schedule around those priorities. 

The hilarious example Vanderkam offers is that, instead of skipping commercials to save eight minutes of every half hour of TV you watch, maybe you could just watch a little less TV and do something else with your time. The message is simple, effective and engaging, all the hallmarks of a good TED Talk.

What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness by Robert Waldinger 

“Good relationships keep us healthier and happier. Period.” That’s the results of a landmark study of happiness conducted by more than four generations of researchers over the last 75 years, tracking hundreds of participants and measuring every facet of their lives. 

This Ted Talk takes awhile to get to the juicy details but the story of this preternatural study on happiness illustrates the lengths the researchers have gone through to get this invaluable data that shows us what makes people happy at the end of their lives. The results sound simple - almost infuriatingly so - but the lesson here is that anyone can be happy with the right relationships in their lives. 

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The game that can give you 10 extra years of life by Jane McGonigal 

Gamers, it turns out, are pretty awesome. They’re committed to saving virtual worlds and with the right skills and focus they might be able to save the physical world, too. McGonigal, a game developer and author, has spent years creating different apps and games that use in-game rewards to push players to solve real world problems. 

The talk, which is a bit long at 20 minutes, walks the audience through her previous experiences creating these games and the research data that she uses to get gamers engaged before diving into Superbetter, the app she developed to make everyone who plays it live better, fuller lives.  

 The art of asking by Amanda Palmer 

Former busker-turned-successful-musician Amanda Palmer has a key lesson for everyone: don’t be afraid to ask. Society puts an inherent shame on those who ask - whether that’s for financial help or security, emotional help or even basic requests like where to find something - when, in fact, asking for help is one of the best things we can do. Asking, Palmer says, is inherently human and powerful, it allows us to create connections and leverage those connections to do more. That was evident when she wanted to crowdfund her band’s next CD, asking for $100,000, and raising over a million dollars instead. 

The point here is that next time you look down on someone asking, instead view them with compassion and make a connection - because in the long run that’s more powerful, more effective and, well, more human.  

The first 20 hours -- how to learn anything by Josh Kaufman 

Have you ever heard the old adage about needing to spend 10,000 hours to learn a skill? Good news, it's wrong. As it turns out, the research that factoid is taken from was studying experts in their respective fields, and not, say, the average trombonist. 

In this talk, new father Josh Kaufman walks us through how long it actually takes to learn a skill - which, incidentally, is only around 20 hours. Now sure, 20 hours of practice isn't going to make you the next Bobby Fischer, but it will be enough time to teach you the basics and, most importantly, how to auto-correct yourself when you've done something amiss. If you've ever felt like the ship has sailed on learning a new language, playing an instrument or learning a new skill, this talk is for you.

Everything you think you know about addiction is wrong by Johann Hari 

Journalist and author Johann Hari (Lost Connections, Chasing the Scream) offers a wide-ranging look at addiction in this 14-minute talk, whether that’s addiction to hard drugs, alcohol, or the endlessly-updating feeds on our smartphones.

We tend to think of addiction as a problem caused by the substance itself. We say that phones are addictive, or heroin is addictive – but Hari makes a case for a more nuanced understanding, one that sees how social circumstance affects our propensity for addiction, and the difference that strong bonds to those around us can make.

The power of vulnerability by Brené Brown 

With over 47 million views, Brené Brown’s Ted Talk on the power of vulnerability is one of the most watched Ted Talks of all time, and for good reason. 

In this 20-minute presentation, Brown shares what she’s learnt about the nature of shame, and how our fear of vulnerability prevents us from being able to fully embrace ourselves. As a researcher trained to “control and predict” phenomena, she shares her difficulty accepting the idea that to live fully is to stop attempting to “control and predict” at all.

An incredibly powerful talk that shows you – rather than just telling you – what it means to be vulnerable, and explores what a world that embraces vulnerability might look like.

Meeting the Enemy: A feminist comes to terms with the Men’s Rights movement by Cassie Jaye 

What filmmaker Cassie Jaye does here that’s so special is that she walks us through an immense period of growth in her life thought-by-thought. At one point a stringent feminist, Jaye began a documentary about the Men’s Rights movement that asks for the acknowledgement of certain, specific issues that men face - a movement she thought ran counter to the central points of feminism. 

What she learned in over a hundred hours of interviews with men’s rights activists is that these men didn’t want fewer rights for women, but some of the same care and devotion to some of the issues impacting men like veteran care, suicide, disproportionate parental control, length of prison sentences and others that do well and truly impact the life of men. The evolution of Jaye’s thoughts and the admission of her own preconceived notions is enthralling from beginning to end. 

How I climbed a 3,000-foot vertical cliff without ropes by Alex Honnold 

If you don’t have time for the excellent - but nearly two-hour - documentary Free Solo, check out this 10-minute Ted Talk by legendary rock-climber Alex Honnold who did something many thought to be impossible - or at least incredibly dangerous - when he climbed El Capitan, a sheer rock face in Yosemite National Park without ropes. 

Honnold’s Ted Talk gives a great overview of the climb, as well as his previous experiences leading up to it. Listening to Honnold describe certain parts of the trek are legitimately sweat-inducing and his experiences post-climb are both hilarious and heart-warming. It’s well-worth the watch. 

This is what happens when you reply to spam email by James Veitch 

Not all Ted Talks have to be heady ventures to the core of who we are. They can, in fact, just be funny and lighthearted, too. There’s no better example of these kinds of talks than the ones given by James Veitch (yes there’s more than one) wherein he takes annoying-but-easily-ignorable situations like unsubscribing from an email chain and turn them into absurdly funny matches of verbal wit between two utterly committed individuals. If you need a laugh after all this profound introspection, Veitch’s talks are the best bet. 

BONUS: Bobby McFerrin Demonstrates the Power of the Pentatonic Scale 

OK, while this one technically isn’t a Ted Talk, it has the spirit of one and includes Bobby McFerrin, which really just sells itself. 

Just try not to sing along, it's impossible not to.

• Looking for more things to watch? Check out our list of the best Netflix shows

Nick Pino is Managing Editor, TV and AV for TechRadar's sister site, Tom's Guide. Previously, he was the Senior Editor of Home Entertainment at TechRadar, covering TVs, headphones, speakers, video games, VR and streaming devices. He's also written for GamesRadar+, Official Xbox Magazine, PC Gamer and other outlets over the last decade, and he has a degree in computer science he's not using if anyone wants it.

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.css-1qrtm5m{display:block;margin-bottom:8px;text-transform:uppercase;font-size:14px;line-height:1.5714285714285714;-webkit-letter-spacing:-0.35px;-moz-letter-spacing:-0.35px;-ms-letter-spacing:-0.35px;letter-spacing:-0.35px;font-weight:300;color:#606F7B;}@media (min-width:600px){.css-1qrtm5m{font-size:16px;line-height:1.625;-webkit-letter-spacing:-0.5px;-moz-letter-spacing:-0.5px;-ms-letter-spacing:-0.5px;letter-spacing:-0.5px;}} Resources TED speakers' secrets to great public speaking

by TED Masterclass Team • May 14, 2020

Do you have a big presentation coming up for work? Are you just looking to learn a new skill? You don’t have to be a naturally charismatic orator to tell compelling stories, but a few tips can go a long way to help you share your ideas in the most engaging way possible. These TED Talks will help you get prepared and start mastering the art of communicating effectively:

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Why you should watch it.

What if there was a TED Talk on how to give a TED Talk? Well, there is. In this Talk, TED’s head curator helps you understand the secret ingredients to a TED Talk and how you can use those ingredients when developing your own talk or presentation.

Joe Kowan How I beat stage fright

If just the thought of standing in front of people makes your hands feel clammy and your mouth dry, this Talk is for you. In this funny Talk, singer-songwriter Joe Kowan shares his personal story of how he deals with stage fright and is able to sing in front of people every night.

Julian Treasure How to speak so that people want to listen

You’ve got something important to say, but how do you make sure people are actually listening? In this Talk, Julian Treasure, an expert on sounds, demonstrates how you can achieve powerful speaking by using vocal exercises and tips.

Nancy Duarte The secret structure of a great talk

What do Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech and Steve Jobs’ iPhone launch keynote have in common? According to this Talk: The structure of their speech. Watch now to learn how you, too, can use this simple structure in your next presentation or speech.

You’ve seen tips on structure, sound, stage fright, and what the secret sauce of a TED Talk is. Are you ready to use your newfound knowledge and get started on telling your story?

Check out the TED Masterclass course and learn how to communicate effectively and efficiently (even if it’s just a video call).

© 2024 TED Conferences, LLC. All rights reserved. Please note that the TED Talks Usage policy does not apply to this content and is not subject to our creative commons license.

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10 TED talks that used visual graphics to win the audience

Learn how the right set of slides turned these talks into an immersive and engaging experience..

What is it that makes TED speakers so damn persuasive? Perhaps it's because they follow these public speaking tips or follow and learn from these public speaking stars . One thing they have in common is, on top of a fantastic stage presence and perfectly delivered words, they're usually accompanied by a well thought out and beautifully designed presentation.

The right set of slides can turn your speech from a generic snooze-fest into an engaging and immersive experience for your audience. Plus, knowing you have a great set of complementary visuals behind you as you speak can give you the confidence you need to really nail it.

If you find yourself needing to crunch numbers into stunning visuals in your presentation, take a leaf from his book and keep it clean, sharp, and easy to read. Keep your fonts, colors, and designs cohesive and consistent from slide to slide and make sure each visualization is easy to digest at a glance.

3. Paul Kemp-Robertson: Bitcoin. Sweat. Tide. Meet the future of branded currency.

Consistency is king when it comes to presentations. You want your audience to be following along with what you're saying, and one key to that is keeping your slides consistent in terms of style, layout, color palette and typography.

It's easier to create consistent slide designs when you have a template to start from. Check out Canva's wide range of presentation templates here.

4. David Epstein: Are athletes really getting faster, better, stronger?

This presentation by David Epstein delivers some impressive facts and numbers through striking data visualizations. By combining powerful athletic imagery, a striking use of color, and a consistent design theme, he creates a visually beautiful and captivating presentation.

5. Tom Wujec: Got a wicked problem? First, tell me how you make toast

Are you presenting a particular set of data, evidence or information? Sometimes the visuals you need to display don't particularly fit within your presentation style, or look mismatched when presented by themselves. In this case, take a leaf out of Tom Wujec's book.

6. Eli Pariser: Beware online "filter bubbles"

Struggling to figure out when to use type and when to keep your slides silent? Check out this presentation by Eli Pariser, which absolutely nails it. Pariser uses type to emphasise quotes, such as this one from Zuckerberg:

And in other cases, type is used more minimally to simply explain and enhance diagrams to help people better make sense of them, as you can see in this example of a "filter bubble" diagram.

Want to create a bit more of an immersive and engaging presentation design? Have a go at creating a presentation that interacts with your speech. This presentation by John Maeda does just that by incorporating moving visuals in time with his speech, creating an immersive storytelling experience.

By combining sleek graphics, illustrations, and video footage, Maeda creates a presentation that is informative, persuasive, and feels more like a story being told than a set of ideas being explained.

Despite his range of slide types, Maeda still keeps each slide finely designed in his clean, minimal, sharp style, with cohesive elements stretching from point A to Z, making his presentation not only a functionally superior one, but an incredibly good looking one too.

8. Russell Foster: Why do we sleep?

This incredibly interesting presentation by Russell Foster is another example of a highly detailed illustrative approach that captures attention in the best kind of way. This presentation design scrolls from illustration to illustration as Foster talks, immersing viewers into his presentation.

Fabian Oefner begins his talk with "An image is worth more than a thousand words, so I'm going to start my talk by stop talking and show you a few images that I recently captured." And he's quite right. Sometimes the best way to capture attention to your message is to show rather than tell.

10. Kirby Ferguson: Embrace the remix

Typography can be a make or break point for your presentation. Some people choose not to use any type, some too much, and others just the right amount. If you choose to insert type into your presentation, I recommend having a look at this talk by Kirby Ferguson.

Ferguson combines type and imagery in a natural and effective way, by keeping a consistent color and font palette in place. Furthermore, he makes sure that his type is large and in charge, making it easily readable even for the person in the very back of the room.

Ferguson also uses a clever technique of scale and masking certain elements of the slide to draw focus from one element to the next, directing the eye exactly where he wants it to be on the slide at each point in his talk.

Over to you: Create Your Own Presentation

As we've discussed, the keys to a successful presentation are as simple as cohesiveness, a consistent design from slide to slide, an understanding of when to use a little type and when to stay silent, and a set of powerful visuals that perfectly complement the idea you are discussing.

Do you have any tips for creating a memorable presentation? Have you watched any TED talks that have some spectacular visuals? Share your thoughts, ideas, and links down in the comments below!

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TED Talks to be a better you in 2024

Embark on a journey of self-improvement with this selection of TED Talks on personal growth. From innovative parenting strategies and mental health support to fostering self-confidence and sustainable habits, these ideas offer practical advice and fresh perspectives for a transformative year ahead.

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