Elim Chew displays a high Sensitivity Quotient in her TEDxNTU presentation

You love watching TED Talks ...but are you ready to give one?

77th Street and FastFast founder Elim Chew excelled in her presentation on "Sensitivity Quotient (SQ)" at a TEDxNTU event, and makes our shortlist for the Hong Bao Media Savvy Awards 2018 this week.

Throughout her 11 minute speech, Chew checked all the boxes. She had a clear message, a strong set of stories and examples, and she used several other techniques to attain, retain and regain the attention of her audience of Nanyang Technological University students.

Her topic of SQ was itself of interest, because it highlights the need for empathy, a key feature of excellence in communications.

I am shortlisting her for the Best Conference Presentation category of the Hong Bao Media Savvy Awards 2018 this week for these reasons:

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We launched the Hong Bao Media Savvy Awards to recognise local leaders for their communications skills, and to showcase authentic and credible home-grown communicators. Here are our previous nominees:

Desmond Kuek: Will you resign?

Are you a demanding boss, Lee Lik Hsin?

Star Alliance CEO: Local business leader is a star media performer

Budget 2018: Iswaran balances selling it, and explaining it

Henry Chu: BreadTalk CEO on a roll in CNBC interview

Kurt Wee: you don't need to be big to be media savvy

These are shining examples for other local business leaders to follow, and to build a culture of excellence in communication, to maximise the potential of Asian companies in the Asian Century.

Each week until April 30, 2018, we are shortlisting a local corporate figure who has demonstrated excellence in a media appearance for the Hong Bao Media Savvy Awards 2018.

Click on this link to enter yourself or another Senior Business Leader.

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1. An imperative message - She opens with a message which prompts her audience of university students to want to know more: "Sensitivity Quotient is the thing that's missing in your life today".
2. Rhetorical questions - Chew also asks several questions: "What is missing in your life today?" and "Does the internet connect us, or does the internet disconnect us?" Standing on stage she doesn't really expect an answer. But her questions engage her audience more than if she lectured or "presented at" them.
3. Repetition - She repeats her message several times. This would be superfluous in a written article, where the reader has the opportunity to re-read. But by repeating her points she ensures her message gets across.
4. Stories and examples - She gave a few throughout her speech (scan through for the lobster, stewardess and comedian examples). It's so easy to imagine being there with her.

All up, local business leaders have one of their own to look to as a strong example of how to give an engaging conference presentation.

The Hong Bao Media Savvy Awards 2018 are about highlighting local business leaders who speak well in public.

We would like to feature more women (and not just because it's International Women's Day this Thursday), and local business leaders from diverse backgrounds.

If you know a local business leader who performs well in the traditional media, new media or TED Talks, click on the link below to nominate them.