Summary of "How to Speak So That People Want to Listen | Julian Treasure | TED"
High-level summary
Julian Treasure’s talk explains how to speak in ways that make people want to listen. He identifies common speaking habits that repel listeners, offers a positive ethical framework to replace those habits, and presents practical vocal techniques and warm-ups to make speech more effective and powerful. He finishes with a call to be conscious about the sounds we create and the sound environments we inhabit.
Main ideas, concepts, and lessons
1. The problem: many people speak but are not listened to
- The human voice is extremely powerful — it can start wars or say “I love you.”
- Many common speaking habits cause listeners to tune out.
- Modern environments are noisier and often acoustically poor, which compounds the problem.
2. Seven “deadly sins” of speaking (habits to avoid)
- Gossip: speaking ill of someone who’s not present.
- Judging: putting others down or making them feel judged.
- Negativity: persistent negative tone or outlook.
- Complaining: habitual complaining that spreads “viral misery.”
- Excuses: shirking responsibility; “blamethrowing.”
- Embroidery/exaggeration: overstating and demeaning language; can lead to lying.
- Dogmatism: treating opinions as facts; conflating fact and opinion.
3. Positive ethical foundation: HAIL
Use HAIL as a guide to what you say and how you say it.
H — Honesty: be true, straight and clear. A — Authenticity: be yourself; “stand in your own truth.” I — Integrity: be your word; do what you say; be reliable. L — Love: wish people well (tempering honesty; makes judgment harder).
HAIL also evokes greeting/acclaim — the intended reception of speech built on these values.
4. The vocal “toolbox” — how you say things matters as much as what you say
- Register: where your voice sits (head, throat, chest). Lower/chest register adds perceived weight and authority.
- Timbre: the tone quality (warm, rich voices are more pleasant). Improve via breathing, posture, and exercises.
- Prosody: the melody and rhythm of speech — use pitch variation, stress, and cadence; avoid monotone and constant “upspeak.”
- Pace: speed of delivery — faster for excitement, slower for emphasis.
- Silence: purposeful pauses are powerful; avoid filler words like “um” and “ah.”
- Pitch: use relative high/low to convey emotion or emphasis.
- Volume: use loudness and softness strategically; don’t “sodcast” (broadcast constantly and inconsiderately).
5. Practical routines and behaviors
- Warm up your voice before important speaking occasions (a six-exercise routine is recommended).
- Practice and use the vocal toolbox; consider a voice coach for timbre and control.
- Aim to create and inhabit environments consciously designed for good sound; encourage better listening and sound creation in society.
Detailed, actionable methodology / instructions
A. To stop alienating listeners: give up the seven deadly sins
Consciously avoid: - Gossip - Judging - Chronic negativity - Complaining - Excuses - Exaggeration/lying - Dogmatism
B. Adopt HAIL as a guide for what to say
Before speaking, ask yourself: - Is this Honest? - Is this Authentic? - Is this in Integrity? - Am I wishing the listener well?
Temper blunt honesty with love/consideration so truth is delivered constructively.
C. Use the vocal toolbox — practical tips
- Locate and use your lower (chest) register when you want weight and authority.
- Improve timbre through breathing, posture, and targeted exercises; consider voice coaching.
- Vary prosody with pitch and rhythm to convey meaning; avoid monotone and constant question-inflection.
- Control pace: speed up for excitement; slow down for emphasis.
- Use silence and pauses intentionally to let points land.
- Use pitch and volume deliberately to signal arousal, emphasis, or intimacy; avoid always broadcasting at the same loudness.
D. Six vocal warm-up exercises (do these before important speaking)
- Deep breath and sigh: Arms up, deep inhale, sigh out “ahhhhh.” Repeat several times.
- Lip warm-up: Repeated “Ba, ba, ba, ba…” to wake up the lips.
- Lip trill/buzz: A sustained “brrrrrrrr” to energize the lips.
- Tongue exercise: Exaggerated “la, la, la, la…” to mobilize the tongue.
- Rolled R: Trill the R — “Rrrrrrr” (called “champagne for the tongue”).
- Siren (if you can do only one): Glide from high “weee” down to low “aawww” (weeeaawww) to warm the full range.
Do these warm-ups before talks, proposals, speeches, or other important speaking occasions.
E. Speaking stance and mindset
- Warm up both voice and body — “no engine runs well cold.”
- Speak consciously and wish listeners well; aim for clarity, trustworthiness, and presence.
Closing idea / call to action
Imagine a world where we create, consume, and design sound consciously — better listening, better speech, and more understanding. That is an idea worth spreading.
Speakers / sources featured
- Julian Treasure — main speaker (TED Talk presenter)
- Audience — laughter and applause (reactive, non-speaking participants)
Category
Educational
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