Richard Saul Wurman created the TED conference in 1984 as a onetime event. (As you may already know, TED refers to Technology, Education, and Design.) It became a four-day conference six years later. Chris Anderson purchased TED in 2001. Until 2005, it remained a once-a-year conference: four days of programs, 50 speakers, 18-minute presentations. Anderson added TEDGlobal to reach an international audience. TED.com was launched in 2006. Thus far, the website has attracted more than one [begin] billion [end] views, averaging about two million day. The video programs have been translated into more than 100 languages.

According to Anderson, “With TED, the end of the talk should not be the end of the idea, but just the beginning.” TED showcases speakers who are knowledgeable, of course, but also “human, relatable, and often emotional, so what they share lights people up.”

There are no charges to access any of the TED programs. After attending the 2006 conference, documentary filmmaker Daphne Zuniga described it as “Cirque Du Soleil for the mind.” Oprah Winfrey later observed, “TED is where brilliant people go to hear other brilliant people.”

I will continue to call to your attention the most highly-rated TED programs. For example, Michael Raynor on “Three rules for success.” Here is a direct link to his TEDx presentation. I envy anyone who has not as yet seen it.

Michael E. Raynor is a Director at Deloitte Services, LP and co-author of the book The Three Rules: How Exceptional Companies Think. In this TED talk he discusses why the three rules for success work, especially when it is not obviously a good idea. To learn more about Michael and his work, please click here.