Disclaimer : I’ve never organized a TEDx event, so this is only my point of view of attendee.

For those who live on planet Mars, TED “Ideas worth spreading”, are very high level conferences where speakers are as good in their field as good orator. TED is really attached to the TED brand. That’s why they created the TEDx concept, a franchise of TED where local communities can work on their own TED-style conference using the TEDx brand. A TEDx event must follow a gigantic list of rules.

I already watched a lot of TED talks, attended 2 TEDxAlsace and discussed with some other TEDx alumnis. This post is written with this past experience.

My general feeling about TEDx event is that it’s really hard to have inspiring speakers who are really good in their field and really good orators. Genius are rare. Genius who can talk easily in front of a demanding audience are really really rare. Inevitably, the audience who watched some TED videos will ask for the better. And I can only note that TEDx speakers’s level will be very heterogeneous, to say the least.

Furthermore, the TEDx rules ask you to play a fews videos of TED talks during your TEDx event. Inevitably, the audience will compare these speakers with the real one in front of you. And for some of them, it will be a rude and trustworthy slap.

For example, during the last TEDxAlsace, we were offered to watch these 3 videos :

After viewing these videos, I really didn’t want to be the next “real” speaker.

That’s why, on one hand, I recognize that organizing a TEDx event is a tough job, on the other hand, I can only note that I have mixed feelings about the final performance…