TEDxVienna - Selma Prodanovic - The Influence of One
The speaker argues that humanity's survival and ability to make a positive difference depend on reconnecting the individual ("the one") with the collective ("the we") through personal responsibility, using smiles and small acts of kindness as key illustrations. He asserts that Europe's strength lies in its small, diverse businesses and the philosophy of self-care supporting community care. Ultimately, the goal is to move beyond mere ideas toward actionable, positive change.
## Speakers & Context
- Speaker: Passionate connector who explores human capacity and positive difference.
- Setting: Giving a presentation, referencing a conference structure (TEDx, World Economic Forum).
- Contextual Insight: The central theme revolves around "crossing the borders between the one, the we, and the positive difference we can all make."
## Theses & Positions
- The core problem today is that reliance on social networks like Facebook and Twitter creates a strong "we," leading individuals to lose personal responsibility because they assume "somebody else would do it."
- A smile is a profoundly impactful action, proving that *"a smile makes a huge difference in our lives."*
- European strength derives from its diversity and its network of small businesses, rather than mimicking large corporations.
- True positive change requires shifting focus back to the individual's responsibility ("the I," or "the one").
- Sustainability requires a dual focus: maintaining self-care (making a living) while also caring for others.
- The goal is to generate "actions worth spreading," rather than just circulating abstract ideas.
## Concepts & Definitions
- **Connector:** Speaker's natural talent; the brain's function of placing people and finding connections.
- **The One vs. The We:** A dichotomy where the theme requires re-focusing on individual accountability.
- **Bridging the Gap:** The process of connecting the individual ("the one") to the group ("the we").
- **Kaizen (Kairen):** Japanese business philosophy emphasizing the constant, incremental improvement of one's direct environment.
- **Passive Member:** An individual within a network who is not an active contributor.
## Mechanisms & Processes
- **Network Connection Mechanism:** Process allowing growth from two people to a global network of 132 Partners worldwide.
- **Causal Chain (A smile):** Demonstrates that a smile leads to an improved atmosphere, as seen in the New Yorker bus experiment.
- **European Development Process:** Building strength from the diverse collection of small businesses rather than imitating large corporations.
- **Kaizen Process:** Continuous improvement within one's immediate surroundings, contrasting with large-scale, ground-breaking innovation.
## Timeline & Sequence
- **2005:** Speaker started Brains Work.
- **1929-1935:** Period of war experienced by the speaker in Boston.
- **Yesterday evening:** Time frame when the speaker watched the movie *Forrest Gump*.
- **Today:** Time frame of the presentation.
- **Year 2049:** Year referenced for the "Innovative creative Europe" initiative.
## Named Entities
- **Dalai Lama:** Religious/spiritual leader whom the speaker had the chance to listen to in Vienna.
- **Boston:** Place of the speaker's birth, where the speaker experienced a war (1929-1935).
- **Vienna:** City where the speaker listened to the Dalai Lama.
- **Mars, Moon:** Celestial bodies mentioned in the context of humanity's aspirations.
## Organizations
- **Brains Work:** Consulting company founded by the speaker in 2005; business developer for startups.
- **TEDx:** Community structure where people might feel they don't need to act because the community will support them.
- **World Economic Forum:** Organization reviewed for ideas on planning movements/conferences.
## Numbers & Data
- **2005:** Year the speaker started Brains Work.
- **132:** Number of Partners worldwide with Brains Work.
- **6 to 700:** Range of people connectable at a glance via network structure.
- **2049:** Year referenced for the "Innovative creative Europe" initiative.
- **40 years:** Duration separating the first moon landing from the 2049 goal.
- **1929-1935:** Date range of the war the speaker experienced in Boston.
- **One and a half liter:** Quantity/size of water bottle required for showering/bathing in Boston during the war.
- **5:** Number of children in the anecdote.
## Examples & Cases
- **Baby's smile:** Example proving that a smile makes a huge difference in human life.
- **New Yorker bus experiment:** Case study where the bus driver saying "Hi, how are you, good morning, how is your day today" changed the atmosphere.
- ***Forrest Gump* movie:** Example where people followed a running character because they perceived meaning.
- **Boston war experience:** Anecdote where the speaker's father insisted people "dress up and put your makeup on" during shortages to maintain human dignity.
- **Mother with five children:** Anecdote where the mother divided one slice of bread into five pieces, saving the second slice for herself to work the next day.
- **Stradivari performance:** Unique experience of a rock band, orchestra, and musician playing together.
## Tools, Tech & Products
- **Facebook, Twitter:** Social networks used in the critique of excessive reliance that breeds passivity.
## References Cited
- ***Forrest Gump* movie:** Source material used to illustrate people joining a perceived meaning.
- **Mahatma Gandhi:** Historical figure cited as an example of someone with a vision needing supporters.
- **Galileo Galilei:** Historical figure cited as an example of someone with a vision needing supporters.
- **Kaizen:** Japanese business philosophy, source for understanding constant improvement.
## Trade-offs & Alternatives
- **Small businesses vs. Large Corporations:** European model suggests small businesses offer flexibility, speed, and creativity over mimicking large structures.
- **Macro-level vs. Unified View:** Shifting perspective from individual countries (Germany, Spain) to Europe as a single entity.
- **Innovation Types:** Choosing between groundbreaking, singular innovation versus sustained, daily improvements (Kaizen).
## Counterarguments & Caveats
- It is difficult to explain what Brains Work does because it is "not in the Box."
- Not all network participants are active contributors; there are "passive members."
- Focus must extend beyond nonprofits; one still needs to "make some money and make your living."
- The speaker admits to being "very egoistic" while also being "very altruistic."
## Methodology
- Speaker utilizes personal stories (war, baby smiles), historical parallels (Gandhi, Galileo), and professional models (TEDx, WEF) to convey concepts.
## Conclusions & Recommendations
- Individuals must reclaim personal responsibility ("the I") to drive positive difference.
- The focus must shift to generating "actions worth spreading," not just ideas.
- Approach Europe as a unified "Global player" by recognizing its inherent diversity.
- Practicing self-care ("taking care of yourself") is prerequisite for helping others.
- Direct action: Smile at another person.
- Final affirmation: "Yes I will make a positive difference."
## Implications & Consequences
- Failure to maintain individual agency leads to forfeiting personal responsibility within large community structures.
- Acknowledging small, daily efforts (Kaizen) accumulates into massive positive change necessary for future progress (e.g., 2049).
- Self-sufficiency is mandatory for sustained positive influence on others.
## Open Questions
- What is the absolute best way to achieve the desired "enormous creative and Innovative potential" across Europe?
## Verbatim Moments
- *"I'm an extremely passionate connector if I want it or not I do it."*
- *"it's about crossing the borders between the one the we and the positive difference we can all make."*
- *"At the end of the day we survive because of a smile of a baby."*
- *"A smile makes a huge difference in our lives."*
- *"I want actions worth spreading not just ideas."*
- *"small is beautiful."*
- *"We should be one single Global player."*
- *"It's a philosophy of taking care of yourself as also to be taking care of the others."*
- *"Yes I will make a positive difference."*