Social Media Roundup: The Best TED Talks for Association Pros

Looking at the list of available TED Talks  (opens in a new tab) can be intimidating. Which ones are worthwhile? Which ones can you skip? And which ones will give you insights you can take back to your association? In today’s Social Media Roundup, we’re highlighting some of the presentations most worth your time.

5 TED Talks to Watch Right Now

Check out what five experts on #nonprofits  (opens in a new tab) and #associations  (opens in a new tab) have to say in these TED talks. http://t.co/SXlzfkEVrd  (opens in a new tab) #assnchat  (opens in a new tab)

— Connectivity (@CQConnectivity) November 12, 2014  (opens in a new tab)

Last week we called your attention to valuable public-speaking advice from popular TED Talk presenter Simon Sinek. And if taking in Sinek’s wisdom left you hungry for more talks relevant to the association space, you’re in luck. CQ Roll Call has picked out five particularly interesting TED and TEDX presentations, and Sinek leads the list with his speech “How Great Leaders Inspire Action  (opens in a new tab).”

The other presentations include

• “Where Good Ideas Come From  (opens in a new tab),” by Steven Johnson, a science and tech writer
• “What Nonprofits Can Learn From Coca-Cola  (opens in a new tab),” by Melinda Gates, cochair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
• “The Way We Think About Charity Is Dead Wrong  (opens in a new tab),” by Dan Pallotta, AIDs Ride founder and activist
• “Doing Good Online  (opens in a new tab),” by Beth Kanter, an expert on nonprofits’ use of social media.

For the full list, go to CQ Roll Call‘s Connectivity blog  (opens in a new tab). (ht @CQConnectivity  (opens in a new tab))

When a Meme Backfires

Someone’s getting fired. #cosbymeme  (opens in a new tab) pic.twitter.com/GSMsNFcz1D  (opens in a new tab)

— The Nuclear Unit (@thenuclearunit) November 10, 2014  (opens in a new tab)

“Go ahead. Meme me!” Bill Cosby’s account tweeted on Monday, directing followers to a meme generator where they could pair photos of Cosby with captions. That call to action ended in disaster for the comedian, as Twitter users took the opportunity to remind the world of the long history of sexual abuse accusations  (opens in a new tab) against one of America’s favorite TV dads.

At the end of the day, one piece of advice rings clear after the public relations snafu.

“Social media managers: Do not ask Twitter to chime in if your client has been embroiled in any sort of unresolved scandal,” SocialTimes editor Mona Zhang wrote  (opens in a new tab).

Social media reflects public opinion, and if that opinion differs from how your association perceives itself, you’re leaving yourself open to disasters like Cosby’s or the New York Police Department’s failed #myNYPD hashtag, earlier this year. (ht @AdamHammer  (opens in a new tab))

(Steve Jurvetson/ThinkStock)