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Mersedes Engle
Who is TED?: Spreading the Idea of TED as a
Leader
Mersedes Engle
The words leader, leadership, and followers all have different meanings
for the interpreter. There is no universal definition or single representation
of a leader, or of followers. The Oxford English Dictionary notes the first
appearance of the word “leader” found in the English language can be
traced back to the 1300s, although the word “leadership” did not surface
until the early 19th century in the context of the political influence and
control of the British Parliament (Bass 37). Leader as a person or way of
power did not appear in most modern languages until recent times (Bass
37). Today though, the term leader and the action of leadership is not
solely limited to political groups. A leader can be a woman leading an
expedition of other women up a mountain, a CEO changing the way a
corporation handles profit and public welfare, or it can be a small bank
paving the way for micro loans in third world countries (Unseem). The
possibilities for leaders and leadership is numerically limitless. This paper
will explore leaders and the action of leadership as applied to the non-
profit company TED and its various other incorporated entities. From TED
Talks to the TED prize, to the millions of followers and audiences, TED is
an organization that displays the qualities of a serving, transforming, and
innovating leader.
TED’s leadership developed as the company did. In 1984, TED, or
Technology, Entertainment, and Design was born in Monterey, California
(TED). TED formed from an observation that founder Richard Saul
Wurman saw in the convergence of Technology, Entertainment, and
Design (TED). At the first TED conference, talks included a demonstration
of the compact disc, the e-book, and graphics from Lucasfilms. Although
the presentations were modern in its topics, the event lost money and
continued to do so for the next six years (TED). In 1990, Wurman and
partner Harry Marks tried again, and at the tipping point of perfect timing
and a receptive audience, the conference was a success (TED). As an
exclusive invitation-only conference, the TED conference in Monterey,
California became an annual success and drew academics from all fields
of study (TED). As the TED conference grew in size and scope, conference
participants broadened to include scientists, musicians, philosophers,
business and religious leaders, philanthropists, and many others (TED).
The TED conference created an atmosphere where academics and
intellectuals of all backgrounds and fields could come together and share
in the desire and passion of education and ideas. One specific person that
was drawn into the fold of the TED conference was media entrepreneur
Chris Anderson (TED).
Chris Anderson approached Wurman and in 2001, purchased TED
through his nonprofit The Sapling Foundation (TED). Anderson acquired
TED with the idea that it would “change minds and maybe the world,”
and he saw this force of change as occurring through “radical openness”
(Hochman). Although Anderson had high hopes and aspirations for the
future of TED, the TED community was wary of the shift in leadership/
ownership from Wurman, their founder and “father of TED” to Anderson
who had just swept in and obtained TED (Robinson). In the aftermath of
Anderson obtaining TED under the Sapling Foundation, he recalls, “what
I discovered to my horror was that the majority of the TED community
thought that because [Wurman] was leaving, TED was done” (Robinson).
The proof of this doubt in the competence of Anderson was reflected in
the registration numbers for the TED Conference that year, which were at
a low of only 70 people registered (Robinson). But Anderson took this
doubt in stride and did what TED does best; he bared his doubts and
Mersedes Engle from Corvallis,
Oregon is graduating with the
Class of 2018. She is a psychol-
ogy major, economics minor, and
a student of the Distinction in
Leadership Studies program.
This paper, titled “Who is TED?:
Spreading the Idea of TED as a
Leader,” was written for “Leader-
ship Studies: Theory and Prac-
tice” with Dr. Victoria Ott.
Mersedes is involved in several
organizations on campus, includ-
ing: Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for
Women, Cross Cultural Commit-
tee, ‘Southern Ambassadors, and
Love Asia.