Sometimes all it takes is one powerful talk to shift your perspective on work, confidence, or balance. TED has become a go-to source of inspiration, with women sharing stories and lessons that feel just as relevant in the office as they do in life.
We’ve rounded up 7 TED Talks every professional woman should watch. They cover everything from building resilience to protecting your energy and each one offers a takeaway you can carry back into your career.
Whether you’re looking for motivation before a big presentation, a reminder to slow down, or just something meaningful to watch on your lunch break, these talks are worth adding to your list.
The 3 Secrets of Resilient People by Lucy Hone
This TED Talk by Lucy Horne is absolutely perfect for time we are living in right now. In it, she talks about her 3 strategies for handling anxiety and improving your resilience during tough times. These strategies are also applicable beyond our current situation, and can really help improve your outlook when facing adversity.
In short, the 3 strategies are: 1) Accept that some bad things will inevitably happen in life, 2) Try to focus on things you can control instead of those you can’t, and 3) Ask yourself “Is what I’m doing helping or hindering me?”
These might sound easier said than done, and they are, but the talk is really worth watching if you are looking to take a step back and improve your mental resilience in tough times both in your personal life, and in your career!
The Power of Vulnerability by Brené Brown
Brené has become a household name in recent years, and with good reason. She has some of the best books on leadership and vulnerability, including my personal favorite Daring Greatly.
However, it was her TED Talk on Vulnerability in 2010 that really put Brené on the map for most people. In her talk, she shares her insights from studying vulnerability and how those learnings can apply to all of us.
We recommend you take 20 minutes to watch her talk and let us know what you think!
A Year Of Saying Yes To Everything by Shonda Rhymes
Have you ever tried to said yes to everything? To push yourself beyond your comfort zone and say yes to things that scared you?
In this TED Talk, Shonda Rhymes, the creator of Greys Anatomy, shares what happened when she experimented with saying yes to everything.
The part of this TED Talk that captivated me the most was the moment when she explains that a dream job is not always a dream and it is still a job. And work doesn’t work without play.
How to Build Your Confidence and Inspire It in Others by Brittany Packnett
Have you ever doubted yourself at work — hesitating to speak up in a meeting, questioning if you’re ready for a promotion, or wondering if you really belong in the room? You’re not alone. Confidence is one of the most common struggles professional women face, no matter the industry or level of experience.
In this TED talk, educator Brittany Packnett shares powerful stories and practical insights on how to build your own confidence and inspire it in others. She breaks it down into three key components: Permission (allowing yourself to take up space), Community (surrounding yourself with people who lift you up), and Curiosity (staying open to growth).
Her message is a reminder that confidence is not something you either have or don’t have — it’s something you can practice, nurture, and strengthen. If you’re looking for a boost to help you take the next step in your career, this talk is a must-watch.
How To Succeed, Get More Sleep by Arianna Huffington
In this hilarious TED Talk, Arianna Huffington shares “A small idea, that can unlock big ideas”.
After fainting from exhaustion, and breaking her cheekbone on her desk, Arianna rediscovered the value of sleep to her own success and creativity, and encourages women to do the same.
She argues we can live a more productive, more inspired, and more joyful life by getting enough sleep instead of bragging about how few hours we slept to present an illusion of productivity.
If you have 4 minutes to spare before you go to sleep give this one a watch!
Women in Business, Entirely Unremarkable by Kirsten Hall
In this very interesting and provocative TED Talk, Kirsten Hall raises the question, is it time to stop celebrating women in business, just for being women in business?
Having been a part of several women in business networks, she began to question whether these groups that celebrated women in business may in fact be perpetuating the bias females seek to overcome.
She suggests perhaps we should wind down the idea of women’s groups – and position women in business, female leaders, entrepreneurs and board members as the new normal.
What It Takes to be a Great Leader by Roselinde Torres
After 25 years studying what separates truly great leaders from everyone else, BCG’s Roselinde Torres distils her findings into three simple questions.
In her TED Talk, she asks: Where are you looking to anticipate the next change? How diverse is your network, really? And are you courageous enough to let go of a practice that has made you successful in the past?
It is the third question that tends to hit hardest. Leaders often hold onto the strategies and behaviours that got them to where they are, even when the world around them has shifted. Torres argues that this attachment to past success is the thing that holds people back from leading well in the future.
The talk runs to nine minutes, which makes it an easy watch on a commute or between meetings. If you are stepping into a bigger role, building a team, or sensing you have plateaued, these three questions make for a useful self-audit.
Know Your Worth, and Then Ask For It by Casey Brown
Pricing consultant Casey Brown’s TED Talk on knowing your worth has over five million views, and her central point explains why.
The pay you receive is based on what your employer thinks you are worth, and that perception is the thing you have to influence. The work is in shaping how others see your value, not in waiting for them to arrive at the right number on their own.
Brown shares the story of her own career, where she undercharged for years before learning to communicate her value clearly. The same logic applies whether you are negotiating a salary, raising your day rate as a freelancer, or making the case for a promotion.
It is a short, practical talk with takeaways you can apply to your next pay review or client conversation. If asking for more money makes you uncomfortable, this is a useful place to start.
The Likability Dilemma for Women Leaders by Robin Hauser
Filmmaker Robin Hauser, known for her work on bias in the workplace, tackles one of the trickier patterns women in leadership face – the trade-off between being seen as competent and being seen as likeable.
In her TED Talk, Hauser walks through the research showing that as women rise in seniority, their perceived likability tends to fall. The same behaviours that make a man seem decisive and capable often make a woman seem cold or difficult. It is a double bind that plenty of senior women will recognise from their own careers.
She does not pretend there is an easy fix. What she offers is a clearer view of the bias at play and how to spot it, both in how others respond to you and in how you might be holding yourself back. For anyone leading teams, managing up, or stepping into more visible roles, the awareness alone is useful.
How to Design Gender Bias Out of Your Workplace by Sara Sanford
Most workplaces respond to gender bias with unconscious bias training, which research has consistently shown changes very little. Sara Sanford’s TED Talk takes a different angle. Rather than trying to fix individual people, she focuses on redesigning the systems they work within.
Sanford, who founded Gender Equity Now, shares the evidence-based standards her organisation has developed to reduce bias in hiring, promotions, and pay decisions. Her argument is that bias is structural, and so the solution has to be too. Things like blind CV reviews, standardised interview questions, and transparent salary bands move the needle.
If you work in HR, sit on a leadership team, or have any influence over how your company hires and promotes, this is the kind of talk that gives you specific things to push for.
11) The Way We Work (Series) by Morra Aarons-Mele’s
TED has put together a series of short-form videos called “The Way We Work” with experts to teach you quick tips that can have an immediate impact on your goals.
Best of all, these videos are under 5 minutes each, so you can watch them whenever you have a free moment!
In particular, we liked Paco de Leon’s “The Secret to Being a Successful Freelancer” and Morra Aarons-Mele’s “3 Steps to Avoid Remote Work Burnout”, but they are all worth a watch!
Final Thoughts
The best career advice does not always come from a textbook or training program – sometimes it is found in a 15-minute TED Talk that makes you see things differently.
These talks are a reminder that resilience, confidence, balance, and authenticity all matter just as much as technical skills when it comes to building a fulfilling career.
So the next time you need a little motivation, bookmark one of these talks, pop it on during your commute or lunch break, and let it spark a new idea or shift in perspective. And if you find one that really resonates, share it with a colleague – because inspiration is always better when it’s passed along!
02
Oct
