Jeff Smith was a rising politician in Missouri who was incarcerated for one year from 2009-2010. During his time in prison, he learned about the entrepreneurial potential of inmates. In his TED Talk, he argued that prisons should provide opportunities for inmates to develop business skills and nurture their entrepreneurial spirit. He maintained audience engagement by comparing business in prison to the real world and providing examples from his own experience. He followed two of the TED Commandments by using stories from his time in prison to effectively share his message and keep the audience interested.

1. Jeff Smith
Lessons in Business from prison
TED June 2012
By: Joshua McPherson

2. “[We need] to nurture the
entrepreneurial spirit and the
tremendous untapped potential in our
prisons.” (Jeff Smith)”
Jeff Smith was an ambitious politician and rising star of the
Missouri senate who was incarcerated for one year 2009-2010 for
conspiracy to obstruct justice . During his one yea stay in prison
Smith learned a lot about the prison system and how its inmates
could have the chance or should have the chance to have a
healthy start in a business field since all inmates have a huge
entrepreneurial potential in that field.

3. How did the speaker capture the
attention of the audience in his or
her introduction
Jeff Smith captures the attention of the audience by giving an
example of how things was inside the prison. And his job of
unloading trucks for 5 dollars a month. When he gave this
introduction he basically let the audience understand what he
will be talking about in relation to prison and business

4. How did the speaker maintain the
engagement of the audience
throughout his speech
Mr. Smith maintained the engagement by keeping the audience
involved in the comparison between real world business
towards the correctional system of business. By him showing
and explaining that certain way shows that even though are
prison system have prisoners that they are still have to have
entrepreneurial traits for the real world.

5. Which of the TED Commandments does the speaker best
follow. How
VI & IV Mr. Smith used these both in his interview as an advantage in
supporting his story to the success that could come the way of the inmates if
they was given the opportunity in the real world in a business atmosphere

6. Which of the TED Commandments does the speaker best
follow. Why
VI & IV Mr. Smith followed them because of the opportunity to share his
stories with the public of the importance of what inmates are faced with as
business deals as well to help the audience understand what he is trying to
teach them.

7. Evaluate the speaker in terms of
dynamism from 1 (lowest) to 5
(highest). What could
the speaker have done to increase his
or her dynamism?
5 ( Highest)
While watching the interview I would say I was understanding
what Mr. Smith was trying to teach me about how the
correctional system has various promising business
entrepreneurial traits. He gave perfect examples in how he saw
the potential in everyone that passed his way. Also he showed
and explained the value in which everything was in priced in jail
and how inmates would make transitions to add to or make value
towards their way of living.

8. What have you learned about delivery
based upon watching your presenter?
I have learned how to deliver a better interview by using every
exact bit of information that could be used to help or succeed in
giving the audience a better understanding of what I am trying to
talk to them about. His interview gave me a lot more knowledge
about how to keep the audience in your attention meaning how to
keep the audience relevant in your conversation.

9. Compare your speaker to Sir Ken Robinson from the
two videos you
watched (“Schools Kill Creativity” and “Changing
Education Paradigms”)
Sir Ken Robinson Jeff Smith
• Able to keep the audience • Able to keep the audience
entertained listening and hearing to
what he has to say
• Uses drawings to show or
explain what he is telling • Uses his past to keep his
the audience topic relevant

10. Sir Ken Robinson Jeff Smith
Contrast your speaker to Sir Ken Robinson from the
two videos you
watched (“Schools Kill Creativity” and “Changing
Education Paradigms”)
Both Speakers kept me involved in what they were explaining
in reference to their speeches I also saw that they kept the
audience in the ability to learn from their speeches

11. What tips can you give your classmates
on delivery for their upcoming
speeches based
ONLY on your TED Talk?
The tips I could give is to follow the Ted commandments in
order to explain better how the speeches are able to stay
relevant towards what the main point of their speeches are
made of. Also keep the audience entertained as well to get a
better feedback and enjoyment.

12. What I learned
The ability to share and learn from how these great speakers
have the ability to keep their speeches to stay key onto the
topic

13. What I learned cont.
Keep your interview simple and relevant in the ability to share
with the audience. When I usually give out an interview I don’t
put to much into keeping the audience active, but after
watching the speeches of both videos I will now use a better
knowledge in reaching out to my topic.

14. What I learned cont.
Finally is to use the Ted commandments in your speeches to
keep everything flowing properly and smoothly both speakers
didn’t show no sign of nervousness and was about to connect
with the audience.

15. REFERENCES
• Ted
Interviewhttp://www.ted.com/talks/jeff_smith_lessons_in_business_from_prison.ht
ml
• http://www.cityandstateny.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/jsmith.jpg
• http://www.timlonghurst.com/blog/wp-
content/uploads/2008/05/tedcommandments.jpg
• http://images.ted.com/images/ted/172559_389x292.jpg
• http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8005/7539304878_b16928e65a_m.jpg