Last night I was spending way too much time on TED.com.  This is one of the best idea presentation forums around. Here in Grand Rapids, we have the "January Series" hosted by Calvin College that is similar. 

Any who, they have gotten a great sponsor, BMW, and are now posting the archived talks. Which is about the only way you will ever get to see these 20 minute talks because the events are always sold out months in advance. The 2008 one is already sold out.  

Two things to note.

1) The format only allows for quick presentations.  So brevity forces the concentration and distillation of the complex to the simple. I have been challenged lately to improve my presentations and this is a good example of some great presentations.

2) Excellent speakers talking about really interesting ideas. This is the main lesson to learn.  A great presentation is about communicating great ideas well. That means focusing on your rhetoric and not allowing the focus being on the projector. So this forum show that these thought leaders are great at communicating ideas thru story telling. 

My favorite is.... Malcom Gladwell as he talks about what we can learn from Spaghetti Sauce.