How to speak so that people want to listen | Julian Treasure

The Power of Sound

• The human voice is one of the most powerful instruments in the world, capable of starting a war or expressing love.

“It’s the most powerful sound in the world, probably.”

Seven Deadly Sins of Speaking

• There are seven deadly sins of speaking that we should avoid.

“I’ve identified the seven deadly sins of speaking”

• One of these sins is gossiping, which is speaking negatively about someone who is absent.

“The first one is gossip.”

• Judging others is another sin, which makes it difficult for us to listen to someone who’s evaluating or appraising us.

“The second is judging.”

• Negativity is the third sin, and it is difficult to listen to someone who is always negative.

“The third is negativity.”

• Complaining and moaning are another form of negativity that makes it difficult to listen to someone.

“Another form of negativity is complaint.”

• The fourth sin is excuses, and it is frustrating when people do not take responsibility for their actions.

“The fourth one is excuses.”

• The final deadly sin is embellishing, where people exaggerate or use hyperbole.

The 4 Pillars of Communication

• There are four overarching pillars that can make anyone a better communicator.
• These four pillars are: honesty, authenticity, integrity, and love.
• Honesty refers to being straightforward and truthful. It’s important to always tell the truth and to be clear in what you’re saying.
• Authenticity means being true to yourself. This is about acting naturally and being comfortable with who you are.
• Integrity refers to acting in line with your own values. It’s important to behave in a way that represents the person you want to be.
• Love refers to genuinely caring about the people you are communicating with. It’s about wishing the best for them and wanting to help them.

“The four key cornerstones for powerful communication.”

The Importance of Honesty

• Honesty is crucial in communication. Treating communication as an opportunity to be truthful leads to more successful conversations.
• People want to hear honest opinions and feedback, even if it may not be what they want to hear.
• It’s important to be honest with yourself as well when communicating, and to ensure that you are speaking truthfully about your own feelings and beliefs.

“The “H” stands for honesty. It’s the foundation of communication.”

The Significance of Authenticity

• Authenticity involves expressing yourself in a way that is true to your identity and personality.
• People can detect when someone is being inauthentic and this can lead to mistrust and misunderstandings.
• Authenticity involves staying true to your own values, even if it means disagreeing with others.

“The “A” stands for authenticity. Just be yourself.”

The Role of Integrity in Communication

• Integrity is central to effective communication. It is important to be consistent in your words and actions.
• Acting with integrity can lead to trust and respect from others.
• It’s crucial to act in line with your own values, even if that means taking a difficult or uncomfortable position in a conversation.

“The “I” stands for integrity, doing what you say.”

The Importance of Loving the People You Communicate With

• Love in communication involves caring about the wellbeing of others and wishing the best for them.
• It’s about approaching communication as a way to build relationships and support one another.
• Loving the people you communicate with involves both genuine concern and honest feedback.

Improving your vocal delivery

• There are tools to improve your vocal delivery
• Many people do not use these tools
• With the right tools, you can improve your vocal delivery
• There are exercises that can help improve the tone of your voice

“You have amazing tools at your disposal, and very few people have the skillset to use those tools.”

Improving your vocal range

• High volume isn’t always helpful
• The middle range is more effective
• You can train to improve your vocal range
• There are techniques to help you find the right vocal range for your voice

“If you speak up in your nose, you’ll hear the difference. If I speak down from my throat… Can you hear how that affects the power of my voice?”

The importance of intonation

• Intonation refers to the musical quality of speech
• Resonance is important in effective communication
• There are sounds that humans enjoy hearing
• Effective communication involves using different tones and styles

“The sound of your voice can impact others, but where do we learn how to do this? It’s not in the school curriculum.”

The power of rhyme

• Rhyming is powerful in delivering a message
• Rhymes help make language memorable
• Repetition of rhymes improves comprehension
• Effective communicators utilize rhyming to deliver their message

Speaking with Clarity and Power

• Repeating certain phrases repeatedly could limit one’s ability to use rhymes while speaking.
• Speaking too fast is not ideal, as it can compromise the meaning of what is being said.
• Silence is a powerful tool in communication, and it’s okay to have some moments of silence.
• Using a high-pitched tone of voice to emphasize alertness is not always necessary.
• Yelling or raising the voice unnecessarily is unwise as it can cause discomfort to those around.

“Silence is powerful in communication.”

Techniques to Improve Speaking

• Preparing one’s voice before speaking is essential. One should take a few moments to warm up the voice.
• Six exercises can be done to warm up the voice before speaking. These exercises include raising the arms, long inhales and exhales, and lip trills.
• These exercises should be done before speaking to anyone important.

“Preparing the voice before speaking is essential.” (465) “There are six exercises to warm up the voice.”

Importance of these Techniques

• These techniques are crucial when preparing for an important speech, presentation, or event.
• The tools provided in the video can help one achieve confidence while speaking.
• One owes it to themselves to try the tools provided in the video.

“These techniques are important for any significant speaking event.” Speaking Techniques

• The speaker explains how to speak so that people want to listen.
• When speaking, each word should be pronounced clearly.
• Pronunciation should be practiced in the same way as an athlete practices.
• The speaker demonstrates how to pronounce “no” clearly and forcefully.
• The speaker then teaches how to pronounce “r” and “l” sounds.
• The tongue should be placed behind the teeth when pronouncing the “r” sound.
• The “r” sound can be pronounced forcefully or gently.
• The “l” sound can be pronounced in the same way.
• The speaker demonstrates how to pronounce “we” and “you” sounds.
• The “we” sound should be pronounced in a high tone, while the “you” sound should be pronounced in a low tone.
• The speaker asks the audience to practice these techniques.

“Beautiful, you’re getting good at this.”

Speaking Environment

• The speaker talks about the importance of speaking in a suitable environment.
• Sometimes, people don’t listen because of the environment, such as noise or poor acoustics.
• The speaker reminds the audience that he has spoken about this issue before.
• The speaker believes that if people can speak powerfully in a suitable environment, the world will be a better place.

“How would the world be different if we spoke like this to people who really wanted to listen?”

Better Communication

• Speaking powerfully and listening effectively can lead to a world where sounds are beautiful and communication is easy.
• The speaker believes that this is a concept that should be spread.

“Thank you very much.”