Eddie Obeng: Smart failure for a fast-changing world

The world is changing much more rapidly than most people realize, says business educator Eddie Obeng -- and creative output cannot keep up. In this spirited talk, he highlights three important changes we should understand for better productivity, and calls for a stronger culture of "smart failure."
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[@sallyking1706]

here we have a guy that understands the world today a little better than most. One point my father used to say comes to mind when i hear this guy.....he used to say 'make a decision no matter what, making no decision is the worst decision. If we make decisions fast theoretically we learn to make the right decisions through trial and error more quickly. This seems to have worked well for him, this was an idea he lived by, i used to do a lot of research but he could instinctively see what was going to be successful and why. Certainly a lesson worth learning for individuals and corporations.

[@Mm2Lovely]

essentially, to stop with so much planning and calculations, and act.

[@thegentleiconoclast7361]

Treating failure as a lesson, not a lessening, is a vital part of learning to succeed. Having met Eddie and spoken several times - and covering a similar few things in my own TEDx - I can say it's always a privilege to both watch him work and align on where business is going.

[@xlade]

it has been a long time since i've watched something this good on Ted, more please

[@dandined]

I love this guy's enthusiasm! And being a bit funny is also a great help to the communication of the message.

[@cohan000]

This is deep stuff! I watched this video two hours ago and had to come back and watch it again.

[@ChristieNel]

This guy is one of the best speakers I've seen. The way all the elements of his speech refer back to each other.

[@jcalilung89]

Wow, this guy's talk was amazing. So passionate and charismatic. I wish all talks could be like this!

[@6freddyb]

Great point, that the rate of change in the world now exceeds our ability to learn. As a high school teacher, I try to get my students to see the opportunities that lay in front of them. No longer are rules of the "Old World" in play. Going to college, getting good grades, some times even a high school diploma, to get a good job are no longer the norm. He right scale and even age no longer matter.

[@frostblade42]

This is what passion looks like.

[@egdapo]

Love this!

[@Laurencejjj]

Incredible energy!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@nstoll92]

Love the intensity - should be more like it.

[@GiGaSzS]

Thank you The Verge for spreading the world about Ted conference!!!!!!!!! I have discovered many new things by watching Ted.

[@OKLAHOMALOVE2]

I totally understood everything.. This is awesome !!!!

[@saleemisgod]

I like the combining of the words smart and failure.It reminds me of the Edison quote.

[@AcidRain64]

That was absolutely fantastic! This guy is great!!

[@reisomana]

Awesome, he has an amazing view about this world.

[@artofteams]

A brilliant talk from Professor Obeng! Like a fine wine, this aged pretty well :)

[@mrpookii1]

You sir , are a boss!

[@libanlibanliban]

very good talk.

[@Arthiel7]

Thank You!

[@wushish]

such an exciting speaker, great to watch and listen to even if i don't completely agree with him

[@joebazooks]

Whoah, I've never even heard of that. I love language. Now I want to learn Esperanto!

[@ik04]

D E C A F! Wow! Great presentation. All true and insightful. We need millions of this guy!

[@mdlindc]

Great talk!

[@rhealg123]

wow. He's energetic!

[@KevinShockey]

Eddie and I are preaching the same sermon. Amen brother. The world is now chaotic and virtual. Deal with it, or be left behind. #maxstrategy

[@shintsu01]

That Guy Made a amazing talk! Kudos loved it!

[@kiksumas1152]

I keep coming back

[@richardarnott4241]

Eddie's publication on "Bridging the Anxiety Gap Business Now No1 July 2003" is very relevant for designers working on complex design challenges for clients. Recommended but pity I cannot find the original publication can anyone help by posting a link?

[@PentacleTheVBS]

Thanks for viewing my TED Talk. I’m enjoying the range of discussion. Some want more detail but even at my speed I’m not sure I could fit much more in.

[@SOCRATES012]

Brilliant speaker!

[@wafeman17]

Most original response to that comment I've heard. Congrats.

[@Shinjeez]

Great

[@Jim-os6ed]

What a gift to humanity... this video still smacks... share it people... well done eddie... Age of aquarius incoming, a plenty will emerge, once we start making progress.

[@buraddoh]

oh man he's just awesome :)

[@elvisflorian]

I wish all Ted talks started off like this

[@crypticexposed]

finally somebody who tlks sense !!!!

[@khonadlamini2948]

power thank you

[@PentacleTheVBS]

Thanks for viewing my TED Talk. I’m enjoying the range of discussion.

[@nullapecunia]

Amen to that.

[@joebazooks]

I fucking love this guy's energy.

[@xapemanx]

holy cow amazing

[@Gizmoinf]

Agreed!

[@michaelritchie9443]

In relation to education, this talk helps to demonstrate how our fast-changing society might hinder our learning. The bombardment of information and feedback can create a rather hectic learning environment for students. The focus on future problems really pushes the idea of backwards design, a strategy implemented in lesson planning to help work towards a specific goal. The idea is also a foundational concept in the theory of connectivism, which is driven by the idea that what we need to know for tomorrow is more important than what we know today. Our interconnectivity, although hectic at times, can support group-learning settings, aiding student learning and self-directed learning. Finally, the “new rules” in our society provide ample opportunity for experiential learning.

[@MrAllrounder77]

point taken

[@sunofman2008]

fluidity

[@saleemisgod]

Agreed.I subscribed recently and the stuff they were uploading was on the whole of poor content but I found myself navigating to older stuff that was much more interesting.

[@byronbaugh]

Although he brings up a good point about the potential we are missing out on. Sure it's expensive but i like the idea of figuring out a way to reward the "smart failure."

[@BlowDevilUp]

Love those Halloween colours.

[@Zoza15]

Holy shit!, this guy is totally on point!.

[@MrSaint3]

that was awesome and funny

[@waynerileyart]

I need friends like this.

[@TheLivirus]

As a university student, I find this highly relevant. I've got 1½ years left until graduation, and my education is already obsolete.

[@AtunHotepRe]

He is right on point in his assessment of the current rate of change in my opinion. Those who disagree are probably somewhat removed from the business world in particular. Further confirmation can be found in book The Lexus and the Olive Tree by Robert Friedman. Read it and you will learn a few things.

[@ppeeza]

I agree..I was just thinking about the same thing you spoke my my mind.. 100% empty talk.

[@KudossMusic]

He talks very fast , but have a very good point

[@teamtunell]

I agree that modern technology has accelerated change, progress, and information past our abilities to keep up, leading to tremendous instability. What are we to do about it? I'm a new high school chemistry teacher, and I see that students are generally clueless about how to create value in the "real world" for themselves and for others. Instead of having students & employees memorize info, we should have them create things of value. Then they will know the real world and its demands.

[@weihern9741]

My exam has this eddie obeng model and all i can find is this lol

[@AlexanderAndreassen123]

No, just really energetic and eccentric. And smart.

[@Gregadingaling]

Holy crap. He is an insane speaker

[@babas329]

cooooooooooooooool stuff

[@osemudiame123]

please tell me i am not the only person who understood his.

[@jackalvulture]

lol, this guy's amazing.

[@Mekawyvid]

Nothing new here, except that the guy is incredibly charismatic and funny. He could have spoken about the life cycle of silkworms and it would have still looked interesting.

[@HigherPlanes]

The problems that exist in the world today cannot be solved by the level of thinking that created them. -Albert Einsten

[@egdapo]

lol, good compliment

[@penivos]

Esperanto can work now. The internet can let anyone learn it in a few hours and we can use it straight away to talk to new contacts worldwide, whichever country is top dog today. It's the easiest bilingualism, interculturally respectful and effective. It grew slowly before midnight but it fits today's world.

[@froyboy4life]

I understand the analogy he is trying to make but as far as physics goes, the ink starts to eddie because the water moving quickly past the needle is displaced by the needle, there is no eddie without the needle. It moves smoothly even quickly until the needle is inserted.

[@egdapo]

agree with last statement. however, let's see YOUR credentials as a person who's mastered the "trick" in business

[@Soldier957]

He's right. Even the most profound "expert" is just human. I've noticed the same thing lately.

[@Iprofessshirk]

Great discussion....I work for the US DoD and your worldaftermidnight site is blocked on our network....how ironic LOL.

[@dinuseee]

what he say is one simple thing..our social , political and economic system is evolving too fast to completely analysed by human brains at a present time and hence our old style rational decision making by testing and comprehensive analysis get completely flawed as by the time we finished testing the answer becomes completely irrelevant and we have our next problem in hand....but I was not sure what was the solution that he was putting forward

[@doloppost]

..that went a bit too quick for me. But did he say I could make mistkaes?

[@liesandtricks]

how much coffee did he have? good video

[@MRSketch09]

Yeah, wish I was half as energetic as that.. a quarter of the time.

[@froyboy4life]

After finishing watching the video I suppose his speech is the green ink.

[@CyberIllusions]

This guy is super-cool and super-funny!! *LOL*

[@XfStef]

Freaking genius

[@godeketime]

An expensive luxury that has created all scientific progress. It is no coincidence that as more people had time away from the grindstone of revenue production we also see a massive increase in fundamental technological advances. As a consultant that has worked in many industries and companies, the ones that twenty years later are still around to be a client are those that didn't just focus on revenue. Short term thinking leads to short term results... and long term failure.

[@360army]

yh its surprised for a man of his age

[@kiroslepoto]

the way he presented his point was a bit sloppy (prob. because he was nervous)... but HIS POINT was GENIOUS! Take a time off to reflect upon his words...

[@eddieobeng7700]

Again, thanks watching my TED Talk. Last month I organised a dynamic interactive discussion on the World After Midnight. It was a great success and so I’m doing it again on the 5th of December from 12:30 - 14:00 UK time. It is a chance to share & learn & explore with other people from around the world & for me to fill in the blanks for you. You can join from anywhere in the world since we will be meeting at my ‘virt-real’ campus QUBE Visit WorldAfterMidnight . com Let’s Talk!

[@dandined]

0:15

[@ratje67]

I watched it twice to see if this talk was about something..

[@John83118]

I'm speechless by this content. I recently came across something similar, and it was truly awe-inspiring. "The Hidden Empire: Inside the Private Worlds of Elite CEOs" by Adam Skylight

[@srimansrini]

The talk is not filled with graphs and charts rather some practical ideas. Not very inspiring talk but i guess useful one.

[@Alchemistic88]

Isn't the proper answer to this question, make jobs more specific. The more specific a career, the more in depth the learning can be about the specification. The more in depth each aspect of a project is, the more 'learned' experience is injected into it. For there to be more specific job titles, there needs to be more jobs in GENERAL and that begins with the economy. Fix the economy and the learning potential of humanity working together as a whole will increase.

[@23piz23mitch]

yap:)

[@SomethingSea1]

So. Be this the intriguing person?

[@hogejo]

I do not care (ok, I do)... BUT I WANT THAT PEN!

[@iShrikantB]

world is same as it was before just it is transforming, we are losing the sense of life and nothing else .

[@CryOverdage]

SO LOUD !!!

[@Tomwithnonumbers]

I'm not sure how I feel about the phrase 'Queen of England'

[@JAMamation]

Am I high right now?

[@iSina93]

Guys, I think we have found the solution to the world's energy crisis

[@takebackkean]

for the past month TED has been giving us a lot of shit, this i am happy to say is an exception.

[@tristancalvaire]

What makes me a good demoman? If I were a bad demoman I wouldn't be sitting here, discussing it with you, now would I?! One crossed wire, one wayward pinch of potassium chlorate, one errant twitch... and KABLOOIE!

[@Fabio4e20]

About things you clearly don't seem to understand.

[@malakiblunt]

so thats a bad explanation of chaos theroy (the stuff about the green ink) And grouping towards the idea of the 'singularity' He was trying to say the world is to complex to understand and getting expotentaily more so except im not sure he understands that, hes just found away to make money out of his own confusion a good trick the machines are taking over , the best we can hope for is we make entertaining pets for them but what ever happens were living in 'intreasting times"