April 13, 2012

The TEDxBeirut TEN Commandments

Hear ye! Hear ye! TEDxBeirut team members & volunteers 10 commandments:

1. A TEDxBeirut Titan is passionate and dedicated on the verge of obsession!

These team members are the kind of people who define what it means to “give your all” and “push yourself to new limits.” Why? Because,

2. A TEDxBeirut Titan truly believes in what he/she is doing.

This is a team devoted to making brilliant ideas accessible to everyone, so that these ideas may inspire as they bloom and develop into practical methods and solutions to our problems.

3. A TEDxBeirut Titan respects and recognizes the diversity in the backgrounds of his/her fellow Titans as the source of richness that it is.

The fact that the team members have a variety of skills, personalities, educational backgrounds, and careers only provides for a wider pool of resources to tap into for making TEDxBeirut 2012 happen. Diverse people serving one single goal –that’s the power of it all!

4. A TEDxBeirut Titan shows up for all the meetings, and is always equipped with punctuality and a supply of contagious energy!

If a Titan cannot make it to a meeting, he/she makes sure to inform the team leader at least one day in advance, so the team can work around that.

5. A TEDxBeirut Titan takes on realistic tasks that he/she knows for certain he/she can fulfill.

The Titan will Deliver, will Deliver on Deadlines, and will push the level of Awesome to a new high! It is with this spirit that a TEDxBeirut Titan chooses the specialized team he/she will be joining.

6. A TEDxBeirut Titan recognizes the value of the following motto “Integration of Information.”

As such, a Titan will always keep his/her team members aware of the progress he/she is making on his tasks, and with them, he/she will resolve any issues that might come up.

7. A TEDxBeirut Titan is recognized for possessing the Three C’s!

Besides a Titan's well-known Courage in pursuing his/her goals fearlessly, a Titan is forever Curious and Creative! As such, A TEDxBeirut Titan is always on the lookout for “Ideas Worth Spreading” in all fields (curiosity), is constantly thinking of ways to incorporate those ideas within TEDxBeirut 2012 (creativity), and is fearless in making that happen (courage)!

8. A TEDxBeirut Titan is determined on unearthing grass-root initiatives ripe with ideas that are relevant to the issues we face in Lebanon.

While the team knows that zooming out is the way to see the “bigger picture,” it realizes that the most effective change can be only be done while zooming in. As such, we “think global, and act local.”

9. A TEDxBeirut Titan is well aware of the difference between TED, TEDx, and TEDxBeirut events and conferences.

A true Titan has researched the right sources, asked the right people, and learned the right answers to questions of “What is TED” “What is TEDx?” and “What is TEDxBeirut?”

10. A TEDxBeirut Titan has got the secret balance of seriousness and fun just right!

The Titans know that this will be a journey like no other, with a wealth of ideas, an ever-widening scope, and a widely-resourceful network that will change their lives forever. And these Titans are ones who will do it all while having unimaginable amounts of fun. What’s that perfect recipe for “serious fun”? That’s a TEDxBeirut secret!

April 6, 2012

TEDxBeirut Needs YOU!

Oh you have waited, and the wait has been long and dreary.

Oh the Titans have risen again. They have awoken. Not from a deep slumber, but from a deep journey of introspection. No stone was left unturned. No corner unchecked. No detail unrevised. They looked and studied and learned lessons that will last them an entire year.

After examining every last nuance in TEDxBeirut 2011, they came out of their dwelling cave, the TEDxBeirut headquarters, with a supply of ideas to launch TEDxBeirut 2012.

Into the light of day, they brought out two giant slabs of stone, etched onto which was a list most pristine –a list of the TEDxBeirutTEN Commandments!

They planted the slabs firmly in the fertile ground outside of their headquarters perched high up on the hilltop. They made sure to position the stones just right so that no matter where the sun was during the day, its rays would always illuminate the commandments etched on them.

During daytime, the light bouncing off the letters set-in-stone would shine brightly down onto the cities below. And for that time of the day when the sun goes down, they left us this blog-post to carry their resounding message:

"TEDxBeirut 2012 Needs You!

Potential team members, volunteers, and social influencers –this is your time to step forward. On Wednesday, April 11th of the year 2012, and at 7 past sunset, come up to where the Titans dwell, meet the Titans, and be a Titan yourself. You will receive the ten TEDxBeirut Commandments yourselves on that night.

Where are the titans meeting, you ask? At Zico House (Rooftop), 174 Spears Street, Sanayeh (Click here for map)"

So there, you have been entrusted with this message, and your efforts have been summoned with this call. The TEDxBeirut team will be expecting you on Wednesday, April 11th at 7pm. For those who cannot make it, fret naught. Just fill out this form on our website and/or email aya@tedxbeirut.com.

We will be posting the ten TEDxBeirut Commandments on our website and our blog after the promised day.

The wait ends now.

January 23, 2012

Be the change you wish to see in the world

This post was originally posted on This is Beirut.

I told my co-founders and our interim board members to f*&k off (a big deal for an entrepreneur who poured everything into his startup for the past year), P. quit her job (a secure and well paying job), A. and M. risked being fired by spending work hours doing something else other than their work, Z. stacked up a phone bill of around a $1,000, and W. shifted the entire focus of his consultancy towards a non profitable project. These stories span the entire group of VOLUNTEERS that come from varied backgrounds (including different countries) who worked around the clock for days on end to bring to Lebanon an event of a different caliber.

TEDxBeirut, unlike other events, wasn't about the speakers and the big names featured on the program. The theme for TEDxBeirut 2011 was "From Limitation to Inspiration." What people outside of the TEDxBeirut organizing team didn't realize is that the theme wasn't as much a theme for the talks, as much as it was a theme for the journey the team went through. TEDx events (x = independently organized TED event) are special no matter where they are held in the world but in a country like Lebanon, organizing such an event comes with its own set of difficulties. Unless you are a well known group or company backed by some good contacts, getting past the paperwork alone is an overreaching goal. When Patsy thought out loud about organizing a TEDx event in Beirut, she was merely expressing a wish (maybe some event company would make it happen). Little did she know that she was going to be the one spearheading the effort to see her dream go from idea to reality. And this is why I say it was an event of a different caliber. It wasn't the major players and usual suspects who were behind the event, but it was, according to many attendee testimonials, one of the best organized and professional events that people in Beirut have ever experienced.

: TEDxBeirut Team Members Hard at Work

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Now why am I talking about an event that's more than 3 months old? I promise you it will all come together at the end of this post. Bare with me as I take you through parts of the journey that will explain to you why if we ever talk about Lebanon I might say something along the lines of "I live in a different Lebanon than you do!"

What I experienced during the days leading up to TEDxBeirut was only a fraction of what some people went through before I had joined. But I got the opportunity on many occasions to sit back and take a distant view of the behavior of the team members. It's important to mention the HUGE differences on all levels between the people involved. The interests, skills, personalities, backgrounds, education, all of it was different. A typical Lebanese blend, "makhlouta" as we say in Arabic (or mixed nuts would be the direct translation). But the situation was atypical. There was a common goal. No really, there was. The entire team was working on a single goal, with no personal interest at all. We were all volunteers. None of us was gaining anything from participating in this effort on a personal level. I saw people work their ass off, to put together a one day event in Lebanon, knowing that with the Lebanese mentality all they were going to get in return were complaints and criticism because the Lebanese are never pleased. It didn't matter, we were doing something that we cared about, that we wanted to see happen and if others wanted to be part of it that would be great. Keep in mind, when Patsy started organizing the event, she meant it to be for about a hundred or so people, then bumped it up to 300, and bumped it up again to 800 to eventually get an 800 seated audience and about 200 other people sitting on the stairs in the theater or watching the stream in a different room (not to mention those who tuned in for the live stream on the web)!! Exposure, recognition, TV spots or seats in the parliament were never the objective.

: Patsy, the Fearless Leader

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I urge you to take a moment and let that last paragraph sink in. It might not impress you at first, you might think it's weak, your reaction might be #meh. But take a moment to put it in perspective. We are talking about a "do it yourself" mentality coupled with a "do it FOR yourself, f*&k everyone else" attitude. I am an entrepreneur, I don't mean to keep mentioning it just for the sake of rubbing it in, there's a mindset at the root of it that's important to understand. So much goes into planning an event to this caliber. It takes certain personality traits but also education and culture to foster such a mentality, which is not the case for most people in the world (especially Lebanese people). And not only is it not part of our upbringing, it's also discouraged in favor of 'secure' jobs as most times we are taught that those who do such things are different, geniuses, basically not us. With TEDxBeirut, the group of individuals who participated broke that mold. They showed that ideas belong to everyone and the execution is as possible for the common person as it is for the likes of Bill Gates and Steve Jobs.

But it doesn't stop just there and just for the TEDxBeirut team members. The event created a platform and an opportunity for other members of the community to follow suit. Donner Sang Compter (Give Blood/Without Counting, a play on words) is an initiative to promote blood donations in Lebanon in an organized and continuous manner and raise awareness about the importance of contributing. The story behind DSC is a very moving and inspirational one, and TEDxBeirut gave its founder Yorgui Teyrouz the opportunity to spread the word but also access to a network of people who are doers.

: Yorgui During his Talk at TEDxBeirut

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This same network of people were very important to Joanna Choukeir who wanted to get an ambitious project rolling called Imagination Studio:

"The impact that TEDxBeirut had on this idea was inspirational! Straight after the talk, a queue of imaginers wanted to help bring the idea to life. At home my inbox was already loaded with signups, and the twitter and Facebook accounts with mentions and messages."

The Lebanese community is a very capable group of people who unfortunately have been dormant and passive for many years. But all it takes is one person to get the ball rolling and action starts happening: "Together, we moved from one idea – Imagination Studio – to 22 brilliant ideas that can be actioned right now, right here, with the support of voluntary teams!"

Imagination Studio happened, and that wasn't the end of things. An open call for volunteers took place for people to contribute in their own way and using their own expertise to solving a problem. After the call for 'imaginers' Joanna compiled a list of people interested in contributing along with the actionable ideas that need to be implemented. The effort is still in its beginnings. I am sure many of the skeptics out there who are used to bringing down others who are pushing for change will say that nothing will come out of Imagination Studio. There might be plenty of obstacles and many discouraging days, but what TEDxBeirut has shown a group of us is that the only obstacle between us and change is ourselves and our own doubt. Everything else can and will be overcome.

: Imagination Studio Fun

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The TEDx movement is hard to explain, and hard to explain in terms of impact, or for the business people out there in therms of ROI. But it does have the IT factor that you do experience once you take part. No wonder there's a book being written about it by an author who's traveled to a dozen or so countries in 2011 and attended about 30 TEDx events and will attend double that number in 2012.

At the moment, the efforts might be on a small scale. But we have a blueprint for social change that can be the example and inspiration for others. One pretty well kept secret, which I'm sharing with you right now, is TEDxSKE. TEDxSKE is a weekly gathering where a bunch of us (not just TEDxBeirut team members) get together to watch TED and TED like talks (TEDxSKE is run by Patsy who is licensed by TED which is a requirement to run TEDx events, but any group can get together and do the same without using the TED name although the license is not hard to get). TEDxSKE was the precursor to TEDxBeirut and has grown since then. The activity changes from one week to the other, usually around a certain theme. It is not limited to TED talks alone, it could be any idea worth sharing. Of course, the evening doesn't stop at the video/talk level. The highlight of these gatherings is usually the discussions or activities (games) that we participate in, in between talks. And the result varies from one person to the other. I can not claim to know the effect that TEDxSKE has on each and every one of us, not even on myself. As this is an on going thing, a process of growth for all of us. But I can tell you that I see the change in the others and they see it in themselves as well. Some of us are trying to find out who we are, why we are on this planet and what we are supposed to be doing. Others are looking to affect change. And some are, for the first time ever, getting exposed to alternate points of view. SKEers are discovering aspects of their own personalities that they did not know about themselves, broadening their horizon and challenging their beliefs. And trust me, this is not poetry or empty talk. This is paraphrased directly from the participants themselves. TEDxSKE is a collective of passionate and motivated people who are a support system for each other. Many of whom are or will be important pillars in the social entrepreneurship change in Lebanon in the coming years.

: SKEers Participating in an Activity

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It might be a tad bit early to talk about results and accomplishments, but it is not too late nor too early to talk about inspiration or even a different kind of movement in a country that has not adopted the Tunisian or Egyptian model of the Arab Spring. So when you drive around Beirut (or walk like me) and you think about the potholes, the traffic and the corruption that Lebanon represents to you, remember that there is a Lebanon, which you are more than welcomed to be part of, where DSC and Imagination Studio are not just ideas and where Thursdays are for the spoken poetry and arts club (yes, such a thing exists, stay tuned for more details). It's another kind of Lebanon which promotes action over wishful thinking, local change over change of country of residency. Just remember, be the change you want to see in the world.

: What Inspires You?

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November 1, 2011

From One Idea to Twenty Two

After three years of painstaking PhD research into why people like Charbel from Besharreh and Sahar from Tyr never meet in Lebanon, I finally understood, and had loads of research data to prove it. So what?

So I came up with an idea. Wouldn’t it be great if I shared what I understood with as many people as I can in Lebanon? Wouldn’t it be great if I didn’t just help them understand the problem, but I also invited them to come up with solutions? Surely many of us know more than one alone, and together our solutions will be a lot more meaningful, informed and impactful! And that’s the idea. Imagination Studio, a space inviting Lebanese youth from different regions, with different experiences, through different disciplines, to put their heads together and imagine the imaginable for a more integrated, less divided Lebanon.

At around that same time, the TEDxBeirut social media buzz was hitting town. I live all the way in London, and it reached me! So I thought to myself: What better way to engage as many imaginers as possible in Imagination Studio, than a TEDxBeirut audience?!

I got cold feet initially, but thought it was well worth a try. And from there things got rolling down a steep tough slope! From submitting a one-minute pitch, to making it through auditions, to preparing my talk and getting toastmasters coaching (definitely the toughest part of the journey, and I’m sure many speakers would agree!), to finally getting up on stage in front of a colossal audience that overflowed the seats into the aisles. Excitement overtook nervousness, and I shared with a 600+ audience the idea of Imagination Studio, the idea that a space existed where anyone and everyone could work together and imagine ideas that can help people like Charbel and Sahar visit each other’s areas, study together, work together, become friends, or even fall in love!

The impact that TEDxBeirut had on this idea was inspirational! Straight after the talk, a queue of imaginers wanted to help bring the idea to life. At home my inbox was already loaded with signups, and the twitter and Facebook accounts with mentions and messages.

And so one week later, a pilot of Imagination Studio did take place at n-Site in Beirut on the 1^st of October, bringing together 35 imaginers from across Lebanon, many having been members of the audience at TEDxBeirut. We talked, played, danced, laughed, agreed, and disagreed. But most importantly, we worked hard to come up with ideas addressing the biggest challenges to social integration in Lebanon: Sect & Marriage, Regions & Mobility, Politics & Friendship, Media & Influence, and Language & Prejudice.

Together, we moved from one idea: Imagination Studio, to 22 brilliant ideas that can be actioned right now, right here, with the support of voluntary teams!

So the next step is a callout to anyone with an imagination and a passion to change Lebanon, to find out about these 22 ideas, and join the team for the idea(s) that gets your heart skipping! This is how you can be involved: http://www.joannachoukeir.com/#2196860/Calling-all-Imaginers

TEDxBeirut was invaluable for Imagination Studio. The organising team trusted and supported a raw idea before it came to life, and helped it make its journey from limitation to inspiration.

(download)

October 13, 2011

From Stage to Classroom

TEDxBeirut has inspired young and old men and women from all walks of life. But it is not only they who need inspiration. Our children need to be inspired too. They need inspiration every day, every year, as they grow, develop their ideas of the world around them and come to believe that they can be whoever they aspire to be.

Inspiration is all around them. But most schools tend to shut it out. Very few are connected to their communities and are aware of the remarkable work that people like the speakers at TEDxBeirut are doing.

Some of the attendees of TEDxBeirut event were teachers. One teacher from Wellspring Learning Community has taken the initiative to take her Grade 5 class to speaker Bassam Jalgha’s garage workshop to meet a local innovator. I invited speaker Yorgui Teyrouz to share his story and life lessons with my Grade 3 community. In our class, we’ve been learning about people around the world who not only had to overcome immense obstacles, but who took it further and transformed those obstacles into opportunities for greatness.

My students don’t drive, and they can’t donate blood. But at the age of 9 they’ve met someone who can testify that no matter who you are and where you are, you can create change. I know they’ve been moved when I see that spark in their eyes while they asked Yorgui one question after the other. Rather than learning from a picture, a book, or a video, the students were given the opportunity to connect to actual people from their own society. That’s what’s real to them.

The speakers went beyond the stage to reach out to those who could not make it to the stage, but who needed to hear them the most. By reaching out to their community, the speakers have made these children more aware of the amazing potential that lies beyond the walls of a classroom.

October 5, 2011

There's more than meets the eye about the secret ingredient to inspire

After posting this post: How TEDxBeirut revealed the secret ingredient to inspire a team , a team member sends me an eye opening reply that plugs the puzzle pieces together.

Here's the email I received from that lovely person:

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Hello Will,

I was reading your latest post, even there you had me grinning widely, and believe me I am not the smiley kind of person.

I just wanted to tell my version, because, like every other good story, this one has more to it than meets the eye :-)

I've felt the good vibe about you since the first meeting, and the reasons were many, from the all white, to the attitude, to the smiling, and especially the spontaneous (or deliberate) but always sincere display of love and affection towards everyone. All of it seemed to come so naturally to you... I was impressed by your character, to say the least.

Then one day last week, I was reading your notes and I got to the post of Sep 3 and I saw a different Will. Someone tormented and struggling ...

I don't know why, maybe it was an overreaction but it felt very emotional.

So I resolved to tell you that you had this positive effect on me, on the people around you, when I see you. To make sure that you know that whatever you are doing is working. Even though I was sure you must hear it allot, I had to say it myself too.

But I did not get a chance on wednesday and we were so busy before the event... the only break I got was on Saturday after we were all relaxed.

Little did I know that the timing could not have been more perfect :-)

So there... my side of the story.

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Thank you for allowing me to share this with the TEDxBeirut community.

October 3, 2011

How TEDxBeirut showed me that YOU can handle much more than your wildest dreams

This is not a story about me. It's a story about YOU. Through my eyes.

While organizing TEDxBeirut, I had so much to do, that I barely had 3 hours of sleep even night, for 1 month straight; barely 1 hour during the last week. I was only eating in the car while driving. I also made most of my phone calls in the car.

During all this time, I was still running my design studio (at a reduced load), but it was still running nonetheless. We were still working on the time-sensitive projects.

At the studio, we were also doing everything design and communication for TEDxBeirut. The website, T-shirts, emails, event catalogue, banners, sponsor kits, business cards, invitations, etc.

In addition to that, I was meeting TEDxBeirut speakers almost on a daily basis, starting at 3 or 4 pm; Coaching them and refining their talks.

I was receiving around 300 emails a day. Towards the last 2 weeks, I was clearing my inbox every other day. I was taking and making so my phone calls that my phone bill surpassed $300 that month.

I also spent time supporting Hanane in her times of crisis. Because without her, I and everything around me would crumble. Hanane is my partner in life and in work. She's the pillar that supports me. I stand in the spotlight, but she deserves all the credit. I'm just a facade.

In addition to all of these, I was still sitting with my thoughts every day. I was still writing my notes every day. Even on event day. I was still showering and brushing my teeth.

And yet, I didn't crack. I didn't crumble. Not that it was easy. On the contrary. Not that I wasn't on the verge of collapse. I was. But I didn't. I hung in there. I saw it through. I realized that I am capable of handling far more than I ever thought possible.

But this isn't my story. This is the story of Patricia, our curator. This is the story of Ziad. This is the story of Aya. This is the story of Sandra. This is the story of Joseph. This is the story of Farah, of Fatimah, of Rytta, of Marc, of Zeina, and of every single person that was at the core of TEDxBeirut. Every single person here.

I'm not the hero. We all are. I'm not the only one capable of handling much more that I ever thought possible. We all are.

And that's how I realized that anyone -yes anyone- can handle much more than we all ever imagined.

YOU can handle much more than your wildest dreams. Just throw yourself out there. You'll see. You'll come through.

We all did.

Yours,
Will

(Reposted from http://notesby.me )
Twitter: @williamchoukeir

September 30, 2011

How TEDxBeirut taught me to delegate

I've been a perfectionist all my life.

"If I needed something done right, I'd do it myself." I'm aware of it. I fight it hard. I loose most of the time. I win sometimes. Because of TEDxBeirut, I think I'm now equipped to win most of the time.

With the sheer amount of work for TEDxBeirut, I had no choice but to let go. It worked 'perfectly' well. I learned these simple but powerful lessons that hopefully can help you delegate.

1. Brief the team as clearly as you can. Don't tell them what to do step-by-step. Explain the desired outcome, and the reasoning behind it. This empowers them to own the work and the responsibility.

2. Let go.

3. Let them mess up. Don't interfere.

4. Let them fix it. Don't interfere.

5. Let them mess up while fixing it. Don't interfere.

6. When there isn't enough time left, take over. Fix it.

7. If there isn't enough time left for you to fix it, let go. It has passed.

8. Once complete, take a look. Share with the team what you loved about their work. No need to mention what you didn't like because these might be a result of your perfectionism. With a little time, the team will maximize what you like, and minimize what you don't.

I know I was under spressure to let go. You might not have it that easy, but try.
Goodbye perfectionism. Hello letting go.

Yours,
Will

(Reposted from http://notesby.me)
Twitter: @williamchoukeir

September 28, 2011

TEDxBeirut, feelings and impressions

This post will not be about things I've learned at TEDxBeirut. The things I've learned are still raging in my mind and will definitely nor fit in one blog entry.

This is more about feelings/impressions TEDx has installed in me. I felt proud, proud of being Lebanese, proud of having a glimpse at Lebanese dreams coming to life. Lebanon is always perceived as an obstacle or rather an alibi for not achieving one's goals. Saturday's talks taught me otherwise. With enough faith, determination and perseverance, we can do it. Bassam Jalgha needed a 'oud' tuner and so he simply invented one. Ziad Abi Chaker fell in love with garbage and so he simply found a solution for it. Passion will get you there.

Still, what if being in the presence of so many inspiring people made me feel so much less inspiring? I don't know how many people react the same way I do to all of this but somehow it all makes me feel more helpless. Perhaps, this is my one step deeper towards hitting bottom and then digging my way up again. This is getting closer to limitation before finding inspiration.

One of my favorite talks was To Ted or Not To Ted. Mahmoud Yammout traces the pros and cons of Tedding. Is another fast soundbite enough to change one's perspective on things? He argues that the solution for a dilemma is not either/or but a way out of it, inviting a third subjective. I'm a very contradictive person by nature, I wander in the in-between of almost everything. It's the talk i felt I related to most.

But don't get me wrong. TEDxBeirut did not have a negative effect on me. This conflict I'm goind through is priceless. Every awakened feeling and triggered thought is priceless. The energy of the team behind TEDx was priceless. That is perhaps what touched me most. I've had the chance of being a small part of this team and I've learned so much about passion and dedication even from afar. So thank you team, for being you and for putting forth this wonderful experience!

You can still check out the saved live stream on TEDxBeirut's website, it's really worth going through the pain of endless buffering! My favorites were by Mahmoud Natout, Halim Madi and Ziad Abi Chaker. The separate talks should be online in a month time.

(re-posted via http://adesignerbyday.blogspot.com)

September 27, 2011

How TEDxBeirut revealed the secret ingredient to inspire a team

It's Friday. The day before TEDxBeirut. I'm driving to the venue. I've barely been sleeping for an hour every night for the past week. I'm exhausted, and have little energy left.

Today is the final rehearsal with all the speakers, performers, and production crew. It's going to be a long and intense day. There's so much that needs to be done. Too much for just one day.

As I'm driving, I think to myself: "I have no idea how I'm going to make it through the day. I'll probably go in, and when anyone asks how I am, I'll reply with 'Exhausted'. That way, I'll show them that I've been working my ass off. That'll give me enough attention and energy to keep me going just a little bit more." I pause, get my thoughts together, and continue:

"Bad idea! We're all exhausted. Why would I expect myself to be more exhausted than everyone else? Why would I demand attention from everyone else? Bad idea!"

That's when a smile forms on my face. "I'm OK" I think to myself. "Actually, I feel great! This is what we've all been working very hard for. It's almost here. I'm excited!" And all of a sudden, everything changes.

I arrive at the venue. I'm all hyper and ecstatic. I go inside and start hugging and loving everyone. I can't get the smile off my face. Everyone smiles back. I can see the light in their eyes. Little do I realize on that day, the effects of my attitude-change on everyone around me.

It's Saturday. It's the day of TEDxBeirut. It's 7:00am. I'm driving to the venue. I've only slept for 1hr. I can't keep my eyes open. I'm even beyond exhaustion. It's as if there are no thoughts in my head. I'm blank. I'm irritated. I don't have nor the energy, nor the patience to deal with anything that comes my way. And suddenly, I remember the day before.

I remember the attitude change. And for the first time, I realize that by smiling and by being ecstatic yesterday, I was affecting the attitude of everyone around me. I think to myself: "I gotta do this. Everyone is exhausted. If I'm exhausted too, how will we make it through the day? How will we deal with all the problems that'll arise? How will the audience feel? I gotta be ecstatic and exploding with energy!"

Suddenly, I feel a bust of energy! A smile forms on my face. This energy, along with the smile, both stay with me the whole day. All the way throughout the event. And this has a huge effect on everything. Of course, I wasn't aware of that during the day.

At the end of the day, while driving back home, I remember Patrick telling me: "I don't know why, I can't help it but smile every time I see you." I reply automatically without thinking: "Maybe it's because I've been smiling all the time?" That's when it hit me.

I get a zillion flashbacks from that same day. I remember all the instances when Patrick tells me how I'm inspiring. The instance that Maya tells me how she can feel my energy, and how different that is from others. The instance that Chawki tells me how inspiring I am. All the instances that I've spoken to team members, and all of a sudden their eyes spark. All the instances that I've briefed a team member who has slept less that I did, and see them jump into action with excitement beyond this world.

That instance, after all those flashbacks, I finally understand what inspiring a team is all about. I've been trying to inspire different teams, within and outside of TEDxBeirut for years now. I've failed every single time. And now, on the last day of TEDxBeirut, I finally get it.

Inspiring a team isn't just about being ecstatic, energetic, and passionate. Yes, all these are vital. Yet, a secret ingredient is missing.

To inspire, you have to be under the same, or worst conditions yourself. Please, read this line again.

During the day of TEDxBeirut, I finally managed to inspire, not just because I was full of energy. It's because I was as tired and as un-slept as everyone else. Yet, I managed to show everyone that even though we're all exhausted, we can still be full of energy. We can still have a constant and contagious smile. We can still be ecstatic. And when we're all like this, the crowd can't help but get infected with this blissful energy.

I've come to learn that inspiring a team might just be this simple and reproducible. To inspire a team to act in a certain way, act yourself in that certain way. And as long as you're under the same, or worst circumstances than the rest of your team, they'll get inspired.

Martin Luther King was as black and as mistreated as his community. Gandhi was under worst conditions than his community. And they both inspired big time.

On Friday, that day before TEDxBeirut, I had never imagined that my change of attitude will have such a deep impact. I thank everyone single one of you. You inspired me to inspire.

Yours,
Will

(Reposted from http://notesby.me)
Twitter: @williamchoukeir

September 24, 2011

TEDxBeirut Sketches by David Habchy

Daniel Habib & Tony Oudaim

Yorgui Teyrouz

Farid Younes

TEDx Staff

Michael Kouly

Katia Saleh

Ali M. Jaber

Mahmoud Natout

Farid Younes

Reine Abbas

Najat Rizk

Mazen Hajjar

Ziad Abichaker

Hassan Aziz

Arne Dietrich

Bassam Jalgha

Gilbert Doumit

Hala Fadel

Halim Madi

Joanna Choukeir

Andrew Bossone

September 14, 2011

At Last, Auditions -Round One

“Ah you’re here! Right on time. A little early actually. That’s good. Please, do come in,” the one with the vivid red-brown braid said with a hearty smile.

As she gestured gaily, stretching her arm into the vastness of the site, the whiteness of her teeth sparkled starkly against the contrast provided by the darkness of her shirt.
“Take a seat. Yes, any seat you like. Make yourself comfortable. Are you ready? You can go whenever you’re ready.”

The one with the bouncy curls, having finished marking red X’es on the ground, proceeded to his touch-screen contraption. He made all sorts of seemingly whimsical gestures, unobstructed by his injured hand, a la Tom Cruise in Minority Report, and produced a glaring stopwatch, set at 6 minutes sharp.

They got up, one after the other, sensing their initial intimidation getting numbed by the homeliness of their surroundings. It was the then when the ideas started burgeoning, flowing, and ultimately filling up the entire place, inducing cheers, tears, laughter and much more.
This was not a classical audition with an air of formality and detachment between the judging panel and the presenter. This was the first round of the TEDxBeirut Auditions –an invite for each speaker to share his/her idea on just the right platform for that ideal: Ideas Worth Spreading.

The Speakers’ Team truly upped their game this time. Donning their TEDxBeirut Titans regalia composed of black t-shirts, earnest looks, and hearty smiles, they welcomed the speakers in a way that helped relieve their concerns yet still conveyed an appropriate air of seriousness –if selected, the speakers will be delivering the most important talk of their lives!
Sandra, the Lara Croft Titan, and Marc, the Restless Roman Titan, were there since the early hours of the day, taking care of every vital aspect pertaining to the success of the auditions.

Ten speakers presented their ideas, achievements, aspirations, theories, and passions. A quick recap that treads the fine line between revealing too much and getting you intrigued? Consider the following: Ten Commandments for winning an Emmy from an Emmy winner, a record-breaking NGO campaign with a moving background story, music meeting electronics to give a young entrepreneur his 15 minutes of fame and a lifelong dream to pursue, “addressing” unchartered territories, in addition to invisible balloon propping and popping –this is only a handful of the topics presented on Day One of the auditions.

The team and the speakers alike benefited from valuable input presented by members of Toastmasters Lebanon, the NPO helping people hone their public speaking skills. The speakers’ relaxation largely stemmed from the homeliness of the location: nSITE Raouche –a great Thank You goes out to Hala Makarem for her invaluable involvement with TEDxBeirut.

“How many speakers from Round One were picked? Who were they? How was Round Two like? And would you please tell us what’s the deal with the new nicknames?!” The readers questioned loudly, but the Titan with the keyboard typed only this: “Worry not, devoted readers. Tomorrow, a great deal will be uncovered!”

August 24, 2011

The Chronicles of the Mini-Titan-Pacts (Part 3/3)

Click here to read part 2.

Wondering who the special guest of the meeting is? Rytta of SMEX Beirut! But of course, who else?

SMEX is the exclusive TEDxBeirut social media partner. To those of you not familiar with SMEX (short for Social Media Exchange), it is an NGO that specializes in social media training for the purposes of advocacy and development. In SMEX Beirut, Rytta is an active member of the Media and Advocacy skills (MAD skills) program.

In TEDxBeirut, Rytta will head the Social Media Team! SMEX will be helping us in promoting the conference and all relevant activities before, during, and after the BIG DAY and in reaching those not familiar with the TED/TEDx concept. In short, Rytta is the lovely titan that Armen and I will be meeting with on a regular basis, as the Social Media Team. With a team like that, how can you worry about not having more entertaining weekly reads?!

The last team to touch on is the one with the closest deadline –the TEDxBeirut Salon 3.0 Team. With a lot of details still to work out in this regard, Aya was the one to make the most close-call saves of the meeting! Securing the venue? Bam, she’s at it. Securing the caterer? Bam, that too! You name it; she gets it out of the way in a second, after everyone’s flustered tackles! Her last-minute major saves have earned her the title: Aya, The Buffon Titan.

Later to come this week is the post on the all-so-terrific auditions that took place last Saturday. Kudos to Sandra and Marc of the speakers’ team for their spot-on work in this field! I cannot tell you how excited everyone was to see the first tangible sneak-peeks into what the TWENTY-FOURTH OF NINE promises to be. With the brilliant talks we had, the incredible speakers we got to meet, and the overall good feel of witnessing the first blossoming of our hard-work-fruits, I can only say this: IT. WAS. AWESOME. Just exactly how awesome was it? The answer to yet another non-rhetorical question will be out in the next few days! (Maybe tomorrow. Just maybe)

August 23, 2011

The Chronicles of the Mini-Titan-Pacts (Part 2/3)

Click here to read part 1.

So you’re here to know about the FTCWTWHTW? Well, isn’t it obvious what it’s short for? FLOOR-TO-CEILING-WALL-TO-WALL-HI-TECH-WONDER! This latest gadget that is yet to hit the markets will be dazzling you on the BIG DAY itself.

After the display of hi-tech at its finest, both as a dazzler and as a swell means to put one’s networking skills into action, Bill introduced us to Andrea, our traffic manager, or as I like to think of her: Andy, The Hammer Titan.

You see now Andrea, a lovely young lady, is to take on the oh-not-so-lovely task of holding each and every one of the titans accountable to everything that titan pledges to do in the course of a meeting. She is hence the “to-do list” creator, putting together her list of tasks in a very fine process that requires picking up carefully on whatever variant of the “Ah, don’t worry, I’ll take care of that” phrase that is uttered by anyone of us. Furthermore, she will make sure that each task haunts its titan until its completion –hence her new middle name: The Hammer!

With the already established teams of speakers and sponsors being busy tackling their well-defined tasks, Bill and Pat proceeded to inform us about the assignments of the newer teams: the Logistics Team (who is still welcoming titans-to-be!), the Salon v3.0 Team (coordinated by Aya The Buffon Titan –title to be explained shortly), and the Social Media Team (joined by yours truly).

It was then when we were introduced to our special guest of the meeting...

See you tomorrow in part 3.

August 22, 2011

The Chronicles of the Mini-Titan-Pacts (Part 1/3)

Why is this week’s post harder to put together?
Why has this last week’s wrap-up/update taken longer in the making?
Why is it that the Titans find a tad bit of a difficulty in presenting a truck-load of awesomeness to your reading palates with finesse and daintiness?
Why do all good/fun things come to an end?
All these questions and more will be answered (in no particular order) in this post, and in ones yet to be posted over the coming few days!

Are any of these questions rhetorical? Not. One.

So, readers of this post (hey Mom!), brace yourselves! This week, as ya’ll might suspect (I’m trusting that at this point there’s more than three of you reading this, so I can venture into calling you “ya’ll” with my thick southern accent) has witnessed the bitter-sweet TEDxBeirut meeting #27. Why bitter-sweet you ask? When are we going to be done with them rhetorical questions you ask? (They’re not rhetorical!)

No, seriously, it was bitter-sweet indeed. As most of the teams/subcommittees have been formed at this point -which is a triumph as far as organization goes- this might have very likely been our last meeting as a whole unit!
As of next week, each team will be holding its separate meetings, lead by its own team coordinator, so that tasks would be undertaken more efficiently. In plain terms, we are all getting down to some serious business.

But will there still be enough fun in the meetings to keep this level of informative hilarity (“informative” underlined) in the weekly blog posts? I promise (as do all the Titans for sure) to squeeze in just the right amount of entertainment into the new energy-efficient and business-oriented format to keep the flame kindling, without detracting from the completion of our scheduled tasks.

The meeting opened with a quick briefing by Bill and Pats on the workings of the new system, which was followed by an emphatic address by Ziad on the importance of “doing our homework and our research” as we approach the remainder of our potential sponsors. Sparing not one extra moment, the sponsors’ team immediately (and I mean that literally) sprung to action by initiating their networking webs on their smart phones. This last reference leads me to the week’s coolest new teaser: The FTCWTWHTW! Until tomorrow’s post, this is absolutely the most I can reveal.

Click to read part 2.

July 26, 2011

TEDxBeirut Secrets Revealed: Rise of The Titans (Part 2of2)

Read Part 1 here.

Zico walks straight towards us, hands gesturing in a downward motion: “Could you please keep it down? There’s a silent movie in the room next door!” He says with a smile that makes his thick Beiruti accent all the more affable. What can I say? If you’ve got that many carts on your train, things are bound to get loud!

Fortunately enough, Zico sits down with us and helps us determine, among other things, the right timing of TEDxBeirutSalon V3.0. A tricky business, considering it’s likely to happen during Ramadan. His vibrant character, interesting stories, and ample networking skills are all very welcome surprises indeed! Thanks Zico!

With the time and place of the 3rd Salon set (to be announced very soon), it’s time we dive into the all-consuming feat of organizing the TEDxBeirut conference on September 24th. In case the date has not been tattooed onto your brains already, you can just try this little rhyme:

BIG DAY IN MIND, THE TWENTY FOURTH OF NINE!

That should do it!

At the heart of this BIG DAY are its speakers. As we near the date of the first live auditions for prospective speakers (taking place on July 30th), the speakers’ team is tackling its tasks at a crazy pace: sending emails, approaching speakers, securing locations for the upcoming rehearsals, acquaintance and briefing workshop, etc.

The sponsors’ team’s ranks are also bustling with their own all-too-important tasks of securing the necessary funding for the THE TWENTY FOURTH OF NINE. With the sponsorship kits finalized, the prospective sponsors are already being approached and they’re showing great interest in the TED and TEDx spirit!

At the time being, we’re also looking to put together a technical team, a logistics team, and a team to keep up with all of you on our different social media sites, so please DO step in if you hear the calling! After all, the TEDxBeirut spirit is one of bringing together a community of creative and driven individuals who are willing to take the proper initiative at the right time -a helping hand at these times is never one too many!

So next time you’re making your way out of the office, looking forward to escape the Beirut heat on a late weekday afternoon, and you see a group of people filing into a meeting place, high on energy, heedless of the heat, and overflowing with the cool-air of “getting-things-done,” you’ll know something big is under-way! This is TEDxBeirut happening, and it’s happening near you!

—

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July 25, 2011

TEDxBeirut Secrets Revealed: Rise of The Titans (Part 1of2)

It’s Thursday July 21st, a scalding hot Beirut afternoon, and there is not one breeze to soothe the tiredness of the people looking forward to happy hour at some local pub or another. In the midst of this wave of July heat, a particular group of people are quietly rushing into Spears’ Zico House, hustling with excitement at the prospects of their meeting tonight.

It’s TEDxBeirut meeting 26, and the level of enthusiasm is at an all time high. It’s all understandable in light of the fact that these people are trying to organize a TEDxBeirut Salon v3.0 and the much-anticipated TEDxBeirut main event set to take place on September 24th.

At this stage, subcommittees have been formed, team members and volunteers alike have been assigned to tasks within their areas of expertise, and the dauntingly long missions-list has been turned into a group of very neat and clear spreadsheets, making it daunting no more! Alright, maybe not entirely, just a lot less daunting!

First on our plates is deciding on a date for the third TEDxBeirut Salon. I can safely tell you that's no easy task at all. Having kept a steadily increasing success rate throughout our first two salons, it is quite challenging to pull that off yet again. All while attempting to reach out to a more diverse audience this time, and of course, accomplishing that during Ramadan.

Nevertheless, it is not a challenge that the TEDxBeirut team of titans (yes, I’ve taken the liberty of calling ourselves that) cannot take on. In fact, we’re so thrilled with the feats that we have to accomplish in an ever-diminishing time frame, that things are bound to get loud! Loud enough that we are approached by none other than Zico himself...

Stay tuned for part 2 tomorrow…

July 17, 2011

We so love TEDxLahore's letter to its volunteers

That's why we decided to share it with you!
It's amazing how exact their description is to the experience of each TEDxBeirut team member.

Enjoy:

Oh, you lucky few,

As TEDxLahore volunteers, you have the opportunity to work towards bringing a remarkable event to life with a diverse group of passionate individuals who are on a whole new level of insane. In fact, it just may be that they invented the thing, because you will find them working for the event at all sorts of ungodly hours, often only surviving on cafeteria food, Fox's mints and the goodwill of their peers. They do not do this because they like to torture themselves, they do it because they believe in what they are doing, and they believe in the power of collective genius to turn things around. This is why TEDxLahore is going to be an event and an experience to remember. You seem to have the same kind of spirit, and this is why you have been called upon to be a part of it.

So please check the ego at the door, read and agree to the following, sign over your freedom for the next month and a half, and let’s begin.

The Oath:
By agreeing to work as an official TEDxLahore volunteer, I agree to the following:

I will believe in the power of collective genius. I will learn and share and walk the talk with pride.

I am not the All-Knowing, and I don’t have the All-Seeing Eye. This is exactly why I will stay in touch with my team members at all times and make sure I know what is going on with other teams as well.

I am going to do the assigned tasks better than expected; that’ll tell the team leads!

I am going to research TED and TEDx like it’s going out of style, and know what I’m talking about when I open my mouth about all things TED, TEDx and TEDxLahore.

I am going to exercise my right to be awesomely cool and show up for all meetings and tasks ten minutes before they are supposed to begin.

I will not quit, no matter what. Once I’m in, I’m in. There is no option of divorce in this relationship, unless something apocalyptic like a zombie takeover happens. Even then I will reconsider my decision to quit.

I will discuss any grievances in private with my team leader and try to resolve any issues with the kind of dignity that will set new standards of class.

If I can't be there for a meeting or a task, I will alert my team lead a day before so that the poor thing can arrange for something else.

I will maintain team spirit by being supportive, constructive and respectful of other's opinions. I will question things and give suggestions to make thing better, not to randomly rip them apart.

I will try my best to preserve our collective resources and make the most of what I have.

I will aim big, and dream bigger. I will not let pessimism take me over. I will defeat negativity with my optimism and with my genius. If things get tough, I'll get tougher. I'll give help and seek help without delay. If there is one thing I take away from this whole experience, this must be it.

I will have so much fun, my friends and family members will volunteer next year just to see what I'm on.

—

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July 17, 2011

Now you can suggest a performer or speaker for TEDxBeirut

Please keep in mind when suggesting a performer or speaker that we like ideas and innovation, not organizations, books, or movies.

Ideas get us excited!
Innovation gets us excited!

Don't forget: you can suggest a performer as well, because they're just as important as speakers at TEDxBeirut.

—

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June 22, 2011

Your chance to audition for TEDxBeirut

For TEDxBeirut, we want to shine the stage-light on undiscovered genius in the Middle East. We want to give you a unique opportunity to be a TEDxBeirut speaker or performer in September. That’s why we’re having the first-ever audition for TEDxBeirut talks. It will take place in front of the TEDxBeirut curation team and members of the local TED community.

[THIS IS NOW CLOSED : If you believe that, against all odds, you can still make it to the TEDxBeirut stage, then give it your best shot.
P.S. We are ethically bound to ignore your submission, so you'll probably need some magical powers and more.]

Make a one-minute video to 'qualify' for this audition.
Video deadline is July 13th, 2011.

The best one-minute videos will be posted on TEDxBeirut.com
The first 25 who submit a qualified one-minute video will each get a full-day pass for the main TEDxBeirut event in September, so hurry up
Those nominated for the live audition will each get two full-day passes for the main TEDxBeirut event in September

And by becoming a TEDxBeirut speaker or performer:

You might get a life-changing chance to have your TEDxBeirut talk posted on TED.com and get millions of views
Your TEDxBeirut talk is guaranteed to be posted on TEDx.com and get thousands of views; maybe eventually being promoted to TED.com (more here)

Surprise us with innovation and genius! Imagine:

Improv / audience interaction
A rant delivered at blitzkrieg pace, an intelligent comic routine, a mystery
Intense campfire-style storytelling
A ‘slide-blizzard,’ a presentation containing more images than words
A talk accompanied by an imaginative soundtrack
A talk given in front of a custom-animated movie
Clever ‘choreography’ between a speaker’s words and what we see on-screen
A brilliant performance (music, spoken-word, dance … surprise us!)
A remarkable new invention
Or… just an amazingly good classic TED talk with an ingenious ‘idea worth spreading’

Make sure you are familiar with what a TED talk is. Watch a few here.
If you submit a standard pitch for a company, concept, or cause, you have zero chance of being picked.

What you need to do:

Create a one-minute video to indicate your idea for TEDxBeirut. Tell us what you’ll talk about, and then SHOW us how you’ll do it in TEDxBeirut. We’re looking for powerful ideas — the video itself doesn’t need to be polished, it’s only for our internal review. It just needs to give us a sense of you and demonstrate that your presentation could have impact
Upload your video to YouTube
Fill out this online entry form and give us your details, including a link to the video.

IMPORTANT: Forms are due Wednesday July 13th, 2011, at 11:59pm GMT+2. A judging panel will nominate the most compelling presentation ideas from your video submissions. We’ll invite those nominees to audition their TEDxBeirut talks live in Beirut on July 18th, 2011, in front of the TEDxBeirut curation team and an invited audience. The actual live audition itself will range from 3 to 6 minutes, so you’ll need to pick a subject that can be managed in that time frame.

Add these 3 dates to your calendar:
July 13: Deadline to submit your one-minute video and online entry form
July 18: Nominees for the live audition will be announced
July 30: Live Audition will take place in beirut

--

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June 18, 2011

Calling undiscovered speakers and performers for TEDxBeirut

What makes a TED and a TEDx event? It's the content. The speakers. The performers. Nothing else matters as much. For TEDxBeirut, we want to shine the stage-light on undiscovered genius in the Middle East. It could be you.

We're giving you a unique opportunity to be a TEDxBeirut speaker or performer in September.

If you want to uncover your hidden genius to the world,
If you want to spread your inspiring vision far and wide,
If you want to attract and surround yourself with like-minded individuals,
If you want to spark your life into full-potential,

If you want to give your talk the life-changing chance to make it to TED.com, and be viewed a million times like many TEDx speakers before you,

You can.
It's in your hands now.

And if you know someone who might benefit from this, please send it to them. Please share far and wide so that this message can get to the people who need it the most. You could change the life of someone for ever, and they'll love you for it.

Help us shine the stage-light on undiscovered genius.