TED Business

In the modern workplace, hierarchy and power differences are often viewed as problems to solve. But Deborah Gruenfeld has a different perspective: hierarchy is not only essential to organizations, but we actually crave it in our relationships and communities. Deborah is a professor at Stanford University and a social and organizational psychologist who studies power and powerlessness. In this episode, she joins Anne and Frances to ...

Money can’t buy happiness, but it can buy you the freedom to make powerful choices. Haley Sacks, also known as Mrs. Dow Jones, is the host of the podcast Financial Tea and a bestselling author the Wall Street Journal calls “the financial guru millennials listen to.” In this episode, Anne and Frances sit down with Haley to discuss the keys to unlocking your financial power at work and in your everyday life. Haley s...

Throughout the Unlocking Your Power at Work series, Anne and Frances have uncovered practical advice for gaining power, building influence, and unleashing the abilities you already have. But once you make it to the top, what do you do with all that power? Hubert Joly is a professor at the Harvard Business School and the former CEO of Best Buy, where he led one of the most celebrated corporate turnarounds of the past decade. In this...

With great power comes great responsibility… and the chance to reflect on what we’ve learned from people who wield it well. In this episode, Anne and Frances look back on their conversations with Kara Swisher, Deborah Gruenfeld, Mrs. Dow Jones, and Hubert Joly about how power at work really works. They dig deeper into why telling the truth to yourself and others is such a strong power move, revisit Hubert’s &ldqu...

Wealth inequality gets talked about as an economic problem. Writer Xochitl Gonzalez makes the case that it's a civic one, too — a slow, quiet threat to democracy. Drawing on her research into the psychology of social class, she shows how growing up with (or without) money changes how we experience politics, community and society. After the talk, Modupe shares why she thinks the work place is the prime location to talk about w...

How does the stock market work? How do you choose stocks? And what causes an economic recession? In this episode, Modupe shares three TED Ed lessons that answer these questions to help demystify the process and help you become more empowered to take control of your finances.

Talks featured

Oliver Elfenbaum | How does the stock market work?

Richard M Coffin | How do investors choose stocks?

Richard M Coffin | What c...

If we accept that work-life balance is a necessity, then why are stress and burnout still increasing? Guy Winch is a psychologist and was the first guest ever on the How to Be a Better Human podcast. Guy returns to the show six years later to share strategies on how to stop indulging in unhealthy rumination, start identifying harmful triggers, and why it’s necessary to change your perspective and view problems as solvable.

What if your city could borrow money from its own bank instead of private lenders? TED Fellow Trinity Tran is leading the push for public banks — which are owned by the people through their local governments — and shows how this model could ensure your local tax dollars stay in your community.

What do you want to be when you grow up? It's a universal question — and yet at some point, people stop asking you. Drawing on a nationwide survey across the Philippines, consumer researcher Lance Katigbak makes the case that countries should keep track of their citizens' ambitions and aspirations. His radical proposal: What if governments didn't just track GDP but also started measuring dreams? After Modupe shares why asking...

How do you get what you want out of a negotiation? United Nations negotiation trainer Alex Carter says the best methods center on recruitment, not rivalry. Whether you're asking for a raise or resolving a family dispute, she offers five simple tips for a successful discussion — starting with one powerful question. After the talk, Modupe shares tips on starting the conversation.

Ho...

Given the choice between a job candidate with a perfect resume and one who has fought through difficulty, human resources executive Regina Hartley always gives the "Scrapper" a chance. As someone who grew up with adversity, Hartley knows that those who flourish in the darkest of spaces are empowered with the grit to persist in an ever-changing workplace. "Choose the underestimated contender, whose secret weapons are passion and pur...

Burnout shouldn’t be the price of success, but setting boundaries at work is easier said than done. Tarveen Forrester, who oversees workplace culture at Kickstarter, shares practical strategies for protecting your time and cultivating “sustainable ambition,” so you can crush your goals — without letting them crush you. After the talk, Modupe urges you to come up with a library of your own "tried and true" ph...

We all have a "thing" — the way we act when we're not at our best that we somehow can't see in ourselves. Leadership expert Chris Wheatley learned about his when his best friend at work called him on it. He shares how hearing that hard truth shattered a lifelong pattern of defensiveness, offering a practical framework for receiving feedback with tact. After, Modupe shares why your siblings might be the best source of feedback...

Did progress on your next big project stall out? Transformation expert Mary Martin refers to this moment as the "messy middle" — the frustrating gap between starting and finishing a goal, when you might lose confidence or give up altogether. Offering three ways to find glimmers of progress when the going gets tough, she explores what to do when you feel stuck. After, Modupe shares why you don't need to go through your messy m...

Managing people is a deeply human line of work—it requires relational skills, judgement, and deep knowledge of the people you work with. But Hilary Gridley believes that when used properly, AI can not only help you become a better manager, but can help your team make more meaningful use of their human skills. Hilary has spent years leading teams at companies like Whoop, and she’s known for her work helping managers use ...

Over two decades of interviewing countless creative people, Debbie Millman (host of the iconic "Design Matters" podcast) had a realization: the pride and joy of accomplishing something often evaporates almost instantly. She explains how to stop chasing external validation for your achievements and instead live for the act of creation itself. After, Modupe shares how she finds time to celebrate after the end of every project.

What is your true purpose—and how do you find it? This month, Anne and Frances are tackling one of life’s biggest questions in search of answers for Fixers of all ages, from fresh graduates charting their first career moves to seasoned executives craving something more. In this episode, Anne sits down with Molly Graham, a former executive at Facebook and the new host of TED’s WorkLife podcast, to explore what it m...