In this special masterclass, Julian Treasure – international speaker and TED Talk legend – explores how listening shapes the way we speak. He shares practical tools to help leaders and professionals become better listeners, stronger communicators and more impactful speakers.
On July 2, we hosted a special live session with Julian Treasure, one of the world’s leading experts on communication. Julian is known for his TED Talk “How to speak so that people want to listen,” which has been viewed over 60 million times. But in this session, he focused on a skill many overlook: listening.
Listening shapes how we speak
Julian opened with a powerful message: if you want to speak well, you need to listen well. Listening, he said, is the foundation of all effective communication – whether you’re speaking to one person or thousands.
He explained that communication doesn’t work in a straight line. Speaking and listening influence each other. The way we speak affects how people listen, and the way people listen affects how we speak. This cycle happens within a specific context – and that context matters.
The listening you’re speaking into
One of the key takeaways from the session was this question:
“What’s the listening I’m speaking into?”
Every person listens differently. We all filter what we hear through our culture, values, beliefs, emotions and assumptions. These filters shape our reality and create a unique listening experience for each of us.
Julian encouraged everyone to stop assuming that people listen the same way they do. When we ignore this, we risk speaking into a listening that doesn’t exist. Effective communicators learn to sense the listening in the room and adapt their message accordingly.
Why listening matters
Julian outlined several reasons why we must pay attention to listening:
It improves leadership. Leaders who listen build trust, morale and stronger teams. Yet only 8% of employees in a LinkedIn study said their leaders listen well.
It reduces costly miscommunication. In the US alone, miscommunication costs businesses over $1 trillion per year (State of Business Communication, The Harris Poll, 2021).
It keeps people engaged. Poor listening leads to disengagement, which costs the global economy even more – an estimated $8.8 trillion a year (State of The Global Workplace, Gallup 2023).
It strengthens relationships. Listening creates connection. Without it, relationships weaken – at work, at home, and across society.
It helps us learn and influence. Listening is essential for learning and for persuading others.
It makes us more aware. When we listen consciously, we notice how sound affects our bodies, emotions, focus and decisions.
Four steps to improve your listening
To help people listen better, Julian shared four practical steps:
Be conscious. Know that listening is an active skill, not a passive ability. Ask yourself, “Where’s the best place I could listen from right now?”
Commit. Give your full attention when it matters. Multitasking during a serious conversation breaks trust.
Show compassion and curiosity. Listen to understand, not to judge. Treat every person as someone you can learn from.
Use the PAVE method. Paraphrase what you heard. Admit the speaker’s experience as valid. Validate their point of view. Empathise with their emotions.
What next?
Julian ended with a reminder: the listening you speak into is always changing. Great communicators ask, sense and adapt – every time.
If you couldn’t join us live, you can watch the full recording below. And keep an eye out for future events where you can continue building your communication skills.
Want to learn more?
- Read Confident Presenter and Business Presentation Revolution
- To make the most of the book, take the Confident Presenter Scorecard to assess your presentation skills in less than 3 minutes
- Attend our free, live masterclass on all things presentation skills