45. Speech Breakdown: TED Talk by Jane Harper "Creativity in Your Control"
Mar 3, 2020
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Jane Harper, an acclaimed Australian author known for her gripping mystery novels, delves into the world of creativity and the writing process. She emphasizes that everyone can harness their creative control through practical skills. The hosts dissect her TED Talk, revealing the power of pauses in presentations and the importance of clarity in communication. They discuss overcoming nervousness and how structured practice can unlock creativity. Insights on audience engagement and avoiding jargon further deepen the conversation.
Engaging openings, like starting with provocative questions, can significantly enhance audience connection and reflection on creativity.
Creativity can be nurtured through structured approaches, emphasizing time management and consistent practice to cultivate skills and confidence.
Deep dives
Importance of Engaging Openings
An engaging opening is critical in effectively capturing an audience's attention. The speaker, Jane Harper, utilizes a series of provocative questions to draw in the audience, making them reflect on their own relationship with creativity. This technique helps create a personal connection, as listeners see their own struggles mirrored in her inquiries. However, it was noted that a more focused approach with fewer questions could further enhance the impact of her introduction.
Building a Framework for Creativity
Harper emphasizes that creativity can be cultivated through practical skills and structured approaches. She contrasts the common belief that creativity is solely reliant on innate talent with the idea that anyone can develop their creative abilities through motivation, time management, and technical skills. By establishing this framework, she empowers the audience to view creativity as an achievable goal rather than an elusive gift. This reframing encourages individuals to take concrete steps toward their creative aspirations.
The Role of Consistency and Time Management
Time management is highlighted as a key factor in pursuing creative goals, often overshadowed by other life commitments. Harper advocates for consistency in practice, suggesting that dedicating small, regular bursts of time to creative work can lead to significant progress and sustain motivation. This approach helps maintain the necessary mental space for creativity to flourish and allows for continuous idea generation. The realization that one does not need large blocks of uninterrupted time to succeed is a crucial lesson for aspiring creatives.
Valuing Improvement Through Practice
Harper argues that technical ability in creative fields, like any other skill, can be enhanced through ongoing practice and education. She insists that initial attempts at creativity should not be dismissed as failures, but rather seen as part of a learning process that requires perseverance. By encouraging individuals to embrace their imperfections and commit to continuous improvement, Harper reinforces the idea that dedication can lead to meaningful creative outcomes. This mindset empowers listeners to overcome self-doubt and embrace their creative journeys with confidence.
Episode forty-five of The Presentation Boss Podcast has landed! This time Kate chose a TED Talk for us to break down. This example is all about how you can control and apply your practical skills to unleash your creativity in whichever form you want. The content alone appealed to both Thomas and Kate.
The speaker is a writer, so has excellent understanding of clarity of message, logical structure and conviction. Listen in as we play the talk and pause whenever we feel there's a lesson to be learned about presentation skills as Jane Harper makes the example.
What You'll Learn
• The huge family excitement in Kate's world!
• Opening your presentation with a question, or a list of questions
• Why pause is extremely powerful to the presenter and extremely helpful for the audience
• The engagement that can be gained by announcing your audience' internal dialogue
• How to signpost the structure of your talk to help your audience not get lost
• Being aware of jargon, or at least, technical language
• Why we should be aware of how we sound, both in our voice and through the microphone
• The importance of making decisions about what to not include in your presentation
Mentioned In The Show
• TED Talk by Jane Harper | Creativity in Your Control
Resources and Links
• Email us: podcast@presentationboss.com.au
• The Presentation Boss Podcast: https://presentationboss.com.au/podcast/
• Kate on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-norris/
• Thomas on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-krafft/
• Presentation Boss on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/presentationboss/
• Presentation Boss on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/presentation-boss
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