Ted Talks Review (Julian Treasure: How To Speak So That People Want To Listen)

What was the topic and argument of the presentation?

To sum it all up, this presentation is about the mistakes people make when speaking and the ways we can change it so that we speak in a way that will get people to listen to us and our ideas.

How were visual or other props used in the presentation? Was it effective?

There were was a powerpoint in the background. I thought it was effective and a bit humorous. He used photos of random people when talking about our speaking habits. He showed lists of words he wanted to emphasis when showing the mistakes we make when speaking and what to work on.

Were questions asked? Humor used? How was the pacing?

The first question in the beginning was “Many people have the experience that when they talk, people don’t listen to them. Why is that? How can we speak powerfully to change the world?”

There was humor used slightly. He stood in one spot the entire time and still commanded the audience. Small pauses were used and he even pointed out that silence is okay.

Was there a ‘path’ through the presentation?

Yes, he questions why people don't listen to us, what we do wrong when speaking to others, and goes on to say how we can change that. You could tell that he had a direction, he never got off topic.

Were you engaged or inspired?

I was engaged in the presentation and some of the things he pointed out I had not thought of before. For instance, he makes the point that speaking from your chest carries weight and people are more likely to listen. He points out that we usually vote for politicians with lower voices because we associate depth with power/authority which I thought was pretty interesting. I am definitely inspired to practice his advice in my everyday conversations.

The video for those interested: