Tedtalks Business

“When teachers and families work together, everyone wins,” says education technology entrepreneur and TED Fellow Heejae Lim. In this episode of TED Business, we’re revisiting a talk that shines a light on an underutilized resource in US public education -- a family's love for their children -- and shows that, with the right tools and tech, schools can remove language barriers, foster meaningful connections and help every student thrive. After the talk, educational tech entrepreneur Shani Dowell joins our host Modupe to share insights on tools that schools and families can use to work together.

Stuck in an unfulfilling or stagnant job? To achieve a smooth departure without burning bridges, try this three-step exit strategy from career coach Gala Jackson. She'll help you move on to your next position with courage, confidence and clarity. After the talk, Modupe shares her own experience breaking the news to a former employer.

Trust issues at work? This week, we’re sharing an episode from Fixable, another podcast from the TED Audio Collective, that dives deep into trust and how we can cultivate it at work. In this episode, Frances Frei recounts when she was brought in to help Uber with their massive trust breakdown. Using Uber as a case study, she and co-host Anne Morriss explain the three pillars of trust – authenticity, empathy, and logic – and solutions to strengthen each leg when they’re on shaky ground. For more actionable workplace advice from Anne and Frances, find Fixable wherever you’re listening to this.

Sheryl Lee Ralph is a force, delivering iconic performances both on stage and screen. But she didn't always know if she'd make it big. In a lively talk sparkling with actionable advice, she shares how her struggles taught her what it takes to believe in herself -- and how we can all find the self-confidence to keep moving forward. After the talk, Modupe shares some tools that you can use to encourage yourself and those around you.

In a practical, playful talk, leadership visionary Anne Morriss reinvents the playbook for how to lead through change -- with a radical, one-week plan to build trust and fix problems by following a step per day. After the talk, Modupe shares tips on how to communicate in a way that empowers others to become problem solvers.

In our second episode with corporate inclusion visionary Deepa Purushothaman, she shared how women of color can advocate for themselves in workplace settings where they are undervalued, discriminated against and overlooked. In this continuation of that conversation, Purushothaman shows the importance of bringing your full self to work, and explains how powerful staying true to yourself while climbing the corporate ladder can be. After the interview, Modupe digs into four different ways you might be hiding aspects of yourself at work.

Corporate inclusion visionary Deepa Purushothaman shares how women of color can advocate for themselves in workplace settings where they are undervalued, discriminated against and overlooked -- and how companies can foster working cultures that empower everyone to achieve success. This conversation, hosted by TED current affairs curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers, was part of an exclusive TED Membership event. Visit ted.com/membership to become a TED Member. After the interview, our TED Business host Modupe gives practical tips on how to advocate for yourself.

Global consumer strategist Aparna Bharadwaj shares a fascinating glimpse at under-the-radar affinities that transcend cultures and borders -- from the way people snack in China and Saudi Arabia to how people shop for clothes in the US and Russia. "There are patterns where you least expect them," she says -- and paying attention to them just might bring the world a little bit closer. After the talk, Modupe expands on how data can connect people and help us better understand each other’s needs.

How can stress enhance creativity? Are there practical ways to use stress for innovation? Modupe guest hosts the podcast Radio Headspace all week. Every weekday morning, Radio Headspace aims to take a few moments to step out of the internal chatter and external noise. It's a podcast that makes space to pause, reflect, and consider how we can live a life that best reflects our limitless potential. Listen to Radio Headspace wherever you are listening to this.

Several crises are set to define the next century -- but journalist Aaron Bastani believes we have the technological ability to meet our biggest challenges and create unprecedented levels of prosperity for all. He shows how we could get there by ditching capitalism as the world's economic operating system and adopting "universal basic services," where governments would freely provide life essentials like housing, health care, education and transport. After the talk, Modupe shares thoughts on what organizations can do in the meantime to ensure people live long healthy lives.

TikTok CEO Shou Chew dives into how the trend-setting video app and cultural phenomenon works -- from what distinguishes its algorithm and drives virality to the challenges of content moderation and digital addiction. In a wide-ranging conversation with head of TED Chris Anderson, he tells stories about the TikTok creators he loves and digs into thorny issues like data privacy and government manipulation -- as well as speaking personally about his commitment to inspiring creativity and building community. This is an episode of TED Tech, another podcast in the TED Audio Collective. For more episodes, follow the podcast wherever you're listening to this.

There is a fascinating untold story behind one of the highest-grossing media franchises in the world. It's 1999, and sixteen years after its original release, a new Star Wars is finally coming. Fans have been camping out in front of theaters across the country just to be the first to see it. The beloved intergalactic saga is set to debut a slew of brand new characters, one of whom is a revolutionary CGI creation named Jar Jar Binks. Whispers begin to spread about big changes coming to the galaxy far, far away – and not everyone’s happy about it. This is an episode of another podcast from the TED Audio Collective: The Redemption of Jar Jar Binks, hosted by Dylan Marron. If you like what you hear, find The Redemption of Jar Jar Binks wherever you get your podcasts.

Climate action has historically had a gender-neutral lens, but this lack of intentionality has actually negatively impacted women, says gender and climate researcher Zineb Sqalli. Using real-world, gender-equal programs as examples Sqalli offers solutions for advancing both sustainability and gender equality — at the same time. After the talk, Modupe shares ways organizations can increase gender diversity and promote inclusion.

Learning how to have productive conversations about race is a necessary part of the human experience. Educator Afrika Afeni Mills says the best place to start is in the classroom -- because the earlier these skills are taught, the fewer biases there are to unlearn. She shares four actionable lessons to help people overcome their fear and take on these conversations at any age. After the talk, Modupe shares questions to ask ourselves to have more open conversations at work.

Around the world, people who work hard are often seen as morally good -- even if they produce little to no results. Social psychologist Azim Shariff analyzes the roots of this belief and suggests a shift towards a more meaningful way to think about effort, rather than admiring work for work's sake. After the talk, Modupe delves deeper into Shariff’s research – and what our focus should actually be on at work.

The glass cliff: an experience of taking on a leadership role only to find that your chances of success have been limited before you've even begun. Equality activist Sophie Williams explores the research-backed reasons behind this workplace phenomenon and how it overwhelmingly affects underrepresented groups, despite a facade of progress and inclusion. Learn more about the biases and behaviors that set people up for failure -- and what can be done to make the path to success in leadership better for everyone. Join our host Modupe Akinola after the talk for tips on how to recognize people’s full potential -- so everyone has a fair chance to shine at work

Scam artists know something about money that you don't -- and artist J Mase III is here to shed some light. He shares examples of infamous scams from Elizabeth Holmes's false medical tech promises to Anna "Delvey" Sorokin's fake trust fund, along with three crucial lessons on how money functions for the wealthy, why it flows in the direction it does and how to start spotting scams in your own life. After the talk, Modupe shares what we can learn from scam artists to overcome imposter syndrome.

"We have the right to demand budgets to be equitable, to be fair," says economist Maja Bosnic. And one of the places where public money often falls short is being inclusive of gender and sex, furthering discrimination. Using examples from around the world that already factor gender into public finance decisions, Bosnic shares how budgets that actively account for gender don't just lead to equality -- they're also more efficient and effective. After the talk, Modupe shares simple yet crucial ways to make sure no one is overlooked in organizational processes.

Can you imagine a world where nonprofits increase their impact and move the needle on the impossible problems they often take on? Looking to bring the urgency of a profit motive to every initiative, inclusive finance promoter Tolu Oyekan shares the mindset that can help any business meet its goals with speed and precision. After the talk, Modupe shares more specific examples of tech that is increasing financial inclusion (and agricultural innovation) across the continent.

In a constantly changing world, it's impossible for leaders to provide employees with the assurance they want, says Vimeo CEO Anjali Sud. Her solution: lead with humanity and flexibility. In conversation with veteran journalist Stephanie Mehta, Sud discusses her experience connecting remote employees worldwide, addressing burnout and adapting company practices for the needs of the next generation. After the talk, Modupe shares some tips on embracing the unknown at work -- and practical advice on how to handle Q&As as a leader.