There are only two types of speakers in the world: the givers and the takers.
Why the takers don't "get it" mystifies.
You can plug your ears and still spot a taker by observing his audience. Everyone's mobile comes out within the first 120 seconds.
"Reputation is everything," Chris Anderson says in TED Talks.
"You want to build a reputation as a generous person, bringing something wonderful to your audiences, not as a tedious self-promoter. It's boring and frustrating to be pitched to, especially when you're expecting something else."
TED actively discourages speakers even from subtle pitches, such as mentioning a funding shortfall or using a book as a prop.
Anderson compares the encounter with a taker at a conference to the coffee break you agree to have with a friend who within minutes reveals she wants to tell you all about her "must-invest time-share scheme."
Giving, on the other hand, evokes a response. Delivering stories, insights, humor and revelations leaves audiences ready to buy.
