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When you’re running a small business, the last thing you need is to waste time watching videos online. That is, unless those videos might help your bottom line.
In the days leading up to Small Business Saturday, the shopping holiday that encourages people to shop or dine at local independent businesses, entrepreneurs should take the time to re-examine their hiring strategies, set better goals, and create engaging social media campaigns.
Here are five innovative TED talks that can help.
On hiring the right talent
If you’re about to hire a candidate with an Ivy league education, a perfect resume, and a glowing recommendation, pause for a moment. The person described is “the Silver Spoon,” a candidate seemingly destined for success. But, as UPS human resources VP Regina Hartley asks in this TED talk, “If your whole life has been engineered toward success, how will you handle the tough times?”
In the hiring process, it’s easy to overlook what Hartley calls “the Scrapper,” the candidate whose experiences read like a patchwork quilt. “Take this resume,” Hartley says to the audience. “This guy’s parents give him up for adoption. He never finishes college. He job-hops quite a bit, goes on a sojourn to India for a year, and to top it off, he has dyslexia. Would you hire this guy?”
She then reveals: “His name is Steve Jobs.”
On leading a team through change
Reorganizations don’t have to result in chaos. Organizational change expert Jim Hemerling says leaders need to be directive when leading their staff through a time of change and ensure everyone is on the same page. “In order to capture the hearts and minds of people, you also need to be inclusive,” he says. The business landscape is constantly evolving, and Hemerling discusses five imperatives company leaders need to navigate it effectively.
On creating a social media strategy
Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian tells the story of how he used social media to get people to care about whales even though the majority of them were not whale lovers. His bottom line? Be genuine, be honest, and don’t be afraid to lose control of your campaign. In fact, the key to a successful social media campaign requires you to relinquish control so the messaging does not come from the top down. Instead, Ohanian explains how staying true to your company’s brand can turn a small social media campaign into an Internet sensation.
On losing control of your brand
Now that we’ve discussed what could happen when you lose control over a social media campaign, let’s talk about losing control of your entire reputation. Though it might be a tough pill to swallow for an entrepreneur who has worked long and hard to build a reputable brand, marketing expert Tim Leberecht says you’re bound to lose control because you’ve never really been in control in the first place. “What happens on Wall Street no longer stays on Wall Street,” he says. “What happens in Vegas ends up on YouTube. Reputations are volatile. Loyalties are fickle.” In this 6-minute TED Talk, Leberecht explains how losing control can help companies recalibrate their values.
On building a business that lasts
Strategist Martin Reeves says there’s one statistic that will keep every entrepreneur up at night: The 32% chance that your company will not be around in five years. In this compelling TED Talk, Reeves explains how founders can build a dynamic and resilient business that lasts 100 years.
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