For all of you out there that are educating yourself consistently on the internet, what I am about to say will be old news. Not how it effects me but of its existence. I have been asked to speak at a TEDx conference later this year in Monterey, CA. Before I got the invitation I had heard about TED from friends but had no idea what it really was.

After accepting the invitation I did a little research on TED and began to realize that the short videos being shown on their site were on a variety of topics and are viewed in some cases by millions of people. Some of the speakers are known worldwide and some I had never heard of before.

So whats my point? My point is that TED is an example that the influence generated daily on the internet is huge (I know you know this). The question is: Are we being responsible for all that power?

In working with the people who are putting on the TEDx conference, I am impressed by the ground rules for participating: purely educational; no commercials; and precisely timed talks. In addition, they are involved with the subject matter so as to insure a quality event. Contrast that with what else you can find on the internet and, of course, television you can find a huge disparity in quality.

Dont get me wrong. I am a freedom of speech guy. I am not proposing controls of some kind. What I am saying is we have a need to exercise our creativity in the way we educate and that the internet will continue to grow as a source for people if quality is the intention. This is especially so for the younger generations who have always had availability to the internet and use it on a regular basis.

We also need to have a conscience about what is acceptable and what is not. If we can focus on what is valuable to the learner and not what is the most profitable we have a chance.

I think that when value is created for people, profitability will follow. I am all for people earning lots of money. I just think the profit needs to represent the difference we make in peoples lives.

In my first career as a basketball coach I never coached for the money. I just knew that coaches could make a difference. I probably erred too much on the side of not paying attention to the money. Still, no regrets.

At the end of the day, all we have is the knowledge that we added value to someones life. Hopefully a bunch of those someones.

Be sure to check out Coach Todds latest book, The Art of Losing, Coaching Athletics and Thriving in a Made-for-TV World . It is available on lulu.com or vervante.com
Great information for coaches and leaders in any field.