You're listening to a special archive presentation of TED Talks audio. This talk features sound consultant Julian Treasure, recorded live at TED Global 2013.

The human voice. It's the instrument we all play. It's the most powerful sound in the world, probably. It's the only one that can start a war

or say, I love you. And yet many people have the experience that when they speak, people don't

listen to them. Why is that? How can we speak powerfully to make change in the world? What I'd like to

suggest, there are a number of habits that we need to move away from. I've assembled

for your pleasure here, seven deadly sins of speaking. I'm not pretending this is an exhaustive

list, but these seven, I think, are pretty large. Habits that we can all fall into. First, gossip.

Speaking ill of somebody who's not present. Not a nice habit and we know perfectly well.

The person gossiping five minutes later will be gossiping about us. Second, judging. We know people

who are like this in conversation and it's very hard to listen to somebody if you know that you're

being judged and found wanting at the same time.

Third, negativity.

You can fall into this.

My mother in the last years of her life became very, very negative,

and it's hard to listen.

I remember one day I said to her, it's October the 1st today,

and she said, I know, isn't it dreadful?

It's hard to listen when somebody's that negative. And another form of negativity,

complaining. Well, this is the national art of the UK. It's our national sport. We complain about

the weather, about sport, about politics, about everything. But actually complaining is viral

misery.

It's not spreading sunshine and lightness in the world.

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