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

“Wise men speak because they have something to say, fools because they have to say something”. Quoted by Plato centuries ago, it continues to have a profound impact on the modern world. For a long time, I felt like I was caught in the middle having something important to say, but being so focused on just saying it I ended up making no real impact, walking out of discussions feeling like just adding to the noise and not truly connecting all of which was so frustrating it makes us wonder What’s the point of speaking if no one is really listening?

Julian Treasure

Julian Treasure, in his powerful TED talk, addresses the problem that we're all getting worse at listening, which means we have to improve our ability to speak with intention. His breakdown of the “seven deadly sins of speaking,” such as gossiping, negativity, and judging, actually reveals to us how often we unintentionally push people away with our own words.

The best part? He doesn’t just leave us with the problem, but also provides a toolkit in the form of HAIL, his acronym that stands for Honesty, Authenticity, Integrity, and Love.

It should actually be our mantra for conversations. It's a simple reminder that the goal isn’t just to be heard, but to connect, shifting the focus from trying to sound smart to simply being genuine.

Ultimately, this efficient yet straightforward mantra is not just for big speeches, it is for the daily chats, group discussions and heart-to-hearts. It teaches us that our voice is an instrument, and it's up to us to play it with purpose. Now the question I ask myself isn’t just “what do I want to say?” but “how do I want to make others feel?” and that has made all the difference.

"Words are seeds, and when you speak them, you are planting a garden. You can plant flowers, or you can plant weeds." — Osho

Credits

Ben Joe Kuriakose

2025-27