How to Speak So That People Want to Listen (Julian Treasure, TEDGlobal 2013)
Sound expert Julian Treasure's short TED talk on the habits that make people stop listening, the foundations of speech that people trust, and the vocal tools (register, pace, pitch, volume and more) that make you easier to listen to. Under 10 minutes and useful before any presentation.
Video
Career Growth
Julian Treasure (TEDGlobal 2013)
10 min talk
All
Free
What it is
How to Speak So That People Want to Listen is a talk by Julian Treasure, a sound and communication expert, given at TEDGlobal in June 2013. In under 10 minutes he covers what to avoid when you speak, what makes speech trustworthy, and how to use your voice better. It ends with a short vocal warm-up you can try on the spot.
The ideas that matter most
- Habits that make people stop listening. Treasure lists seven: gossip, judging, negativity, complaining, excuses, exaggeration that slides into lying, and dogmatism (confusing facts with opinions).
- Four foundations of powerful speech. He uses the word HAIL: honesty, authenticity, integrity and love (wishing people well).
- Your voice is a toolbox. Register (speaking from the chest, not the throat), timbre (the warmth of your voice), prosody (the melody that avoids a flat monotone), pace, pitch and volume. Using silence on purpose is powerful too.
- Warm up. Like athletes, speakers can warm up their voice and face before an important talk.
Honest limits
The talk is brief and the vocal tips are a starting point, not training. If English is your second language, do not try to change your accent to sound "right"; clarity, pace and pausing matter far more than accent. Practice and feedback, for example at a speaking club, are what turn these tips into habits.
Who it suits
Students presenting in class, juniors speaking in meetings, and anyone who feels people tune out when they talk.
How to use it well
- Watch it, then record yourself reading a paragraph for one minute.
- Listen back and change one thing: slower pace, more pauses, or varied pitch.
- Try the warm-up before your next presentation and notice the difference.
Pair it with on Sefism
- Follow Speaking and being heard.
- Use it alongside BBC Learning English if you are building fluency.
- Build steady confidence with Building real confidence.
- For advice on your own situation, ask Tauseef a question.
Best for: quick, practical tips on sounding clear and worth listening to.
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