How (and why) to follow the @TEDWomen conference, Dec. 7 & 8

Since starting this blog about women and public speaking, I'm often asked to dig up current examples--with video--of top women speakers.  After next week, when TEDWomen convenes in Washington, DC, December 7 and 8, I expect those requests will taper off, since this conference on the future of women and girls offers an array of top women (and men) speakers.

I think you should watch this conference, and you can read more about why in my recent post, "If I were speaking at TEDWomen, here's what I'd say."

Many of the speakers' talks will be released online for free in the weeks and months to come, but you can take advantage of several options if you want to follow the conference (which is sold out for in-person attendees).  Here are your options for participating in TEDWomen this weekend:

• Watch online remotely by signing up for the TEDWomen associates webcast for $100, which allows you to watch the conference live, as it's going on, and share it with up to 10 friends.
• Attend a viewing party organized as a TEDx for TEDWomen event, using this set of links to local viewing events.  There are dozens of sites around the world.  Some local events will offer additional live programming at their locations to augment the online viewing. Tip: Many of the local TEDx events also are on Twitter. Click on the local link on the TED website to find information on how to follow a local event on Twitter.
• Follow tweets about the conference using the hashtag #TEDWomen. Leading up to the conference, you're invited to complete this phrase and post to Twitter using the hashtag: "Talking about women's ideas in 2010 is ________."
• Find the conference basics:  You'll find the program for TEDWomen here, the schedule here, an alphabetical list of speakers here,

If you're attending TEDWomen, going to a local event or hosting a local event, I'd love to feature a report from you--pictures and a sense of your experience.  Email me at info[at]dontgetcaught[dot]biz with your reports from the field!

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