How to compose TED-grade talks that turn executive ideas into action

There’s a tried-and-true adage that “ideas are the currency of the 20^th century,” but that’s not the case when your ideas aren’t resonating.

During Ragan’s Internal Communications Conference at Microsoft HQ last month, Merck Director of Global Employee and Leadership Communications Craig Thomason laid out his journey as a TED speaker and executive presentation coach.

“Even the most innovative and inspiring ideas can fall on lukewarm responses,” Thomason said. “I saw that so often I began to ask myself, ‘Gee, are ideas really the currency of the 20^th century? Why is it that when my ideas are articulated, the exchange rate plummets when I present?”

Thomason investigated this further when an executive brought him an awful presentation and asked why it wasn’t landing. Here’s what we learned.

Thomason acknowledged that his first piece of advice may seem a bit obvious, but took it a step further by urging communicators to consider how the audience thinks by considering how the brain habituates.