13 Must-See TED Talks by Women Inspiring Women

There are millions of inspiring women working to lead the world and each other to be a better place for all of humanity. They bring a unique perspective to top issues facing each of us, male or female, every day. In this article, we’ve gathered some of the best TED talks by women on a diversity of topics from leadership to careers to feminism.  Ranging from 8 to 20 minutes, they are sure to make you think and inspire you.

1. Sheryl Sandberg: Why we have too few women leaders (14:58)

Sheryl Sandberg addresses the three key issues keeping women from reaching the top that often lead them to drop out of the workforce or not reach their ultimate goals and provides advice for addressing them.
https://www.ted.com/talks/sheryl_sandberg_why_we_have_too_few_women_leaders

2. Shonda Rhimes: My year of saying yes to everything (18:45)

What happens when you say yes to everything that scares you? It undoes the fear, at least it did for Shonda Rimes. Saying yes lead her to find the “hum” of her work that drives her to keep moving forward. And then it stopped. She discusses how she dealt with that reality and found her way to a different kind of hum.
https://www.ted.com/talks/shonda_rhimes_my_year_of_saying_yes_to_everything

3. Dame Stephanie Shirley: Why do ambitious women have flat heads? (13:39)

Dame Stephanie Shirley talks about how she went about starting an all-woman, work from home, a software company in the 1960s and the challenges she faced being a woman doing so at that time. She also discusses her motivators, lessons learned and provides advice for those looking to build their own company.
https://www.ted.com/talks/dame_stephanie_shirley_why_do_ambitious_women_have_flat_heads

4. Linda Cliatt-Wayman: How to fix a broken school? Lead fearlessly, love hard (17:08)

An inspiring talk on what it really means to be a leader. Linda Cliatt-Wayman’s talks about the three principles that helped her turn around three schools and how love and active listening can truly change things. A truly inspiring talk for all leaders.
https://www.ted.com/talks/linda_cliatt_wayman_how_to_fix_a_broken_school_lead_fearlessly_love_hard

5. Anne-Marie Slaughter: Can we all “have it all”? (17:08)

Anne-Marie Slaughter discusses how to achieve equality – pointing to a need to look at equality for both men and women and coming to value breadwinning and caregiving equally. She proposed three areas that need to be addressed in order to accomplish our goals for equality.
https://www.ted.com/talks/anne_marie_slaughter_can_we_all_have_it_all

6. Regina Hartley: Why the best hire might not have the perfect resume (10:32)

Regina Hartley talks about the concept of post-traumatic growth and why we need to give “Scrappers” and “Silver Spoons” an equal chance in hiring decisions. Often these people bring to the table the secret weapons of passion and purpose. A great talk for those responsible for making hiring decisions and responsible for ensuring diversity and inclusion.
https://www.ted.com/talks/regina_hartley_why_the_best_hire_might_not_have_the_perfect_resume

7. Susan Colantuono: The career advice you probably didn’t get (13:58)

Susan Colantuono talks about how women can make their way from middle management to top-level positions. She delivers a key piece of advice about the element that women are often missing that is stopping them from moving up that most conventional advice to women skips. She also provides actions businesses can take to address this issue.
https://www.ted.com/talks/susan_colantuono_the_career_advice_you_probably_didn_t_get

8. Roselinde Torres: What it takes to be a great leader (9:19)

Roselinde Torres speaks to what really makes a great leader today. Her talk covers the findings of her international research and the three questions that reveal who will be great and who won’t.
https://www.ted.com/talks/roselinde_torres_what_it_takes_to_be_a_great_leader

9. Casey Brown: Know your worth, and then ask for it (8:22)

Are you communicating a clear value definition? Casey Brown speaks to the idea of how you’re paid for the value you communicate. She also talks about how being willing to communicate our price is about focusing on the client and finding your voice.
https://www.ted.com/talks/casey_brown_know_your_worth_and_then_ask_for_it

10. Brené Brown: The power of vulnerability (20:13)

Brené Brown set out to measure shame and vulnerability and gained insights that changed her direction. In her quest to better understand humanity she learned about the power of vulnerability and the struggle with numbing we face. A talk to share.
https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability

11. Amy Cuddy: Your body language may shape who you are (20:56)

Amy Cuddy discusses her research on can you fake it until you become it when it comes to displaying confident, powerful body language? She explores the role hormones play in power and if short-term power posing exercises can have an impact on success.
https://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are

12. Susan Cain: The power of introverts (18:57)

Susan Cain talks about the power of introverts as business people and leaders. She points out introversion shouldn’t be mistaken for shyness and that we need to remove the stigma of being an introvert in a world that prizes extroversion. She questions if the culture of personality is losing out on the extraordinary talents and abilities introverts bring to the world
https://www.ted.com/talks/susan_cain_the_power_of_introverts

13. Courtney Martin: Reinventing Feminism (11:20)

This talk is an exploration of the issues facing modern feminism through the eyes of 30-year-old blogger Courtney E. Martin. She speaks to the paradoxes her generation faces and how they’re redefining feminism for modern times.
https://www.ted.com/talks/courtney_martin_reinventing_feminism
Find more wonderful TED talks inspiring women at https://www.ted.com/topics/women .