One of the most valuable lectures ever recorded at MIT - Patrick Winston’s legendary “How to Speak” talk that he gave annually for over 40 years.

The Video#

Why This Matters#

Your ability to speak effectively is perhaps the greatest multiplier of your knowledge and ideas. Patrick Winston, MIT professor who taught AI and cognitive science, understood that brilliant ideas mean nothing if you can’t communicate them.

Key Takeaways#

The Quality of Your Communication#

Success in life is determined by:

  • Quality of your ideas
  • Quality of your communication
  • How much passion you have

Winston argues that communication quality can make up for deficiencies in the other areas.

The Rule of Engagement#

No laptops, no phones during talks. Human beings have only one language processor - you cannot multitask communication.

How to Start#

DON’T start with a joke - People aren’t ready, they’re still getting settled.

DO start with empowerment - Promise them what they’ll learn and why it matters to them.

The Power of Repetition#

Tell them 3 times:

  1. Tell them what you’re going to tell them
  2. Tell them
  3. Tell them what you told them

Building a Fence#

Build a “fence” around your idea by explaining what it is NOT. This helps people understand the boundaries of your concept.

Use of the Board#

  • Board work has magic - It controls pace and engages multiple parts of the brain
  • Speed matters - Write at a pace people can follow
  • Graphics complement text - Don’t just duplicate, enhance

The Power of Props#

Physical demonstrations are remembered. They break the pattern and engage different learning modalities.

How to End#

DON’T end with “Thank You” - It’s weak and implies they did you a favor by listening.

DO end with a contribution - Summarize what you’ve given them. End with a salute to the audience, not yourself.

The Final Slide#

Your final slide should NOT be:

  • “Questions?”
  • “Thank You”
  • References

It SHOULD be your key contribution - because it might stay up for 5-10 minutes during Q&A.

Time and Place#

Best time: 11 AM (people are awake but not yet thinking about lunch)

Best place: Well-lit room where you can see the audience

Worst time: Right after lunch

For Job Talks#

The 5 Essential Components:#

  1. Vision - The problem and why it matters
  2. Done something - Your concrete achievement
  3. Contributions - Your specific innovations (list them!)
  4. Details - Prove you can think deeply
  5. Connect - Show you can work with others

Winston’s Star Formula#

For truly memorable talks:

  • Symbol - Associate your work with a visual symbol
  • Slogan - A memorable phrase (not “catchy” - that’s for diseases)
  • Surprise - Something unexpected that reframes understanding
  • Salient - The one thing that stands out
  • Story - How you did it, told as a narrative

The Passion Principle#

“If you don’t feel passionate about what you’re talking about, DON’T talk about it.”

Personal Reflection#

This lecture transformed how I think about communication. Winston doesn’t just teach techniques - he demonstrates them throughout the talk. Watch how he:

  • Starts with empowerment
  • Uses the board strategically
  • Employs props effectively
  • Ends with contribution, not thanks

Every academic, engineer, and knowledge worker should watch this annually. Your ideas deserve to be heard, but only great communication will make that happen.

Patrick Winston (1943-2019) was a beloved MIT professor who taught this course every year until his passing. This lecture is his lasting gift to anyone who seeks to communicate better.