Jordana Cole TEDx Talk
“What to Do When You Don’t Know What’s Next”
Jordana Cole is a TEDx speaker, leadership and team coach and consultant, wellbeing scholar, and applied improviser whose talk “What to Do When You Don’t Know What’s Next” has been viewed more than 300,000 times on the official TEDx YouTube channel.
The Jordana Cole TEDx talk was delivered at TEDxWarrenton in Warrenton, Virginia. It draws on two decades of leadership development experience, a Master’s in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, and years of applied improvisation work to make a deceptively simple argument: the skill you need most to lead through uncertainty is already inside you.
WATCH THE JORDANA COLE TEDX TALK
The Jordana Cole TEDx talk is available for free on the official TEDx YouTube channel.
About the Jordana Cole TEDx Talk
Most leaders are trained to have the answer: to project certainty even when faced with uncharted territory. But in a world of constant disruption and relentless change, that instinct quietly breaks teams and burns leaders out. When life goes off script, the default response is to freeze, fight, or flee. And, none of those moves gets you where you need to go.
In Jordana Cole’s TEDx talk, “What to Do When You Don’t Know What’s Next,” Jordana makes a case that surprises most people: the best leadership tool for navigating uncertainty isn’t a new framework or a better strategy. It’s improvisation (the same skill that powers great comedy and innovation), and it’s a skill that we all innately have at our disposal. Jordana’s TEDx talk introduces three specific “boosts” (plus one bonus boost) that recharges leaders to face the unknown with curiosity and capability rather than fear and friction.
After watching Jordana’s TEDx talk, audiences don’t just feel inspired. They leave recharged with a new way of seeing themselves, a fresh relationship with not-knowing, and practical tools they can use the very next day.
Key Takeaways from the Jordana Cole TEDx Talk
A reframe of uncertainty itself.
The power and permission to lead imperfectly in an ever-changing world.
Three actionable boosts (plus a bonus boost).
Jordana Cole’s TEDx talk repositions “not knowing” from a vulnerability into a leadership advantage.
Three actionable boosts (plus a bonus boost).
The power and permission to lead imperfectly in an ever-changing world.
Three actionable boosts (plus a bonus boost).
This isn’t a talk that leaves you motivated but empty-handed. Jordana’s talk gives you concrete tools to navigate ambiguity, create empowerment, and lead yourself and others better through work and life.
The power and permission to lead imperfectly in an ever-changing world.
The power and permission to lead imperfectly in an ever-changing world.
The power and permission to lead imperfectly in an ever-changing world.
One of the most resonant ideas in the Jordana Cole TEDx talk is that the best leaders aren’t the ones who always have the answer. They’re the ones who keep moving forward with presence, adaptability, strength, and partnership, especially when the answer is unclear.
Behind the Scenes: Why Jordana Cole Took the TEDx Stage
A Career in the Making
The talk represents the culmination of 20 years of leadership coaching, global development work, and graduate research in Applied Positive Psychology at Penn.
The Problem Identified
Jordana observed a recurring pattern where leaders default to rigidity and control during uncertainty, exactly when their teams require the most flexibility.
Proven Solutions
Her message is grounded in both academic research and real-world transformations seen throughout her years of working with clients.
A Timely Message
As global uncertainty accelerates, the talk serves as a vital intervention for a modern workforce struggling to navigate the unknown.
What People Are Saying About the Jordana Cole TEDx Talk
“Hands down one of the best TEDx talks I’ve ever heard.”
— Fellow TEDx Speaker
“Jordana is a breath of much-needed air. In a world full of uncertainty and fear, Jordana teaches us how to transform leadership and ourselves through spontaneity, improv, and fun. Jordana is one of the most transformative leaders I know.”
— Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman | Author of Transcend and Choose Growth, Host of The Psychology Podcast
“Improvisation isn’t something we learn, it is something we remember. Thanks, Jordana, for always leading the way with new thinking, helping us be our best selves.”
— John P., Marketing Executive
“I absolutely loved your thought-provoking talk. Your connection with the audience was meaningful and your energy and confidence were electrifying. I’m only grateful I was one of the people privileged enough to sit in live to experience your talk when you delivered it.”
— Sylvia B. | Keynote Speaker and Author
“Fantastic talk! Love ‘Improvisation is something you remember.’ Brilliant!”
— Kelly Leonard | VP of Second City, Author of Yes And
“I loved this TEDx talk!!! The most powerful takeaway for me: ‘We’re conditioned to believe at a young age that the path to success is fixing our weaknesses and becoming well rounded… true success comes from activating our potential which relies on our strengths.’”
— Sara Murray | Host of Prospecting on Purpose Podcast
Work with Jordana Cole
The Jordana Cole TEDx talk is a window into a body of work that Jordana brings directly to leaders and organizations every day. Through individual coaching, team workshops, leadership programs, and organizational consulting, she helps people and organizations build the mindsets, skills, and habits that don’t just inspire, they stick and spread.
If the message of this talk resonated with you, and you want to learn how Jordana can help you or your organization spark transformation, the next step is simple.
Frequently Asked Questions
Jordana Cole is a leadership coach, learning and development expert, and applied improviser with twenty years of experience helping individuals, teams, and organizations navigate change and lead with greater impact. By merging research with real-world application into accessible, actionable packages in an authentic and energizing way, Jordana does more than coach, train, and consult.
She sparks behavioral change and organizational transformation that doesn’t just stick, it spreads. Jordana holds a Master’s in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) through the International Coaching Federation, and is the founder of Ignited. She’s coached and trained thousands of leaders worldwide spanning levels and industries, including nonprofit, fortune 50s, and everything in between.
The central message of Jordana Cole’s TEDx talk is that improvisation is the key, and innate capability, to lead ourselves and others better through uncertainty. Rather than freezing, fighting, or fleeing when life goes off script, we can tap into our core power to respond with curiosity, capability, and flexibility. “What to Do When You Don’t Know What’s Next” introduces three “boosts” (plus one bonus boost) anyone can use to recharge and reactivate their inner improviser.
The Jordana Cole TEDx talk offers four core insights: First, that improvisation isn’t something we learn to do, it’s core to who we are as human beings. Second, uncertainty isn’t the problem, our habitual response to it is. Third, the best leaders don’t push through uncertainty with command and control approaches. They move forward with presence, curiosity, collaboration, strength, and playfulness. And fourth, wherever and however we lead (whether it be at home, at work, or in communities), we do it more effectively when we lead together rather than in isolation.
The Jordana Cole TEDx talk, “What to Do When You Don’t Know What’s Next,” is available for free on the official TEDx YouTube channel. You can also watch the Jordana Cole TEDx talk directly on this page.
Beyond Jordana’s TEDx talk, Jordana works with leaders and organizations through coaching, workshops, leadership programs, and consulting. Her approach is grounded in the same philosophy behind her talk: translating research and best practice into actionable, accessible packages that spark real behavioral change - that doesn’t just stick, it spreads. Whether you or your team is navigating growth, transition, or sustained uncertainty, Jordana helps build the habits and mindsets to sustainably thrive.