Listening and Learning: Ted Talks on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Privilege

For those who love podcasts, check out our top diversity and inclusion Ted Talks to listen to right now.
Ted Talk: A Blueprint for Diversity in the workplace:
How Diversity Makes Teams More Innovative
- https://www.ted.com/talks/rocio_lorenzo_how_diversity_makes_teams_more_innovative?referrer=playlist-a_blueprint_for_diversity_in_the_workplace
- Are diverse companies really more innovative? Rocío Lorenzo and her team surveyed 171 companies to find out — and the answer was a clear yes. In a talk that will help you build a better, more robust company, Lorenzo dives into the data and explains how your company can start producing fresher, more creative ideas by treating diversity as a competitive advantage.
How Language Shapes the Way We Think
- https://www.ted.com/talks/lera_boroditsky_how_language_shapes_the_way_we_think?referrer=playlist-a_blueprint_for_diversity_in_the_workplace
- There are about 7,000 languages spoken around the world — and they all have different sounds, vocabularies and structures. But do they shape the way we think? Cognitive scientist Lera Boroditsky shares examples of language — from an Aboriginal community in Australia that uses cardinal directions instead of left and right to the multiple words for blue in Russian — that suggest the answer is a resounding yes. “The beauty of linguistic diversity is that it reveals to us just how ingenious and how flexible the human mind is,” Boroditsky says. “Human minds have invented not one cognitive universe, but 7,000.”
How to Get Serious About Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace
- https://www.ted.com/talks/janet_stovall_how_to_get_serious_about_diversity_and_inclusion_in_the_workplace?referrer=playlist-a_blueprint_for_diversity_in_the_workplace
- Imagine a workplace where people of all colors and races are able to climb every rung of the corporate ladder — and where the lessons we learn about diversity at work actually transform the things we do, think and say outside the office. How do we get there? In this candid talk, inclusion advocate Janet Stovall shares a three-part action plan for creating workplaces where people feel safe and expected to be their unassimilated, authentic selves.
The Power of Diversity Within Yourself
- https://www.ted.com/talks/rebeca_hwang_the_power_of_diversity_within_yourself?referrer=playlist-a_blueprint_for_diversity_in_the_workplace
- Rebeca Hwang has spent a lifetime juggling identities — Korean heritage, Argentinian upbringing, education in the United States — and for a long time she had difficulty finding a place in the world to call home. Yet along with these challenges came a pivotal realization: that a diverse background is a distinct advantage in today’s globalized world. In this personal talk, Hwang reveals the endless benefits of embracing our complex identities — and shares her hopes for creating a world where identities aren’t used to alienate but to bring people together instead.
Lead Like the Great Conductors
- https://www.ted.com/talks/itay_talgam_lead_like_the_great_conductors?referrer=playlist-a_blueprint_for_diversity_in_the_workplace
- An orchestra conductor faces the ultimate leadership challenge: creating perfect harmony without saying a word. In this charming talk, Itay Talgam demonstrates the unique styles of six great 20th-century conductors, illustrating crucial lessons for all leaders
Ted Talk Radio Hour:
The Consequences of Racism
- https://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/593866581/the-consequences-of-racism?showDate=2018-03-16
- What does it mean to be judged before you walk through the door? What are the consequences? This week, TED speakers delve into the ways racism impacts our lives, from education, to health, to safety.
Playing with Perceptions
- https://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/358360814/playing-with-perceptions?showDate=2017-02-17
- Where do stereotypes come from? Why do some perceptions persist, and is there any truth or value to the assumptions we make? In this hour, TED speakers examine the consequences of stereotypes.
Why We Hate
- https://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/628546919/why-we-hate?showDate=2018-07-13
- From bullying to hate crimes, cruelty is all around us. So what makes us hate? Is it learned or innate? This hour TED speakers explore the causes and consequences of hate – and how we can fight it.
The Right To Speak
- https://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/632611360/the-right-to-speak?showDate=2018-07-27
- Should all speech, even the most offensive, be allowed on college campuses? And is hearing from those we deeply disagree with … worth it? This hour, TED speakers explore the debate over free speech.