In this 63 minute ‘How to speak’ clip professor Patrick Winston of MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) maintains success in life will largely be determined by these three things (listed in order of importance).

1. Your ability to speak

2. Your ability to write

3. The quality of your ideas

I’ve never heard a better distilled definition of success. Winston shares a plethora of practical speaking and presentation ideas that you can use. Don’t be put off by his imperious manner, ‘school teacher’ demand at the start of the clip. If your time pressed let me suggest you watch for just 90 seconds (the 24:00 – 25:30 minute section of the clip) where Winston shares a humorous vignette about the use of slides.

Own the Conversation

Let me suggest you commit to do this one of these simple, achievable things with the vignette about slides in mind. BEFORE your next presentation: a. Reduce the number of words on your slides, or b. Reduce the number of slides. Delete a slide(s) that doesn’t support your key message.