I joined TEDxUGA during its “rocket ship” stage in 2014 as a presenter advisor trainee. Beyond the official three plus hours each week, TEDxUGA quickly took over my life (with my full consent). Joining the most diverse, purposeful, and idea-driven group I had ever encountered was the second greatest gift that UGA gave to me. After three months of intensive training, I began leading the 2-person team to coach accomplished educator Stephanie Jones through every step of the TEDx process. Stephanie and I spent six months together ironing out every word of her seven minute talk, and one of the proudest moments of my life was hearing a sentence I penned spoken live from the red rug that March. I also spent three months coaching technology advocate Michael Bottone and future botanist Maya Baumeister (video unavailable) through their TEDxUGA and affiliate event talks, respectively.
What I did right
- As an experienced writer and tutor, I was exceptionally well suited to the work of one-on-one speaker coaching.
- Guiding candidates through the interview and idea development process was also a huge success, as my top StrengthsFinder characteristics are Ideation and Belief.
What I did wrong
- Sometimes my enthusiasm got ahead of me and I steamrolled teammates who were introverted or less likely to share aloud.
What I learned
- Coaching others—especially towards such a purposeful goal—is my very, very favorite thing to do. I am seeking to incorporate coaching into more of my day-to-day work and career trajectory.
- There is no joy greater than bringing a world-changing idea to life, especially alongside others who are likeminded.