September KZN Chapter Meeting | PSA South Africa
Everyone wants to be a TEDx speaker.
Or at least a few of us mad people who think this profession is fun.
We see the red circle, the big stage, polished talks and the potential of sharing your idea. We aspire to be the speakers who seem to effortlessly distil a big idea into something that makes an audience stop, think and perhaps even change.
But how do you actually get there?
And perhaps more importantly… is the red circle really worth it?
That was the question at our September KZN Chapter meeting, where our keynote speaker, Themnalethu “Thembz” Shange from the Integrate Group, took us behind the scenes of her TEDx journey.
Thembz has a voice that immediately draws you in. There is warmth and sincerity in the way she speaks, but beneath it is a very clear message:
If you want to be credible, you have to do the work.
THE JOURNEY TO THE RED CIRCLE
Thembz shared what it takes to move from “I’d love to do a TEDx” to actually standing on that stage. It starts with the application. But the application is only the beginning.
There is the idea.
The topic.
The pitch.
The curation and review process.
The interview.
The acceptance.
The coaching.
The slides.
The rehearsals.
And finally, the delivery.
It is a process built around questioning — and re-questioning:
Why this idea?
Why you?
Why now?
And why this audience?
One of the strongest messages from Thembz was the importance of relevance.
It isn’t enough to have something you are passionate about. You need to understand the context around your idea.
What is happening in the world?
What is happening for your audience?
What is missing from the conversation?
And what is the particular angle you are bringing?
Then comes the discipline of committing to that angle.
One coherent idea. Not ten ideas fighting for airtime.
As speakers, we often want to prove everything we know. We want to demonstrate our expertise. We want to make sure the audience understands just how much research and experience sits behind our message.
Thembz challenged that instinct.
Know what you want your audience to leave with.
Perhaps it is a new behaviour.
Perhaps it is a new idea.
Perhaps it is a new opinion.
But be clear about the one thing you want to leave behind.
Don’t try to do all three.
CREDIBILITY ISN’T JUST A TITLE
The word credibility came up repeatedly in Thembz’s talk.
And it made me think about how often we confuse credibility with credentials.
Credentials can open a door.
But credibility is built through what you know, what you have experienced, what you believe and how authentically you can communicate it.
Your audience needs to believe that you have earned the right to speak about this idea.
That is where the personal story becomes so important.
Make it personal.
Own your story.
Let your heart show.
Now, here is the difficult part. Don’t be afraid of disagreement.
In fact, expect it.
If your idea is genuinely worth discussing, there will probably be people who don’t agree with you. The ability to embrace that discomfort, rather than trying to please everyone, is part of becoming a stronger speaker.
THEN CAME GLENDA…
Our Member Talk was delivered by Glenda Slade, who took us from the big TEDx stage back to something much closer to home:
How we communicate every single day.
Her theme was Moving You from Mediocrity to Excellence.
And her message was a useful reminder that communication starts long before we open our mouths.
Our bodies are communicating before we have even spoken.
Our posture.
Our facial expression.
Our eye contact.
Our movement.
Our voice.
All of it tells a story.
Then there are the practical fundamentals:
Voice. Clarity. Pace. Presence.
Speak with power, move with purpose and always try to be clear.
Here are some of Glenda’s practical tips:
Find a pace that allows people to hear and absorb what you are saying. Too fast and you can sound nervous. Too slow and you can lose your audience.
Don’t wander around simply because you don’t know what to do with your body. Movement can communicate confidence, but unnecessary movement can distract from your message.
And then there is the face.
Your face is communicating constantly. Sometimes it is saying far more than your words.
I had a chuckle at this point because my husband is always telling me my face has subtitles. Maybe something to work on.
SPEAK FROM THE HEART, BUT WITH STRUCTURE
There was a lovely connection between both speakers.
Thembz spoke about the importance of credibility, being brave enough to share some of your personal story and allowing your heart to show.
Glenda spoke about the mechanics of delivering that message effectively.
Because great speaking needs both.
Heart without structure can become a ramble.
Structure without heart can become a presentation.
A strong talk has a premise that is concise, a body supported by evidence and a conclusion that doesn’t necessarily feel like a full stop.
It should leave the audience thinking about you, your idea or perhaps even themselves long after you have left the room.
That might be the real measure of a memorable talk.
SO… IS THE RED CIRCLE WORTH IT?
According to Thembz, there are definitely downsides.
The nerves of a big platform.
The drafts.
The rehearsals.
The scrutiny.
The pressure to deliver.
But there is also the upside.
A TEDx talk can add another stamp of credibility to your speaking profile. It can widen your reach. It can put your idea in rooms and in front of people you might never otherwise reach.
So maybe the red circle isn’t something to aspire to simply because it looks impressive.
Maybe the starting point is a much simpler question:
What do you believe strongly enough to step into the circle for?
A big thank you to Thembz Shange for taking us behind the curtain and sharing what it really takes to earn that red circle, and to Glenda Slade for bringing us back to the fundamentals of powerful communication.
And to our KZN PSA SA community, thank you for continuing to create a space where speakers can learn, practise, challenge themselves and, importantly, cheer each other on.
Keep speaking.
Keep learning.
Keep stepping into the circle.
Written by:
Sarah Swainson
