The first positive commandment that we have regarding Lashon Hara is "Remember what the L–rd your G–d did to Miriam on the way when you went out of Egypt."  The fact that Miriam was still punished even in these favorable circumstances teaches us how much more so we have to be careful in our own situations.  Miriam spoke about her beloved brother for whom she endangered herself as well as helped raise, and the actual words she said were comparing Moshe to other prophets, by which he was not offended.  Yet Miriam was still punished.  If a person is involved in conversation with others and prone to forget about not speaking Lashon Hara, this mitzvah would take effect - to think about what happened to Miriam as a tool to avert improper speech.

Chofetz Chaim, Introduction (Asei)

הַמְרַגֵּל בַּחֲבֵרוֹ, מִלְּבַד הַלָּאוִין שֶׁמָנִינוּ לְעִיל, עוֹבֵר גַּם כֵּן עַל כַּמָה עַשִׂין, וַאֲבָאֲרֵם בְּעֶזְרַת ה' יִתְבָּרַךְ אֶחָד לְאֶחָד.

Zechor L'Miriam

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