How to Speak So That People Want to Listen

Julian Treasure, a sound and communication consultant, delivers a concise masterclass in the often-overlooked skill of speaking effectively. He identifies the “seven deadly sins” of speaking—gossip, judging, negativity, complaining, excuses, exaggeration, and dogmatism—that cause people to tune out, then offers positive alternatives through the acronym HAIL: Honesty, Authenticity, Integrity, and Love (wishing people well). But Treasure goes beyond content to explore the instruments we use to deliver that content—our voices.

Treasure provides practical vocal exercises and techniques that anyone can use to make their speaking more compelling. He covers register (speaking from the chest rather than the nose or throat for authority), timbre (the richness of voice quality), prosody (the musicality and variation that conveys meaning), pace (using silence and rhythm), pitch (varying high and low), and volume (strategic use of loud and quiet). His demonstration of how changing just these vocal elements can transform the same sentence shows that how we say something is often more important than what we say.

In an era dominated by text-based communication, Treasure’s focus on the power of the human voice feels both countercultural and essential. For anyone who speaks publicly, leads meetings, teaches, or simply wants to be heard and understood in conversation, this talk offers immediately applicable tools. The exercises he shares—humming to warm up the voice, practicing vocal range, deliberate use of silence—can transform not just how others receive our words but how confident we feel delivering them. It’s a reminder that effective communication is a learnable skill, not just an innate talent.