How To Speak What I learned from “How To Speak” by Patrick Winston (MIT) This article is based on a lecture given by renowned professor Patrick Winston on the topic of “How To Speak” so that people listen and your message gets understood and accepted. DO NOT start with a joke. CHECK. First suggestion he gives is do not start with a joke. You are familiar with Ted Talks Guides saying start with a joke so that you can grab the full attention of the guests. Patrick says this is not the correct way of starting a conversation since the audience is not ready yet to comprehend your talk. They are leaving their computers and telephones. They are settling down in their seats. Furthermore, this is only the beginning so you will need jokes to gather attention through the conversation. Do not pull the trigger that early. START with an empowerment promise. SHOCK them with unprecedented numbers, facts or insights. CHECK. How the hell am I going to start my conversation then ? Good question. I asked ...