WELCOME TO THE TED TALK MBA

The following curation of TED Talks covers essential theories, skills, and concepts taught at leading MBA programs. It was designed by MovingWorlds.org to help people become more globally and socially conscious leaders.

If you’re looking to join a cohort of peers seeking professional growth while contributing to the greater good, I hope you’ll apply to the MovingWorlds Institute.

Before getting started, we’d like to extend an official welcome and thank you. It’s a long program and there is no diploma at the end. This program is for self-starters that care about lifelong learning and realizing their potential – not about a piece of paper. While this program won’t improve the appearance of your resume, we do know that you’ll benefit immensely by listening to thought-leaders from across industries. You’ll especially benefit if you take the time to reflect on how their “ideas worth spreading” apply to your life and work.

As of December 2019, this program is composed of 143 videos and plenty of links to other highly relevant content. Once you combine the 30+ hours of video with additional research and reflection, you’ll need about 50 hours to complete this TED Talk MBA program – roughly the same amount of time required by continuing professional education certifications. This is a notable investment in your personal and professional growth, but we promise it’s worth it.

To get started, we have three welcome address videos:

After watching these videos, it’s time to get started. Scroll down for the full syllabus, as well as a link to spreadsheet with a full list of links to help you track your progress through the program.

Editor’s Note: You’re approximately 175% more likely to complete this program if you undertake it with a partner. Find a colleague, peer, significant other, and/or friend to take this program with you so that you can keep each other accountable and share the things you learn.

Can’t think of a good partner?

Ask your manager to help hold you accountable. We suggest including completion of this program as part of your 2020 development goals.

TED Talk MBA Syllabus

To help you track your progress, use our open Google Spreadsheet with the full list of videos by title, author, and link. In addition, it has a column so you can track completion, and also add your notes about each of the videos.

The TED Talk MBA is program into the following sections:

I. Self Readiness

II. Preparing to Listen and Learn

III. Being Successful

IV. Leading Others

V. Building and Managing Teams

VI. Strategy and Holistic Decision Making

VII. Psychology and Understanding Others

VIII. Enhancing Your (and your team’s) Productivity

IX. Being Creative, Innovating, and Operating in Ambiguity

X. Required Creative Arts

XI. Being Globally Aware

XII. The Current and Future State of Business

XIII. Sustainability and Business

XIV. Communication, Selling, and Marketing

XV. Finance and Investment

XVI. Ongoing Learning

XVII. Career Advice

XVIII. Being Healthy

XIX. Unsolicited Relationship Advice

XX. Commencement Speech



I. SELF READINESS & GOAL SETTING

Most MBA programs won’t admit you into their program until you have a clear idea about why you’re pursuing the MBA, and how it will help you reach your personal and professional goals. Here are a few videos to help you center on your own purpose.

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II. PREPARING TO LISTEN AND LEARN



Great leaders are great listeners. Great leaders also have a history of being life-long learners. As you get started, watch these videos to prepare yourself to be a more effective learner. It will help you make the most out of this program, and also help you as a leader in the future.

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III. BEING SUCCESSFUL

We hope that this program will help you be successful in all of your life’s adventures – personal and professional. The best leaders write down goals, and the following videos can help you define success (and be successful).

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IV. LEADING OTHERS

The technical skills you acquire in a MBA program pale in comparison to the leadership skills you pick up. We’re counting on you to be more than a business leader. The following talks will help you grow as a people leader, too.

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V. BUILDING AND MANAGING TEAMS

(Wait, why isn’t management with leadership? Here’s why.)

The best leaders create effective teams and manage the people within them effectively. The following talks will help you build better teams, improve the way you develop others, and create effective work environments.

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VI. STRATEGY AND HOLISTIC DECISION MAKING

As a leader, you’ll be called on to make tough decisions. The following talks share insights, anecdotes and theories to be better at making decisions.

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VII. PSYCHOLOGY & UNDERSTANDING PEOPLE

Understanding the psychology of people, both your team members and your customers, is essential to being an effective business leader. These videos highlight the psychology that influences people’s decision-making patterns, and how you might be able to influence them.

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VIII. ENHANCING YOUR (and your team’s) PRODUCTIVITY

Effective team building and management is essential for every leader. These videos provide tips that will be useful for you, and the people around you to work better, both individually and together.

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IX. BEING CREATIVE, INNOVATING, AND OPERATING IN AMBIGUITY

The best leaders are innovative problem solvers that are able to do more with less and obsess about their customers and employees problems. Here are talks on creativity to help you be more effective at creating and innovating.

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X. REQUIRED CREATIVE ARTS

Artistic thinking fuels creativity, and make people more well-rounded and socially conscious. Enjoy these videos, and be sure to reflect on how artistic thinking can complement business thinking.

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XI. BEING GLOBALLY AWARE

There is a massive talent gap facing organizations of all types. More than any challenge, executives have indicated that not enough quality leaders are in their talent pipelines. Increasingly, executives are looking for leaders with international awareness and experience. These videos will prepare you to lead in a more globally connected world.

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XII. THE CURRENT AND FUTURE STATE OF BUSINESS

Businesses, as entities, continues to evolve. More than just existing to maximize profits, businesses have massive potential to create economic, social, and environmental progress (more in this video). Understanding how businesses are evolving, and the forces that are forcing them to evolve, is essential as a leader.

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XIII. SUSTAINABILITY AND BUSINESS

The growth and importance of “sustainability” and “social intra/entrepreneurship” is evidenced by the growing number of sustainability reports published by corporations, and the adoption of these topics as major fields of study in leading universities. The following videos explain why sustainability is important, as well as share inspiring examples of profitable sustainability.

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XIV. COMMUNICATION, SELLING, AND MARKETING

No matter your role, “to sell is human”. Whether it is in individual meetings with teammates, mass-market marketing, or person-to-person sales, the following videos will help you stand out and be effective.

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XV. FINANCE AND INVESTMENT

Money is the language of business. As our global economy continues to evolve, understanding the history, status, and direction of capital and its markets is vital to any leader.

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XVI. ONGOING LEARNING

To lead is to learn, and to learn is to lead. In fact, the “learning organization” is becoming an increasingly popular concept. In addition, the best of leaders share lifelong learning as a trait.

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XVII. CAREER ADVICE

Don’t ask what the world needs, ask what makes you come alive… because what the world needs is for you to come alive. -Howard Thurman

People are notoriously bad at picking their careers. It’s one of the reasons the employee engagement rate at companies and nonprofits is dangerously low and turnover is increase. With your new-found skills and knowledge, we hope you’ll take this career advice to heart and find a career that you love, and that makes the world a better place. For more insight into finding a for-impact career, read our career guide Using Lean Startup Principles to Find – and get – Your Dream Job.

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XVIII. BEING HEALTHY

Effective leaders need to be healthy, and inspire others to do the same. Sleeping more, eating healthier, and staying active can help you achieve more, and inspire others to do the same.

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XIX. UNSOLICITED RELATIONSHIP ADVICE

OK, this isn’t traditional content for MBA programs, but it should be. Being happy and healthy at home is important to being happy and health at work. These videos will help you improve your home-life so that you can reach your work-life potential.

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XX. COMMENCEMENT SPEECH

Congratulations on completing this program, and thank you for investing in yourself.

If you’re interested in complimenting your theoretical study with real field experience, we strongly suggest you volunteer your skills. LinkedIn For Good can help you find local, skills-based volunteering opportunities, and MovingWorlds can help you find and plan skills-based volunteering engagements overseas for any length of time. We hope that in volunteering, you’ll find your true passion and calling in life. If you find that your work-life is taking too much time, read this article about how companies are innovating around leadership development to provide opportunities.

As a send-off, we have one final video – a commencement speech from Steve Jobs: How to Live Before You Die.

This TED Talk MBA was prepared by MovingWorlds.org. We’d love to hear how this program affected you, and any tips you have to improve it. For questions, additions, and comments, email info@movingworlds.org.

If you’re looking to join a cohort of peers seeking professional growth while contributing to the greater good, I hope you’ll apply to the MovingWorlds Institute.