Your TEDx Talk is Serious Business... Unless It's Not

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Every time I think I find my favorite TEDx talk, another one pops up to replace it. Ric Keller , former US Congressman and incredibly charming human being, gave a talk entitled The power of self-deprecating humor , and I knew I needed to share it with you. Ric’s talk was one of the most-viewed of May 2022, and if you’re hoping to do a talk of your own, I highly recommend watching. Go ahead and take a peek. I’ll be here when you get back…

Pretty great, right??

This week, I want to break down what I think we can learn from Ric’s talk, and how to emulate its effectiveness in your own TEDx.

Your TEDx Talk is Serious Business... Unless It's Not

Why was Ric’s talk one of the most-viewed of last month? I think three big things contributed to his success.?

Strike the right balance

It can be hard to know how much (or how little) of yourself to share with an audience. I’ve seen it go both ways. If the talk is too focused on the speaker’s personal story, the talk is often light on substance, and while it’s entertaining, the audience might lose your point in your storytelling. The reverse can sometimes be even worse. Pack your speech with too many facts, figures, and studies, and you run the risk of boring your audience to tears. Pulling your evidence and your storytelling from multiple sources is a great way to maintain the pacing of your talk and back up your expertise.?

Ric’s talk highlighted his professional experience and his own life story, but he also referenced multiple studies and pulled funny anecdotes to back up his evidence. From Chris Christie eating a donut on David Letterman to Abraham Lincoln quipping “If I had another face, do you think I'd wear this one?” to an opponent accusing him of being two-faced, Ric uses these anecdotes to validate his own story and to back up the research which says that self-deprecating humor is the secret to likability, striking the perfect balance between entertainment and education.?

Make your talk for everyone

Rule number 2 in the TEDx content guidelines : “Politics, social issues, and policy are key parts of the global conversation. However, TEDx stages are not the place for partisan politics, nor for extremist or inflammatory positions.” Ric’s prior work as a Republican congressman meant that he needed to be especially careful when navigating this hard-and-fast rule of TEDx. Ric used many politicians as examples in his talk, but he never dove into ideology or divisive issues. Instead, he stuck to the topic at hand while still talking about what he was an expert in: politics.?

While he applauded both Jeb Bush and Ronald Reagan, he also praised Barack Obama’s humor and highlighted John F. Kennedy’s successful use of comedy to bring people together. No one was singled out or alienated, and he emphasized humor’s ability to unite, not divide. It’s a masterclass in toeing the line and keeping your talk inclusive. As Ric says in his talk, we’re all on the same team. This is especially true when it comes to Ideas Worth Spreading.

Take your own advice

The number one reason Ric’s talk was successful? He follows his own advice. Ric’s talk is built on the premise that self-deprecating humor is key to endearing yourself to others, and he demonstrates in the first seconds of his talk, highlighting the transformation of his then-failing campaign. He encourages vulnerability, and demonstrates its power by getting vulnerable himself. It’s easy to like Ric. He makes jokes about himself, he isn’t afraid to look imperfect, and he laughs right along with the audience. In short, there is no better proof of humor’s power than Ric himself.?

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