The Best TED Talks for Working Women

Ladies, what are some of your favorite TED talks for working women? Which ones do you think about the most; which have you heard a ton about but haven’t yet watched? Some of the ones that I think about the most are:

1. Sheryl Sandberg, “Why We Have Too Few Women Leaders“

This is the talk that came out before Lean In, and I’ve thought about the talk as well as the book a lot over the years. Description from the page: “Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg looks at why a smaller percentage of women than men reach the top of their professions — and offers 3 powerful pieces of advice to women aiming for the C-suite.” (Here’s our original discussion on the talk, as well as our Lean In discussion.)

2. Amy Cuddy, “Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are“

I do the power pose sometimes before phone interviews! Description from the page: “Body language affects how others see us, but it may also change how we see ourselves. Social psychologist Amy Cuddy shows how “power posing” — standing in a posture of confidence, even when we don’t feel confident — can affect testosterone and cortisol levels in the brain, and might even have an impact on our chances for success.”

3. Brené Brown, “The Power of Vulnerability“

I actually haven’t watched this one, but I keep hearing amazing things about Brown and her books — this TED talk is a great place to start because it’s only 20 minutes long. Description from the page: “Brené Brown studies human connection — our ability to empathize, belong, love. In a poignant, funny talk, she shares a deep insight from her research, one that sent her on a personal quest to know herself as well as to understand humanity. A talk to share.”

4. Anne-Marie Slaughter, “Can We Have It All?“

I’ve thought often about the career choices she made — and while I tend to think that I’m in the weeds now with two young kids, I often think about how she was turning down amazing career opportunities because her teenagers needed her more. Description from the page: “Public policy expert Anne-Marie Slaughter made waves with her 2012 article, “Why women still can’t have it all.” But really, is this only a question for women? Here Slaughter expands her ideas and explains why shifts in work culture, public policy and social mores can lead to more equality — for men, women, all of us.”

5. Hanna Rosin, “New Data on the Rise of Women“

I love everything from Hanna Rosin — her writing is always interesting, on point, and thought provoking. Description from the page: “Hanna Rosin reviews startling new data that shows women actually surpassing men in several important measures, such as college graduation rates. Do these trends, both US-centric and global, signal the “end of men”? Probably not — but they point toward an important societal shift worth deep discussion.”

A few other favorites:

• Amy Webb, “How I Hacked Online Dating“
• Kelly McGonigal, “How To Make Stress Your Friend“
• Angela Lee Duckworth, “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance“
• Susan Colantuono, “The Career Advice You Probably Didn’t Get“
• Sarah Lewis, “Embrace the Near Win“

Ladies, what are your favorite TED talks, for working women or overachieving chicks?

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Psst: some must-read business books for women: one / two / three / four / five…