Inspiring TED Talks from LAI Speakers 

Leading Authorities is proud to represent impressive speakers whose experiences, insights, and anecdotes intrigue diverse crowds of audiences. We work with top-rated keynote speakers who hook audiences in with their masterful storytelling ability and have spoken on some of the world’s most prestigious events, including on the TED and TEDx stages. In this blog, we highlight some of our esteemed speakers who have taken to the TED stage and inspired groups with their unique stories and perspectives.    

Stanley McChrystal, Former Commander of U.S. and International Forces in Afghanistan, Co-Founder of the McChrystal Group 

Stanley McChrystal: The Military Case for Sharing Knowledge 

• Revered four star General Stanley McChrystal discusses the importance of sharing important information in the military to increase intelligence and support mission success, and why that frame of thinking is applicable to how we work within our own organizations. As General McChrystal shared, “We changed the idea where knowledge is power to one where sharing is power.”  

Amy Webb, World-Renowned Futurist, Founder & CEO of the Future Today Institute  

How I Hacked Online Dating | Amy Webb 

• Giving a humorous and unique talk on “hacking” online dating, Amy Webb retraces her journey to finding her now-husband through her tumultuous endeavors and analytical strategies. Arguing that dating is specific to the person and her journey was a culmination of her wants, needs, and personality, Webb says, “All you have to really do is figure out your own framework and play by your own rules, and feel free to be as picky as you want.”  

Scott Mann, High-Impact Leadership Expert & Retired Green Beret 

Rooftop Leadership | Scott Mann | TEDxSantaBarbara 

• Through compelling storytelling, Scott Mann recounts his experience as a Green Beret leading through chaos in high-conflict environments all over the globe. His leadership insights stem from his experiences making purposeful connections with local villagers, especially in Afghanistan, and galvanizing them to fight on the rooftops alongside U.S. troops against a common enemy night after night. In the talk, he discusses the lessons learned on the battlefield and how they can be adapted by any leader to connect with, and influence, their teams. As Mann states, “You don’t have to be a Green Beret working in a tribal area to see that your world and the world I lived in are not that far apart.” 

Evy Poumpouras, Former Secret Service Special Agent and Interrogator, Co-Host of Bravo TV’s “Spy Games” 

Words: Your Most Powerful Weapon | Evy Poumpouras | TEDxStLouisWomen 

• As a former Secret Service Special Agent and interrogator Evy Poumpouras is an expert communicator who emphasizes the importance of words as she shares communications strategies from inside one of the world’s elite organizations. As she explores the habits of impactful communicators — active listening, self-confidence, respect — she drives home the powerful message that “your words are your currency.” 

Dethra Giles, Executive Leadership & HR Strategist, Modern Workplace Influencer, Career Consultant 

Employeepreneur | Dethra Giles | TEDxPortlandStateUniversity 

• Using compelling real-life examples and vivid storytelling, Dethra Giles talks through time-tested strategies for finding your passion and aligning it to your goals to build a career you can be proud of. Her unique employeepreneur approach is defined by “managing your career like a business.” Through real-life examples, she explores the four things that make employeepreneurs stand out in their organizations and propel their careers to the next level. 

Dr. Michael J. Sorrell: Visionary Leader, Institutional Change Agent, President of Paul Quinn College 

New Urban College Model: Michael Sorrell at TEDxSMU 2013 

• Dr. Michael J. Sorrell, has served as president of Paul Quinn College for close to two decades and, in that time, has revolutionized higher education and leadership. His inspiring, action-orienting vision has deeply changed the fabric of the school to benefit the students and the surrounding community in many ways. He speaks about different projects the school has taken on, including the creation of a farm to combat food deserts, and steering students towards innovation and entrepreneurship. As Sorrell shared, “The time came for us to stop listening to people talk about what can’t be done and start doing something... so we turned our football field into a farm.”  

Joan Higginbotham, Retired NASA Astronaut, Rocket Scientist, Electrical Engineer, & Third African American Woman in Space 

An Astronaut's Inspiring and Winding Road to Space | Joan Higginbotham | TEDxBermuda 

• Through trials and tribulations, setbacks and ultimately, big wins, Joan Higginbotham inspires audiences as she reflects upon her fascinating journey to becoming the third African American woman to fly to space — a journey that including trials, tribulations, setbacks, and, ultimately, big wins. One of Higginbotham’s key themes is her belief that if her diverse, multi-cultural and multi-national space crew could coexist in space to achieve a common mission, then we should be able to do the same here on Earth. She leaves the audience with the powerful message that “there is always space for humanity.” 

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