Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques (Matt Abrahams, Think Fast Talk Smart)
Explore every episode of Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques
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| 17 Dec 2024 | 174. Fix Meetings: Transform Gatherings Into Meaningful Moments | 00:20:06 | |
Turn any meeting or get-together into a chance for deep connection and collaboration. Whether you’re holding a team meeting or hosting a family get-together, the success of any gathering, says Priya Parker, isn’t about the perfect agenda or venue, but about the intentionality behind how you bring people together. “90% of the success of any gathering happens before anyone enters the room,” says Parker. As the author of The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters, and a strategic advisor who has helped organizations worldwide reimagine their gatherings, Parker believes that thoughtful preparation can turn any meeting, whether professional or personal, into a meaningful and memorable experience for all involved. “Intentionality is the first step,” she says, “to pause and ask: why are we doing this? What is the purpose? What is the need in this community or in this classroom or in this team?” In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Parker joins Matt Abrahams to explore the art of meaningful gatherings, sharing practical strategies for everything from crafting invitations that prime engagement to designing powerful closings that leave a lasting impact. By being more thoughtful in bringing people together, we can transform ordinary meetings into extraordinary opportunities for connection and collaboration. Episode Reference Links:
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| 07 Jan 2025 | 177. Don’t Resolve, Evolve: Top 10 Lessons For 2025 | 00:21:39 | |
Ten essential communication strategies designed to elevate your skills. 2024 has been an incredible year for learning and growth, and as we head into 2025, there’s no better time to reflect on the skills and strategies that can shape our communication and careers. In this special episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Matt Abrahams takes us through ten standout lessons from the past year. These aren’t just ideas to remember — they’re practices to evolve with. From Priya Parker’s insights on generous authority to Huggy Rao’s call to cut through jargon monoxide, each concept highlights how small shifts in mindset and behavior can lead to big transformations. With actionable advice and real-world examples, this episode is packed with inspiration to help you Think Fast, Talk Smart, and communicate better in the year ahead. Thank you to our Sponsor Superhuman for offering the TFTS community one month free.
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| 24 Dec 2024 | 175. Mastering Toasts and Tributes: Making Your Words Count | 00:16:05 | |
Crafting impactful toasts for every occasion. "Almost reflexively, most of us focus in the moment on how others are perceiving us, yet these situations aren't about us at all." Matt Abrahams, host of Think Fast, Talk Smart, shares an excerpt from his book, Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You're Put on the Spot, on the art of delivering effective toasts and tributes. With a focus on public speaking in celebratory contexts, he offers a structured approach to crafting meaningful remarks. Audio excerpt courtesy of Simon & Schuster Audio from THINK FASTER, TALK SMARTER by Matt Abrahams, read by the author. Copyright 2023 by Matthew Abrahams LLC. Used with permission of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
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| 26 Dec 2024 | Ask Matt Anything (AMA) 1: Trust, Paraphrasing, and Nonverbal Cues | 00:15:49 | |
Enjoy this preview of our first Ask Matt Anything (AMA). We are excited to introduce this special edition of Think Fast, Talk Smart, featuring a preview of our first-ever Ask Matt Anything (AMA) episode. Typically, these sessions are exclusive to our Think Fast, Talk Smart Premium members, where Matt Abrahams answers the most pressing communication questions submitted by our premium community. Episode Reference Links:
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| 18 Feb 2025 | 186. Own Your Impact: How to Communicate Your Personal Power | 00:21:04 | |
Why good communication starts with tapping into your power. Impactful communication isn’t just about the words you use. According to Chris Lipp, it’s about the power you deliver them with. “When we have a belief in ourselves, what we say changes,” says Lipp, a professor at Tulane University’s Freeman School of Business and author of The Science of Personal Power. Throughout his career as an academic and communications coach for entrepreneurs, he’s explored how tapping into personal power can transform our messages and the impact they create. "Personal power is our belief in our own capability to create impact,” he says. “When things [take] shape on the inside, we think differently, we behave differently... and other people perceive that power." In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Lipp and Matt Abrahams explore how our mindset shapes our message, sharing research-backed strategies for communicating with power. From embracing authenticity to staying grounded in our values, Lipp reveals how strong communication starts by building strength within. This episode is brought to you by Loom. Try Loom for free today at loom.com/thinkfast. Episode Reference Links:
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| 10 Dec 2024 | 173. Rethinks: Surviving the Holidays | 00:14:21 | |
Master holiday conversations. The holiday season is a time of joy, connection, and, occasionally, communication challenges and as we gather with family, friends, and colleagues, effective communication becomes crucial. To help make this time more enjoyable, this special Think Fast Talk Smart “Rethinks” episode revisits favorite “recipes” from past Stanford guests along with Matt’s advice for tackling three common holiday scenarios: contributing effectively to ongoing conversations, engaging in meaningful small talk, and managing conflict with clarity and empathy. Whether it's making small talk or resolving conflicts, these strategies aim to turn holiday communication hurdles into opportunities for connection and collaboration. Episode Reference Links: Connect:
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| 26 Sep 2024 | Bonus: How to Manage Speaking Anxiety the Think Faster, Talk Smarter Way | 00:20:46 | |
Gain control over your speaking and excel in your communication. For the first anniversary of his book Think Faster, Talk Smarter, Matt Abrahams shares strategies from the first chapter, focusing on managing speaking anxiety and improving spontaneous communication. Through personal anecdotes and practical techniques, he explains how to handle unexpected questions, reframe anxiety as excitement, and use mindfulness and breathing exercises to stay calm under pressure. The episode also offers tips for managing physical symptoms of anxiety and staying mentally focused during high-stakes situations Audio excerpt courtesy of Simon & Schuster Audio from THINK FASTER, TALK SMARTER by Matt Abrahams, read by the author. Copyright 2023 by Matthew Abrahams LLC. Used with permission of Simon & Schuster, Inc. Reference Links:
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| 25 Mar 2025 | 193. Conquer questions: ADDing Value To Your Answers | 00:11:59 | |
Turn Q&A from nerve-wracking to confidence-boosting with strategies for clear, controlled answers. A great presentation doesn’t end with the final slide—it continues through the Q&A, where real engagement happens. Yet, for many speakers, this is the most nerve-wracking part. In this episode, Matt Abrahams explores why Q&A can feel intimidating and how shifting your mindset can turn it into an opportunity rather than a challenge. Drawing from his book, Speaking Up Without Freaking Out, he shares expert-backed techniques for structuring responses, managing audience expectations, and maintaining composure under pressure. Whether you're facing a tough crowd or just want to refine your speaking skills, you’ll walk away with the confidence to command the room—no matter the question. Audio excerpt based on Speaking Up without Freaking Out by Matt Abrahams (printed book by Kendall Hunt Publishing 2016), read by the author. Copyright 2024 by Matthew Abrahams LLC. Episode Reference Links: Connect:
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| 14 Jan 2025 | 178. Navigating Chaos and Uncertainty: The Power of Transparency and Empathy | 00:20:22 | |
Clear communication during times of uncertainty. Whether leading people through a 15-minute meeting or a years-long pandemic, communication requires compassion. For Dr. Anthony Fauci, that means being clear about who we’re speaking to and concise in what we say. As one of the world's leading experts in infectious diseases and public health, Fauci has been America's most trusted voice during the COVID-19 pandemic and other health crises. Whether addressing groups of fellow scientists and specialists or everyday people, his communication approach is the same. "Know your audience," he says. "Decide what your message is and make it crisp [and] clear." In addition to being clear about the known facts, Fauci advocates for equal transparency about the unknowns. "Be totally transparent into what you know and what you don't know," he says. "Transparency, honesty and a little bit of humility — let the audience know that you don't know everything." In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Fauci joins Matt Abrahams to discuss how leaders can communicate more effectively by staying focused on what matters most. From managing uncertainty to handling contentious interactions, they explore how clarity and transparency build trust and drive results. Thank you to our Sponsor Superhuman for offering the TFTS community one month free.
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| 31 Dec 2024 | 176. From Stereotypes to Synergy: Communicating Across Generations | 00:19:15 | |
Age diversity and cross-generational synergy can transform an organization. Most of us know age diversity matters in the workplace. But according to UCLA’s Bob McCann, we're thinking about it all wrong: it's not just about having different generations present — it's about creating meaningful connections between them. As director of UCLA's Leadership Communication Program and founder of the McCann Group, McCann has spent years researching intergenerational workplace dynamics. With four to six generations now working side by side, he says there’s never been a better time to create synergies between the old and the young. "There's a tremendous opportunity for meeting and interacting with people who are different than you, for increasing a variety of potential outcomes in business in a positive way, if we can maximize our intergenerational engagement," he says. His research reveals that while many organizations focus on gender and ethnic diversity, age diversity often gets overlooked in DEI initiatives — despite its crucial role in workplace success. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, McCann joins Matt Abrahams to discuss how organizations can move beyond superficial age diversity to create meaningful cross-generational connections. From reverse mentoring programs to shadow boards, they explore practical ways leaders can harness the power of generational difference to drive innovation and collaboration.
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| 05 Nov 2024 | 167. Hollywood Lessons For Successful Communication | 00:22:43 | |
Beyond the Big Screen. Every business meeting, product launch, or marketing communication has something in common with your favorite movie: they all succeed or fail based on their ability to make you feel something. Just ask Jeff Small, CEO of Amblin Partners. "Good stories win," says Small, who leads one of the world's most renowned independent film and television companies alongside Steven Spielberg. As both a business leader and storytelling expert, Small knows that successful communication is built on person-to-person connection through the power of story. "Whatever walk of life you're in, you have to be able to tell a story to connect with people, to get across the message that you're trying to get across." In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Small joins host Matt Abrahams to share insights from his experience at the intersection of creativity and commerce, unpacking how effective storytelling can transform your communication, whether leading teams through industry disruption, resolving conflicts at work and at home, or creating films to inspire audiences for generations to come.
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| 08 Apr 2025 | 196. Ditch the Dictionary: Communicate Confidently Through Connection | 00:22:29 | |
Communication isn’t about perfect word choice, it’s about connecting with others. For native speakers and language learners alike, communicating comes with all kinds of challenges. But no matter how much we stumble over our words, Lindsay McMahon says communication isn’t about perfection — it’s about connection. The CEO and founder of All Ears English and host of the All Ears English podcast, McMahon is on a mission to help non-native English speakers around the world hone their ability to communicate and connect. Whether you’re forming your first sentences in a new language or giving a presentation in the language you’ve spoken your whole life, “It's about human connection,” she says. “What really matters is are we connecting to our audience… the human being[s] in front of us?” In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, McMahon joins host Matt Abrahams to explore strategies for improving our communication — not by finding the right words, but by finding the right mindset. From active listening and cultural awareness to quieting nerves and building confidence, McMahon's practical approaches help communicators connect more authentically in any language or context. Episode Reference Links:
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| 19 Nov 2024 | 169. Don't Be a ZQ: Make Your Conversations Count | 00:24:34 | |
What makes a great conversation? “Many of us dread small talk,” says Harvard Business School professor and author Alison Wood Brooks. Yet she believes these everyday exchanges are the gateway to deeper connection and opportunity. An expert in the science of conversation, Wood Brooks, teaches a popular course titled Talk and has spent years researching what makes a great conversation. "Big things often start with small talk," she notes. "It’s not about avoiding it; it’s about knowing how to use it to uncover something meaningful." Episode Reference Links:
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| 03 Apr 2025 | 195. Q&A on Conflict, Confidence, and Connection: Me2We 2025 Part 2 | 00:13:15 | |
Stanford experts answer live questions on leadership, authenticity, and communication. What happens when four top Stanford thinkers take live questions from a room full of leaders? In Part 2 of this special Think Fast, Talk Smart series from the Stanford LEAD Me2We Conference, Matt Abrahams and his panel of expert GSB faculty—Allison Kluger, Naomi Bagdonas, Christian Wheeler, and Nir Halevy—answer questions from a live audience. They cover real-world challenges around leadership, authenticity, psychological safety, and managing your reputation in complex environments. With honest reflections and actionable advice, their answers offer a candid look at what it takes to lead with intention while staying true to yourself. Episode Reference Links:
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| 22 Oct 2024 | 165. Building Your Personal Brand Makes a Promise: Are You Keeping It? | 00:22:34 | |
Create more meaningful communication by defining your audience. As a best-selling author, entrepreneur, and marketing expert, Godin understands that effective communication rests on purpose and intent. “Branding is not logoing,” he says, but a “promise” that an individual or company makes about who they are and what others can expect of them. By intentionally defining who we are and who our audience is, Godin argues we can create more meaningful connections and drive real change. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Godin and host Matt Abrahams explore how we can be more deliberate in our communication, using storytelling, clarity of messaging, and defining the impact we want to make on our audience and the world. Episode Reference Links:
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| 28 Jan 2025 | 181. Why Happiness is a Direction, Not a Destination: Communication, Happiness & Wellbeing | 00:24:23 | |
Why connection is the key to a life well lived. The new year gives us an opportunity to reflect on who we are and who we want to be. As we set resolutions and prepare for evolutions, this special four-part series on communication, happiness, and well-being explores practical ways to enhance our lives through better communication, deeper connections, and more meaningful choices. When it comes to happiness, Arthur Brooks says it’s not about reaching a destination — it's about heading in the right direction. And according to him, that direction is fundamentally about relationships. "Loving more people... more and more love... if you pursue that, you will defy the trends and get happier,” says Brooks, a social scientist, Harvard Business School professor, and author of several books including Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier, cowritten with Oprah Winfrey. According to him, a happy life is made of enjoyment, satisfaction, and meaning, which we cultivate through connection with others. "Faith, family, friends, and work, that's your basic happiness 401k plan,” he says. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Brooks and host Matt Abrahams explore the fundamental role of relationships in creating a happy life, and how effective communication helps us build and maintain these essential connections. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at BetterHelp.com/ThinkFast and get ten percent off your first month. Episode Reference Links: Connect:
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| 11 Feb 2025 | 185. Say Less, Mean More: Craft Compelling Communication | 00:19:43 | |
How to captivate an audience and make your message stick.
A renowned author, speaker, and entrepreneur, Kawasaki knows that the point of great storytelling isn’t about information, it’s about emotion. “Too many speakers think, ‘I need to inform my audience. I need to get my story across,’” he says. But throughout his career, formerly as Chief Evangelist at Apple and now co-founder of Canva, he’s shown how successful communication is about captivating audiences, not conveying facts. “If you entertain people, you have a chance of informing them.” In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Kawasaki joins Matt Abrahams to explore practical strategies for building decks, structuring presentations, and tips for keeping audiences engaged. From investor pitches to keynote presentations, these strategies help create effective storytelling — in business and beyond.
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| 04 Feb 2025 | 183. Rethinks: How Anxiety Can Fuel Better Communication | 00:27:20 | |
Reframe anxiety as a strength and use stress to enhance your communication. Stress, anxiety, nervousness — when these feelings inevitably arise, lecturer Kelly McGonigal says it’s not about making them go away, but using them to your advantage. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, McGonigal and host Matt Abrahams discuss how to channel stress toward more effective communication and to a deeper connection to our own purpose and meaning. This episode is brought to you by Loom. Try Loom for free today at loom.com/thinkfast. Episode Reference Links:
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| 08 Oct 2024 | 163. Is Your Audience Ignoring You? How Authenticity Creates Connection | 00:19:40 | |
How acceptance and authenticity can transform all of our interactions. What’s the key to experiencing deeper connection in our communication? According to Alan Alda, it starts with acceptance — of others and ourselves. "Connecting, communicating, and clarity," Alda explains, "they're all based on hearing what the other person is really saying; letting the person be real; accepting them.” As an acclaimed actor, writer, director, and author of If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face?, Alda has spent much of his career exploring how acceptance enables us to be our authentic selves, leading to better communication and truer connection. “There’s nothing more engaging than the real you,” he says. Also the founder of the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science at Stony Brook University, Alda strives to help scientists and health professionals communicate more effectively with the public. “Science can't do its work unless it gets funded. And it can't get funded if people don't understand what the scientists are trying to do,” he says. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Alda and host Matt Abrahams discuss how acceptance and authenticity can transform all of our interactions, from complicated science conversations to everyday communication. Episode Reference Links:
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| 01 Apr 2025 | 194. Live Lessons in Levity and Leadership: Me2We 2025 Part 1 | 00:32:16 | |
Effective leadership begins with the way you communicate. Leading with impact isn’t about speaking louder—it’s about communicating in ways that resonate with what people already value. In Part 1 of this special two-part series from the Stanford LEAD Me2We Conference, Matt Abrahams brings together four expert GSB faculty—Allison Kluger, Nir Halevy, Christian Wheeler, and Naomi Bagdonas—to explore how to lead and communicate with intention. They share how authenticity builds trust, why discomfort is essential for growth, how to design space for serendipity, and the role AI can play in expanding—not replacing—human potential. From managing reputation to staying present in high-pressure moments, this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart offers insights to help leaders connect more effectively, show up with purpose, and inspire meaningful action. Episode Reference Links:
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| 29 Oct 2024 | 166. Why Relying on Talent Alone Will Fail You | 00:19:39 | |
Why practice is the key to success. If there’s anyone who knows about performing under pressure, it’s former NFL quarterback Andrew Luck. Whether playing in front of thousands or presenting to ten, his key to success is practice. "There's a romantic notion that you rise to the occasion," says Luck, a Stanford graduate and four-time Pro Bowl selection. "But I think you settle to the level of your training. We practiced those high-pressure situations all the time.” From calling critical game-winning plays to navigating communication off the field, our performance in high-stakes situations, Luck maintains, is determined by our level of preparation. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Luck and host Matt Abrahams explore how deliberate practice can help us hone our performance across all domains of our lives. From managing high-pressure situations to building psychological safety in homes and workplaces, Luck shares insights gained from both sides of the field — as a player and now as a coach. Episode Reference Links: Connect:
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| 18 Mar 2025 | 191. Memorable Messages: Choose Words That Capture Attention and Stay Remembered | 00:23:10 | |
How to craft communication that your audience will remember. Why do some messages stick, while others go in one ear and out the other? When it comes to crafting memorable communication, Ada Aka says not all verbiage is created equal. “Certain words are intrinsically more memorable than others,” says Aka, an assistant professor of marketing at Stanford Graduate School of Business. In her research of consumer behavior and decision-making, she’s uncovered how language shapes not just our perception of the world, “but how the world stays with us over time." From concrete terms to emotionally charged ones, certain words have more staying power than others, and to communicators who want to capture audiences (and keep them), she says, “Carefully chosen words, they're going to be taking the attention.” In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Aka joins Matt Abrahams to explore the science of memorable communication. From creating brand slogans that stick to choosing words that align with your message, she reveals how to create communication that won't be forgotten. Episode Reference Links: Connect:
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| 04 Mar 2025 | 189. Numbers Need Narrative: Use Data to Influence and Inspire | 00:21:09 | |
Why numbers are only as compelling as the narratives we attach to them. Facts and figures can be your friend, but before you load your presentation full of data, Miro Kazakoff has a word of caution: “Data’s objective, but people are not.” You might think that your data speaks for itself, but Kazakoff says numbers need a narrative. A senior lecturer at MIT Sloan School of Management and author of Persuading with Data: A Guide to Designing, Delivering, and Defending Your Data, he says the key to making data persuasive isn't about showing more information — it's about understanding your audience well enough to know how to relay it in a way that will connect with them. "The people who get good at this are not so much the people who can talk and draw graphs well, but the people who can listen the best. It starts with is empathy.” In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Kazakoff joins Matt Abrahams to explore how to transform complex data into clear, compelling communication. From avoiding the "curse of knowledge" to effectively orienting your audience through visualizations, he shares practical strategies for making your data not just informative, but persuasive. Episode Reference Links:
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| 21 Jan 2025 | 179. Finding Positive in Negative Emotions: Communication, Happiness & Wellbeing | 00:24:12 | |
A double definition of happiness — and how to cultivate both parts. The new year gives us an opportunity to reflect on who we are and who we want to be. As we set resolutions and prepare for evolutions, this special four-part series on communication, happiness, and well-being explores practical ways to enhance our lives through better communication, deeper connections, and more meaningful choices. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to happiness, but according to Laurie Santos, everyone needs the two key components of contentment and fulfillment — or as she puts it, being happy in your life and happy with your life. “Being happy in your life [means] your life is filled with joy,” explains Santos, a Yale psychology professor and host of The Happiness Lab podcast. This felt sense of happiness — enjoying where we are, what we do, and who we’re with — is essential, but it’s not the only piece of the puzzle. Being happy with your life, she says, is the belief that “your life is going well. Being happy with your life gets closer to things like fulfillment and purpose.” In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Santos joins Matt Abrahams to explore how to cultivate both sides of her happiness equation, from building deeper connections with others to transforming the ways we communicate with ourselves. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at BetterHelp.com/ThinkFast and get ten percent off your first month. Episode Reference Links: Connect:
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| 15 Apr 2025 | 197. Prep or Perish: Mastering In-the-Moment Communication (1 of 3) | 00:25:12 | |
This three-part miniseries is all about keeping your cool when speaking on the spot. Communicating effectively can be challenging enough, even with plenty of time to prepare what we want to say. But for most of our communication, there’s no time to plan, practice, or perfect — we have to respond in the moment. Spontaneous communication is a part of our everyday lives, but few of us have been trained to handle these impromptu situations with confidence. What does it take to flow, not freeze, when put on the spot? This special three-part series turns to experts for guidance, from a sports commentator, FBI hostage negotiator, and UN translator to a game show host, NFL referee and Sotheby’s auctioneer. Part 1: Preparation and Mindset Discover how to prepare for the unpredictable, manage anxiety, and find the right headspace for success. Part 2: Mastering the Moment Learn to stay present, read the room, and use techniques like mirroring and pacing to connect with your audience. Part 3: When Things Go Wrong Find out how to recover from inevitable mishaps and keep moving forward with confidence, turning mistakes into gold. In addition to insight-packed discussions, this Think Fast, Talk Smart miniseries offers practical exercises and homework assignments to help you implement what you've learned. Whether you draw blanks when put on the spot or simply want to articulate your thoughts more clearly in the moment, these episodes will transform how you think — and speak — on your feet. Episode Reference Links:
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| 25 Feb 2025 | 188. Mind Reading 101: To Know What Your Audience Thinks, Just Ask | 00:24:48 | |
How to really know what your audience is thinking. To be a great communicator, you have to get out of your own head. But that’s not all, says Matt Lieberman. According to him, you also have to get into the head of someone else. “Mind-reading is this remarkable ability that humans have,” explains Lieberman, a professor of psychology, director of UCLA’s Social Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, and author of Social: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Connect. But even as we engage in perspective-taking, Lieberman says our attempts to mind-read often miss the mark. Instead, he advocates for “perspective-getting” — where we don’t just intuit what others think, we ask them directly. “That is where more productive conversation comes from,” he says. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Lieberman and host Matt Abrahams explore insights from social neuroscience that can help us communicate more effectively. From understanding how our brains process social interactions to recognizing our own assumptions, he reveals why successful communication requires both humility and genuine curiosity about how others see the world. Episode Reference Links:
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| 30 Jan 2025 | 182. Stop Chasing Time and Start Owning It: Communication, Happiness & Wellbeing | 00:21:34 | |
Clarify your purpose — and stop wasting time. The new year gives us an opportunity to reflect on who we are and who we want to be. As we set resolutions and prepare for evolutions, this special four-part series on communication, happiness, and well-being explores practical ways to enhance our lives through better communication, deeper connections, and more meaningful choices. As Cassie Holmes knows, how we spend our time has a big impact on our happiness and well-being. For her, that means focusing on the things not just immediately in front of us, but those that most closely align with our purpose. "When I say purpose, what I mean is what really drives you," explains Holmes, a professor at UCLA Anderson School of Management and author of Happier Hour: How to Beat Distraction, Expand Your Time, and Focus on What Matters Most. Living a happier and more fulfilled life, she says, rests on using purpose to drive our decisions. “Once you clarify for yourself: what is your purpose? What is your why? Then you can use that as a filter [for] where you should be spending your time.” In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Holmes and host Matt Abrahams explore practical strategies for being more purposeful with our time. From email management to relationship building, Holmes shares research-backed approaches for achieving greater happiness through intentional choices. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at BetterHelp.com/ThinkFast and get ten percent off your first month. Episode Reference Links:
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| 03 Dec 2024 | 172. Bring Mindfulness to Your Communication | 00:19:55 | |
Mindfulness can transform your communication and your career. When we react, our instincts and impulses are in the driver’s seat. But when we take the time to reflect, that’s when Marshall Goldsmith says we take back control of how we respond. “Before speaking at work, breathe,” Goldsmith says. “Is my comment going to improve this other human being's commitment? At home, breathe. Is my comment going to improve this relationship with someone I love? If the answer is no, why am I saying it?” As a world-renowned executive coach, speaker, and best-selling author, Goldsmith teaches how a mindful approach can change how we relate to others, to ourselves, and even to our career goals and ambitions. Through reflection, we identify our values, which we can use to live what Goldsmith calls an “earned life — when the choices, risks, and effort we make in each moment align with an overarching purpose in our lives.” In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Goldsmith joins host Matt Abrahams to explore practical strategies for bettering our interactions with others and ourselves, from his “feed forward” method for giving and receiving constructive critique to his "daily questions" practice, which prompts reflective self-inquiry to keep us focused on what truly matters. Episode Reference Links:
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| 11 Mar 2025 | 190. Motivation Matters: How to Leverage What People Already Want | 00:25:25 | |
How to turn latent motivation into fuel for change. If you want to be a changemaker, you’ll have to convince others to join your cause. But according to Dan Heath, persuading your audience isn’t about creating new motivation — it’s about leveraging the motivation that’s already there. “The most important fuel for any change effort is motivation,” says Heath, the number-one New York Times bestselling author of Reset: How to Change What's Not Working. Instead of struggling to persuade people to want what you want, Heath suggests finding where your goals overlap with the things they already desire. "Before you even get to persuasion, if you can just tap and unleash the energy that's already there, you've already catapulted yourself toward success,” he says. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Heath and host Matt Abrahams explore how to create more compelling communication using “leverage points,” or as Heath says, “where a little bit of effort yields a disproportionate return.” Whether getting buy-in from one teammate or achieving change across an entire organization, Heath shares practical tips for turning latent motivation into an engine for change. Episode Reference Links:
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| 28 Nov 2024 | 171. Advice from Nontraditional Storytellers Part 2 | 00:20:00 | |
Make your audience a part of the story. Great storytellers don't just relay information — they create experiences. As magicians, TikTok influencers, and stand-up comedians, these masters of engagement know that true connection happens when you make your audience a part of the story. In part two of this special series on storytelling, host Matt Abrahams explores the art of audience connection with an extraordinary lineup. For magician Alex Moffat, it’s about immersive performance. “How can I get the audience to not [just] sit there watching? They've got to be able to feel it too,” he says. As TikTok's head of creator marketing, Kudzi Chikumbu says authenticity is everything. "Be your authentic self. Show yourself in a way that other people don't." And for standup comedian Orlando Leyba, it’s about leveraging presence and responsiveness to transform a performance into a genuine conversation. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, discover how these engagement experts create stories that don't just inform or entertain — they forge genuine connections with every audience member. Episode Reference Links:
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| 06 Feb 2025 | 184. Fit or Quit? Find the Job That is Right For You—Catalyze Your Career | 00:22:21 | |
Stay prepared, build your network, and take control of your career. Most of us know that career growth is important—but according to Catherine Fisher, we're thinking about it all wrong. It’s not just about landing a job or climbing the ladder; it’s about staying adaptable, building strong connections, and being proactive about opportunities before you need them. This episode is brought to you by LinkedIn. Explore your job potential at Linkedin.com/jobs. Episode Reference Links: Connect:
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| 17 Sep 2024 | 160. Rethinks: How to Communicate Your Gameplan | 00:25:43 | |
Why organizational strategy can be both top-down and bottom-up. As Professor Jesper Sørensen sees it, a winning strategy is the result of conversations, not commands, and that strategy can be directed from the C-suite, but it doesn’t have to be. “Lots of great strategies are discovered,” he says, “they’re discovered because the leaders were able to listen to their frontline workers or their frontline managers.” A more iterative approach, says Sørensen, helps companies adapt their strategy to an ever-changing landscape. Episode Reference Links:
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| 03 Sep 2024 | 158. Hope for Cynics: Building Trusting Relationships through Communication | 00:26:51 | |
“Acts of trust are the bedrock on which relationships are formed.” There’s a lot in the world to make us cynical about other people and their motives and intentions. But by “trusting loudly,” Professor Jamil Zaki believes we can renew our faith in one another. “Acts of trust are the bedrock on which relationships are formed,” Zaki says. “The only way that strangers become friends and friends become best friends, the only way that we can build partnerships is through a willingness to count on one another.” In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Zaki joins host Matt Abrahams to discuss practical strategies for fostering trust and challenging our cynical assumptions, offering a hopeful perspective on human nature, backed by surprising scientific insights. Episode Reference Links:
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| 01 Oct 2024 | 162. Unlock Career Opportunities: How to Make the Right Moves | 00:19:40 | |
Being present in the moment and staying open to whatever unfolds. We all want to lead lives and careers full of joy and fulfillment. Maggie Baird certainly has, and the key, she says, is to stay open to new possibilities and “let your passion lead.” Baird is an accomplished actress, improv teacher at the Groundlings Theater, mother to music sensations Billie Eilish and Phineas, and founder of Support and Feed, a nonprofit addressing food equity and the climate crisis. Through it all, she has embodied the improv principle of "Yes, and..." — being present in the moment and staying open to whatever unfolds. “I have done many things,” she says, “but I never approached any of them as a career change. They all came out of new interests and new experiences.” In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Baird joins host Matt Abrahams to explore the critical role of communication in developing a career, and how improv principles can help us engage, as Baird says, “From a place of open-heartedness, appreciation, [and] collaboration.”
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| 05 Dec 2024 | Between the Lines: In Storytelling, Simplify to Amplify - Premium Sampler | 00:18:09 | |
Visit fastersmarter.io/premium to become a Premium subscriber. "Start with the action moment or right before it," advises Hilary Price whose one-panel comic strips offer insights far beyond humor—they’re lessons in concise storytelling that resonate with anyone seeking to communicate effectively. “Simplify and amplify,” Price advises, emphasizing the art of clarity and impact. Every stroke of her pen strips away the unnecessary, letting the essentials shine through. Episode Reference Links:
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| 12 Nov 2024 | 168. How Story Can Change Everything in Your Career | 00:24:32 | |
Make your message memorable. “Immediately forgettable” — that’s how Matthew Dicks describes most of the business communication that he encounters. If you want to be remembered, he says, it’s time to tell stories. A veteran elementary school teacher, storytelling coach, and best-selling author, Dicks knows how the right narrative can transform mundane messages into stories that stick. In his book, Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life through the Power of Storytelling, he explores how to capture and hold an audience’s attention, which is particularly critical for business leaders. "When we tell a story about a product or service, the people we work with, our company, we become memorable and interesting and entertaining in a way that doesn't happen very often in business," he says. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Dicks and host Matt Abrahams discuss practical techniques for crafting compelling narratives, from setting a scene to creating suspense. “Don’t build a building. Don’t buy a machine,” he says. Becoming a better storyteller is one of the most effective ways to level up. “It’s a crazy thing for businesses,” he says. Episode Reference Links:
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| 24 Sep 2024 | 161. Do Your Homework: Know What to Say by Knowing Who You’re Talking To | 00:22:07 | |
Know your audience and tailor the message for them. In high-stakes communication, every word counts. For Jen Psaki, that means knowing who she’s talking to — so she knows just what to say. As the former White House Press Secretary and current host of Inside with Jen Psaki on MSNBC, Psaki has discovered that communication isn’t about “saying the most words or saying them the loudest,” but about knowing your audience well enough to tailor the message just for them. “You need to think about how you're going to get your audience to listen to you,” she says. “The goal of communicating is to crack the door open so somebody wants to hear more.” In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Psaki and host Matt Abrahams explore her approach to strategic communication: identifying your audience and using what you know to engage with them and get them to engage with you. Episode Reference Links:
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| 22 Apr 2025 | 199. Blunder Pressure: Mastering In-the-Moment Communication (3 of 3) | 00:22:45 | |
This three-part miniseries is all about keeping your cool when speaking on the spot. Communicating effectively can be challenging enough, even with plenty of time to prepare what we want to say. But for most of our communication, there’s no time to plan, practice, or perfect — we have to respond in the moment. Spontaneous communication is a part of our everyday lives, but few of us have been trained to handle these impromptu situations with confidence. What does it take to flow, not freeze, when put on the spot? This special three-part series turns to experts for guidance, from a sports commentator, FBI hostage negotiator, and UN translator to a game show host, NFL referee and Sotheby’s auctioneer. Part 1: Preparation and Mindset Discover how to prepare for the unpredictable, manage anxiety, and find the right headspace for success. Part 2: Mastering the Moment Learn to stay present, read the room, and use techniques like mirroring and pacing to connect with your audience. Part 3: When Things Go Wrong Find out how to recover from inevitable mishaps and keep moving forward with confidence, turning mistakes into gold. In addition to insight-packed discussions, this Think Fast, Talk Smart miniseries offers practical exercises and homework assignments to help you implement what you've learned. Whether you draw blanks when put on the spot or simply want to articulate your thoughts more clearly in the moment, these episodes will transform how you think — and speak — on your feet. Episode Reference Links:
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| 26 Nov 2024 | 170. Advice from Nontraditional Storytellers Part 1 | 00:15:10 | |
Wisdom from the witness stand to the newsstand. The best storytellers might not call themselves storytellers at all. But from litigating in the courtroom to crafting newspaper cartoons, these experts know how to weave narratives that resonate. In part one of this special two-part series, host Matt Abrahams explores the foundations of effective storytelling with tech litigator Neel Chatterjee and syndicated cartoonist Hilary Price. Chatterjee, drawing parallels to stand-up comedy, emphasizes the critical importance of those first few lines: "We have to figure out the two to three-line statement on 'this is a case about'..." Meanwhile, Price reveals the power of restraint in storytelling. "You want to simplify and amplify," she says. "I only want to put the elements that are important. Never spoon-feed your reader." In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, nontraditional storytelling masters share their approach to structure, framing, and audience engagement, revealing insights that we can all use to transform our communication — whether in convincing a jury, crafting the perfect punchline, or sharing stories in everyday life. Episode Reference Links:
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| 14 Nov 2024 | Launching: Think Fast Talk Smart Premium | 00:02:33 | |
Introducing our new Premium membership, designed to enhance communication and career skills with expanded content and tools. Enjoy early access to live events, AMAs (Ask Matt Anything), eQuips—Essential Quick Insight Playlists—Extended Deep Thinks episodes, and the AI Chat Matt tool. The focus is on building a global community where members can connect, share insights, and receive feedback. A portion of membership fees will support charities dedicated to developing communication skills worldwide. Connect:
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| 15 Oct 2024 | 164. Rethinks: Using "Pre-suasion" to Influence Others | 00:29:06 | |
The inner workings of social influence and persuasion. Want to change someone’s mind? First, explains Robert Cialdini, you have to change their framing. For Cialdini, the Regent's Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Marketing at Arizona State University, persuasion begins before we even deliver our pitch or presentation. Through what he calls “Pre-suasion,” communicators can prime audiences to receive messages in a specific way, simply by drawing their attention in specific directions. “It involves focusing people on—putting them in mind of—those motivators before they encounter [them] in the communicator’s message,” Cialdini says, “bringing people’s focus of attention onto something that is nested in the message…before that message is delivered, so they have been readied for the concept.” In this episode, Matt Abrahams and Cialdini talk about the motivating power of FOMO, getting better advice from others, and how your next wine purchase could be influenced by what music is playing in the shop. Episode Reference Links:
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| 20 Mar 2025 | 192. Quick Thinks: How to Supersize Your Stories | 00:10:38 | |
How to craft compelling stories that captivate, inspire, and make an impact. Great storytelling isn't just about telling tales—it’s about crafting experiences that captivate, inspire, and drive change. In this special Quick Thinks bonus episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Matt Abrahams welcomes bestselling author Dan Heath for a masterclass on the power of stories. Get more done with Grammarly. Download Grammarly for free at grammarly.com/podcast. Episode Reference Links:
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| 20 Feb 2025 | 187. Experimenting, Failing, and Finding Your Job Fit - Catalyze Your Career | 00:22:13 | |
Rethink career success by testing, adapting, and staying open to unexpected opportunities. Career planning isn’t as straightforward as we often assume—but according to Dorie Clark, that’s actually a good thing. Instead of following a rigid path, she believes we should be “treating our careers like a series of experiments”—testing, iterating, and staying open to unexpected opportunities."People assume they need to have everything mapped out for the next twenty years," Clark explains. "But in reality, careers are built through testing, learning, and adapting—just like a scientific hypothesis." This episode is brought to you by LinkedIn. Explore your job potential at Linkedin.com/jobs. Episode Reference Links:
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| 23 Jan 2025 | 180. Unlocking Your Future Self: Communication, Happiness & Wellbeing | 00:22:13 | |
Why creating happiness in the future starts today. The new year gives us an opportunity to reflect on who we are and who we want to be. As we set resolutions and prepare for evolutions, this special four-part series on communication, happiness, and well-being explores practical ways to enhance our lives through better communication, deeper connections, and more meaningful choices. In pursuing happiness and well-being, we often focus on the present moment. But according to Hal Hershfield, one of the best ways to help ourselves today is to have a conversation with ourselves in the future. "When I say future self, I really mean any version of us that exists at some later point in time," explains Hershfield, a UCLA professor and author of Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today. By thinking of our future selves as different people — ones we should care about — we can make better choices in the present. "If we can tap into the feelings of our future selves, then we can do more that benefits them, which may make our lives easier now and later."
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| 17 Apr 2025 | 198. Pause and Effect: Mastering In-the-Moment Communication (2 of 3) | 00:25:02 | |
This three-part miniseries is all about keeping your cool when speaking on the spot. Communicating effectively can be challenging enough, even with plenty of time to prepare what we want to say. But for most of our communication, there’s no time to plan, practice, or perfect — we have to respond in the moment. Spontaneous communication is a part of our everyday lives, but few of us have been trained to handle these impromptu situations with confidence. What does it take to flow, not freeze, when put on the spot? This special three-part series turns to experts for guidance, from a sports commentator, FBI hostage negotiator, and UN translator to a game show host, NFL referee and Sotheby’s auctioneer. Part 1: Preparation and Mindset Discover how to prepare for the unpredictable, manage anxiety, and find the right headspace for success. Part 2: Mastering the Moment Learn to stay present, read the room, and use techniques like mirroring and pacing to connect with your audience. Part 3: When Things Go Wrong Find out how to recover from inevitable mishaps and keep moving forward with confidence, turning mistakes into gold. In addition to insight-packed discussions, this Think Fast, Talk Smart miniseries offers practical exercises and homework assignments to help you implement what you've learned. Whether you draw blanks when put on the spot or simply want to articulate your thoughts more clearly in the moment, these episodes will transform how you think — and speak — on your feet. Episode Reference Links:
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| 10 Sep 2024 | 159. Earn Your Audience: You Can’t Lead If No One’s Listening | 00:20:42 | |
What it takes to develop as a leader. Great leaders and great communicators aren't born, they're made. That's why John Hennessy and Tina Seelig, directors of Stanford University’s Knight-Hennessy Scholars, are working to create the great storytellers of tomorrow, today. "We decided that there was a leadership void, and that was a driving motivation to do this," says Hennessy, former Stanford president and current Alphabet chairman. The program, which he co-founded in 2016 with Stanford alum and Nike co-founder Phil Knight, equips scholars with essential leadership skills through hands-on experience and collaborative problem-solving. Seelig, executive director of the program, emphasizes that great leadership centers on effective storytelling. "No matter how compelling your invention, your idea, the thing you want to do in the world, if you can't communicate it in [an] effective way, nobody's going to listen," she says. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Hennessy, Seelig, and host Matt Abrahams explore what it takes to develop as a leader, discussing the role of communication, the power of empathy, and the centrality of storytelling. Episode Reference Links:
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| 20 Jun 2023 | 95. The Power of No: How Boundaries Help Us Live More Empowered Lives | 00:26:32 | |
Saying no can seem risky. We worry about offending others, damaging relationships, or hurting our own reputation. But as Vanessa Patrick says, no is an empowering word that gives us greater agency in our lives. Saying no “is not a rejection of the other person,” says Patrick, a professor of Marketing at the University of Houston. Instead, it allows you to set boundaries and “[give] voice to what you believe and what you care about.” In her book, The Power of Saying No, Patrick introduces what she calls “empowered refusal,” a way of saying no that’s rooted in one’s identity, values, priorities, and preferences. “An empowered no,” she says, “is about us, not a rejection of the other person.” In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Patrick and host Matt Abrahams explore how to use the power of no, how to move from strategy forming to strategy implementation, and how to resist momentary pleasures that distract us from our larger goals.
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| 16 Jul 2024 | 151. Get Hired: How the Right Communication Can Advance Your Career | 00:28:15 | |
Whether winning over a hiring manager or winning new business, career success often hinges on how we communicate. That’s why Andrew Seaman is on a mission to help people find the words that work — to get work. Seaman is the senior managing editor for jobs and career development at LinkedIn, and as the creator and host of the Get Hired podcast and newsletter, he helps millions hone communication skills to land the jobs they want. According to him, getting opportunities isn’t just about experience or connections, but how we frame and present our personal and professional narratives. With a standard resume, he says, “You're making them connect the dots. And people are not good at that.” Instead, he recommends crafting a story that explains where you’ve been, where you are, and where you hope to go. “Connect the dots for them,” he says, “so they're not viewing you as a person who has bounced around. They're thinking, this person has had a cohesive career.” In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Seaman and host Matt Abrahams explore tools for navigating the interview process, networking on and offline, and communication strategies to get hired. Episode Reference Links:
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| 08 Feb 2024 | 128. Four Powerful Principles Pt. 2: Your Questions Answered | 00:19:49 | |
Join Matt Abrahams engaging with his international audience and answering questions that touch upon some of today's most pressing communication challenges. Matt offers advice on everything from the nuances of crafting clear, impactful questions and navigating emotional dynamics in group settings to maintaining control during presentations and delivering difficult news. Additionally, listeners are treated to innovative strategies for creating memorable introductions and managing disruptive behaviors in group discussions. This episode, taken from a Think Fast Talk Smart live event, offers practical tips and strategies; its a value add for anyone looking to enhance their communication skills in personal and professional contexts. Episode Reference Links:
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| 18 Apr 2023 | 86. Building Habits: The Key to Lasting Behavior Change | 00:20:26 | |
Whether you want to read more books or exercise more regularly, BJ Fogg has good news. “Habits are easier to form than most people think,” he says, “If you do it in the right way.” As the founder and director of Stanford's Behavior Design Lab, Fogg has devoted much of his career to researching human psychology, motivation, and behavior. According to him, habit formation isn’t a product of simply doing something over and over again. “It's not a function of repetition,” he says, “it's a function of emotion.” As Fogg discusses with host Matt Abrahams in this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, bringing our behavior in line with our goals is easier than we think — we just have to know the emotional levers to pull.
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| 25 Jul 2023 | 99. Rethinks: How to Handle Challenging Conversations | 00:23:54 | |
Being a better listener has a lot to do with silence, says Collins Dobbs, a lecturer in management at Stanford Graduate School of Business. “A lot of people are uncomfortable with the smallest modicum of silence, but learning often happens when we create distance for useful reflection.” In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Dobbs talks with host Matt Abrahams about the importance of “space, pace, and grace” when you’re receiving others’ feedback and handling the emotions that come out during tough discussions. “There’s often a lot more focus on the skill set on delivering emotion than receiving emotion, but if the receiver of emotion can put themselves in a place of curiosity, agency, and openness … it opens up a whole new world of possibilities.” Dobbs is an executive coach and teaches several courses, including Interpersonal Dynamics and Leadership Labs. Connect:
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| 21 May 2020 | 11. The Science of Influence: How to Persuade Others And Hold Their Attention | 00:21:06 | |
We’re constantly bombarded with competing images, messaging, and bids for our attention. That's why as communicators, it’s increasingly important to know what engages people. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Matt Abrahams speaks with Stanford GSB Professor Zak Tormala about the subtle ways you can structure your speech to get people to pay attention. “It’s not really about tricking people into doing what you want,” Professor Tormala says. “It’s more about understanding the factors that actually engage people or open them up to your idea and maybe get them to see something a little bit differently.” Connect:
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| 28 Oct 2021 | 43. Get Psyched: How Time and Situations Shape Our Communication | 00:18:39 | |
“Social psychologists believe that if we want to understand our own behavior and the behavior of others, the first thing we have to ask or notice is, ‘What is the situation in which they are performing, in which they are behaving?’ And then we want to know as much about the situation as possible.” In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Stanford emeritus psychology professor Phillip Zimbardo sits down with host Matt Abrahams to discuss how time influences our perception and our positive or negative thought processes. The two also talk about how the findings of Zimbardo’s most notable (and controversial) study — the 1971 Stanford Prison Experiment — inform our understanding of human behavior.
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| 04 Jun 2024 | 145. Rethinks: The Art of Negotiation, How to Get More of What You Want | 00:16:22 | |
Whether we realize it or not, we negotiate everyday. But when we approach these situations as a win-or-lose battle, we’re already showing resistance, and setting ourselves up for difficulty. But what if you reframed the whole idea, to think of a negotiation not as a fight, but as a problem-solving exercise involving emotions? In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Matt Abrahams speaks with Stanford GSB Professor Emeritus Margaret Neale about what she has learned in her decades of researching negotiation and the steps that lead to more collaborative problem-solving. Listen as Neale shares tips on how to approach negotiations with intention, and what strategies can help us more easily communicate our wants and needs. She is the coauthor of Getting (More of) What You Want: How the Secrets of Economics and Psychology Can Help You Negotiate Anything, in Business and in Life. Episode Reference Links:
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| 07 Nov 2023 | 114. Communication Means Paying Attention: The Four Pillars of Active Listening | 00:29:55 | |
We should all be audience-centric in communication. But, as Julian Treasure contests, we need to take it one step further. What is the listening I am speaking into?, he says, is the question every speaker should ask themselves over and over. "Every human being’s listening is unique ... we listen through a set of filters and those filters develop as we grow and mature in life and we have experiences. Knowing where the person is coming from, you'll be able to sense their listening." Treasure, an expert on speaking and sound, also offers advice on the breathing techniques that can transform one's speech. "If you want to speak powerfully, develop a breathing practice. And that can be as simple as conscious breathing, which is breathing in through the nose, out through the mouth." In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Treasure and host Matt Abrahams explore the power of breath; the four steps to show someone we're engaged and listening; and how by framing speech as a gift, we can better serve our audience. Treasure is the author of Sound Business. His most recent book, How to be Heard: Secrets for Powerful Speaking and Listening, is based on his TED Talk.
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| 13 Feb 2024 | 129. Connect Deeply: How to Communicate So People Feel Seen and Heard | 00:24:03 | |
All too often, we communicate without really connecting. The key to building deep connections with others, says David Brooks, is to make them feel seen and heard. Brooks is a writer for the New York Times, the Atlantic, and the best-selling author of several books. In his latest, How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen, he explores how vulnerability — both being vulnerable ourselves and creating space for others to be as well — is the key to fostering deeper connections at home, at work, and throughout our lives. “[People] need to be seen, heard, and understood,” he says. “If you hide yourself from the emotional intimacies of life, you're hiding yourself from life itself.” In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Brooks and host Matt Abrahams discuss the fundamentals of communicating with vulnerability and empathy, outlining the skills that anyone can learn and use to connect more deeply in their relationships.
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| 28 May 2024 | 144. Communicating Through Conflict: How to Get Along with Anyone | 00:22:17 | |
Many of us would rank getting along with colleagues as an important aspect of work, but, as Amy Gallo explains, relationships devoid of disagreement can actually be less productive. “While our natural human instinct is to avoid conflict, I believe that conflicts are not only an inevitable part of interacting with other humans, but they're a necessary part.” Gallo is a workplace expert, host of HBR’s Women at Work podcast, and the author of Getting Along: How to Work With Anyone. Across her work, Gallo touts that the key to transforming conflicts into something productive is to understand its root cause and learn how to reframe them. “Even at the base of those unhealthy conflicts or those unproductive conflicts is something that needs to be resolved,” she says. In her conversation with host and strategic communications lecturer Matt Abrahams, Gallo provides useful frameworks and new concepts on how we can approach conflicts at work. Episode Reference Links:
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| 26 Apr 2022 | 57. Are You Listening?: How to Stay Open and Curious to Other People’s Ideas | 00:16:50 | |
“Listening actively and deeply happens when I genuinely believe that the person who's speaking has intrinsic worth and brings a perspective that I lack and need.” This episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart features Kristin Hansen, lecturer in management and executive director of Civic Health Project, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization working to reduce extreme polarization and foster healthier civil discourse in U.S. citizenry, politics, and media. Together with host Matt Abrahams, Hansen shares how from our workplaces to our personal lives, communication thrives when we cultivate open-mindedness, intellectual humility, and genuine curiosity. Connect:
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| 27 Jun 2023 | 96. Rock and Role: How Assigning Gender to Inanimate Objects Influences Us | 00:26:30 | |
Why is a boat a “she?” Why give names like Alexa or Siri to inanimate pieces of software? According to assistant professor of organizational behavior Ashley Martin, ascribing gender to everyday objects helps us to connect with them more deeply. “Gender is this humanizing force that allows people to interact with non-human things as if they’re human,” says Martin, whose research focuses on gender equality, gender inclusion, and gender’s role within team and organizational dynamics. And while Martin is interested in how anthropomorphizing technology can benefit the humans who use it, she also notes how “problematic stereotypes” could be perpetuated as a result. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Martin joins host Matt Abrahams to discuss how our ideas about gender inform the way we relate to the world and how we can leverage the latest research to promote greater diversity, equity, and inclusion.
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| 05 Jul 2022 | 62. Rethinks: Summer Learning Series, How Humor Can Be a Secret Weapon in Communication | 00:31:35 | |
In the kickoff to our Summer Learning Series, we're revisiting one of our favorite episodes. This interview features Stanford GSB faculty members Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas and gives specific insights into how humor can transform your communication at home and at work. At the time of this episode, their book Humor, Seriously was just set to launch.
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| 21 Mar 2023 | 82. It’s Not About You: Why Effective Communicators Put Others First | 00:22:34 | |
It’s easy to feel like the star of the show when giving a presentation. But according to communication guru Nancy Duarte, you’re not the hero of this story. For Duarte, founder and CEO of world-renowned communication consulting firm Duarte Inc, effective communication is built on the foundation of empathy, which means considering your audience first and foremost. “All the attention is on us. But in reality, the audience is the one,” she says. “If they don’t leave with your idea adopted, your idea is going to die.” How can presenters use empathy to put their audience at center stage? As Duarte discusses with host Matt Abrahams in this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, it’s about seeking to understand before you start speaking. Connect:
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| 21 May 2024 | 143. Adopt a VC Mindset: Achieve More by Thinking and Communicating Like a Venture Capitalist | 00:20:59 | |
In choosing who to date, what job to pursue, or how to invest our money, most people are just looking for a reason to move forward. But according to Professor Ilya Strebulaev, we should be looking for something else: a reason to bail. "The smartest venture capitalists ask a very different question from what most of us ask," says Strebulaev. Instead of asking “‘Why should we invest?’, venture capitalists approach every new opportunity with [the] question: Why should we not proceed?” This contrarian mindset is at the heart of Strebulaev's new book The Venture Mindset, which reveals how the strategies of top VCs can help anyone make sharper decisions. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Strebulaev joins host Matt Abrahams to discuss how the venture mindset can help anyone — investor or not — weigh alternatives, make decisions, and move forward without looking back. Episode Reference Links:
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| 11 Feb 2020 | 3. When Knowing Too Much Can Hurt Your Communication: How to Make Complex Ideas Accessible | 00:13:44 | |
As communicators, we often need to take complex information (e.g., financial, technical, or scientific) and make it more understandable for our audience – we’re experts and they likely aren’t. But having so much knowledge on the topics we discuss can often make the job more difficult: we dive in too quickly, forget about our audience's needs, or use jargon that goes over their heads. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, strategic communications lecturers Matt Abrahams and Lauren Weinstein explore the “curse of knowledge” and offer specific techniques you can use to be more successful in getting your point across. Connect:
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| 30 Jan 2020 | 2. Communicating Our Multiple Selves: How to Effectively Manage Your Reputation | 00:15:40 | |
How others perceive us in person and via social media can impact our careers and social standing. But we can build the reputation we want through conscious communication. On this podcast episode, strategic communication lecturers Matt Abrahams and Allison Kluger share techniques on effectively improving and managing your reputation. Connect:
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| 03 Jun 2021 | 34. How We Gain — Or Give Away — Authority While Speaking | 00:20:18 | |
“Simple language, forceful language, vivid language, and keeping it simple and direct,” says Professor Jeffrey Pfeffer, are all tools to increase the strength of your communication. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, host and lecturer Matt Abrahams interviews Jeffrey Pfeffer, author of Dying for a Paycheck, about the verbal and nonverbal ways we can harness, or give away, our authority in communication. To hear more from Jeffrey, listen to Pfeffer on Power, a podcast about accelerating your career.
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| 05 Mar 2024 | 132. Lean Into Failure: How to Make Mistakes That Work | 00:25:32 | |
Effective and productive teams and relationships are based on the ability to communicate safely and to fail successfully. In this episode, Amy Edmondson, a professor at Harvard Business School and author of The Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well, shares profound insights on the different types of failure—basic, complex, and intelligent—and their implications for learning and innovation. In her conversation with host and Strategic Communications lecturer Matt Abrahams, Edmonson opens up about her struggles with failure, highlighting the importance of moving from rumination to reflection. This episode offers listeners a comprehensive guide to fostering an environment where failure is not feared but embraced as a crucial step toward growth and success.
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| 18 Jul 2023 | 98. Give It to Me Straight: How to Give Honest, Constructive Feedback | 00:23:16 | |
How do we deal with professional blind spots? According to David Dodson, MBA ’87, we need the panoramic perspective of those who work around us. “360 reviews, done properly, are a massive competitive weapon,” says Dodson, also a lecturer in management at Stanford GSB and author of the new book, The Manager’s Handbook. Such comprehensive and constructive feedback, he says, can be transformational for employees and managers alike. “The first time I did a 360 review and got feedback was a massive turning point in my development as a manager,” he says. “Had I not had 360 feedback, I probably would have gone a decade or more with ineffective technique.” In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Dodson shares valuable insights and actionable advice for individuals in leadership and management roles, highlighting the importance of effective communication and feedback in achieving success.
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| 10 May 2022 | 58. Forgiveness: How the Right Communication Repairs Relationships | 00:18:41 | |
In relationships between imperfect people, mistakes are inevitable. And when we find ourselves with damaged connections, it’s a specific kind of communication that can help us make amends. Fred Luskin is the Director of the Stanford University Forgiveness Project, and has devoted much of his career to researching the way forgiveness affects our psychological, relational, and physical health. “Apology is one of the few things that research shows actually facilitates forgiveness,” Luskin explains. In this Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast with host and strategic communication lecturer Matt Abrahams, Luskin outlines what it means to truly say we’re sorry.
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| 09 Oct 2020 | 21. Words Matter: How to Make Your Communication Inclusive | 00:21:37 | |
What way can the language we use reinforce existing stereotypes and biases? In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Sarah Soule, Senior Associate Dean and Professor of Organizational Behavior sits down with lecturer and host Matt Abrahams to discuss how even the details of our word choice can shape culture, for better or worse.
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| 15 Oct 2021 | 42. Space, Pace, and Grace: How to Handle Challenging Conversations | 00:23:18 | |
Being a better listener has a lot to do with silence, says Collins Dobbs, a lecturer in management at Stanford Graduate School of Business. “A lot of people are uncomfortable with the smallest modicum of silence, but learning often happens when we create distance for useful reflection.” In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Dobbs talks with host Matt Abrahams about the importance of “space, pace, and grace” when you’re receiving others’ feedback and handling the emotions that come out during tough discussions. “There’s often a lot more focus on the skill set on delivering emotion than receiving emotion, but if the receiver of emotion can put themselves in a place of curiosity, agency, and openness. . . . opens up a whole new world of possibilities.” Dobbs is an executive coach and teaches several courses, including Interpersonal Dynamics, and Leadership Labs.
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| 18 Jul 2022 | 63. Cheap Talk: What Economics Has to Say About Communication | 00:18:49 | |
Your words — are they credible? Or are they what Paul Oyer calls “cheap talk?” According to professor of economics Paul Oyer, how our words align with our actions isn’t just a matter of communication, but a matter of economics too. Economic concepts hold in all areas of life, which Oyer’s research has explored in everything from Uber driving to online dating. “Economics is everywhere,” Oyer says. “It's an incredibly powerful lens to analyze almost anything in the real world.” Join Matt Abrahams, lecturer in strategic communication, as he sits down with experts from across campus to discuss public speaking anxiety, speaking off the cuff, nailing a Q&A, and more.
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| 15 Jul 2021 | 36. Perfecting Teamwork: Building High-Performing Teams By Encouraging Learning | 00:21:42 | |
In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Sara Singer, a professor of organizational behavior (by courtesy) at Stanford Graduate School of Business and a professor of medicine at Stanford School of Medicine, sits down with lecturer Matt Abrahams to discuss the role of open communication in high-performing teams. “Learning requires leadership that reinforces learning, a supportive environment, including especially psychological safety, but also an appreciation for differences when you’re working with people of lots of different backgrounds, and openness to new ideas,” she says. Connect:
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| 27 Mar 2020 | 6. Quick Thinks: Communicating and Leading Virtually | 00:08:09 | |
Leading successful meetings remotely and being a strong speaker on-screen require specific skills. Communicating effectively has to do with your presence, ability to leverage tools, and your audience engagement. In this Quick Thinks episode, Stanford GSB Strategic Communications lecturer Matt Abrahams shares best practices for becoming a more effective and engaging online communicator. Connect:
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| 22 Aug 2023 | 103. Simple Is a Superpower: How to Communicate Any Idea to Any Audience | 00:22:54 | |
The best communicators express ideas simply. And to do that, says Carmine Gallo, “you have to connect with people in a language they understand.” Gallo is an author, communication coach, and lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. For him, the cornerstone of good communication is empathizing with an audience enough to truly speak their language. “Think about the audience first,” he says. “If you cannot speak the same language to different stakeholders and adapt the language for those different stakeholders, you’ll never get anything done.” On this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Gallo and host Matt Abrahams discuss how we can simplify our language and weave relevant stories to translate and tailor our communication for our audience.
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| 31 Jul 2020 | 16. Quick Thinks: How to Craft Your Body Language When Confronting Objections | 00:06:09 | |
Knowing what to say to a skeptical audience is paramount, but how can your body language communicate empathy, openness, and power? In this Quick Thinks episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, we revisit Matt Abrahams’s conversation with Stanford GSB lecturer Burt Alper about how to keep body language in mind when it comes to handling objections.
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| 02 Feb 2022 | 50. Telling Good Stories: How to Use the Elements of Narrative to Keep Listeners Engaged | 00:19:23 | |
“Make them want to turn the page,” says Paula Moya, a professor at Stanford University and author of The Social Imperative: Race, Close Reading, and Contemporary Literary Criticism. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Moya sits down with strategic communication lecturer Matt Abrahams to share how the elements of story can be used in other types of communication. Create compelling situations, full of sense and surprise, she says. Create characters we can empathize with; speak your written sentences aloud, and, Moya advises, think of the images your words may conjure up and how they may be interpreted by different audiences.
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| 11 Sep 2020 | 19. Showing Your Smile From Behind a Mask: How Culture and Emotion Impact Communication | 00:24:32 | |
“In companies, you’re interacting with other people who come from different cultural contexts, and in order to be effective, you have to understand how much of your own communication and other people’s communication is shaped by their cultural ideas and their cultural values.” On this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, host Matt Abrahams sits down with Jeanne Tsai, an associate professor of Psychology at Stanford and director of the Culture and Emotion Lab. Jeanne’s research focuses on cultural influences on psychological and social processes related to emotion. Jeanne discusses why wearing a mask is more accepted for some cultures, and seen as prohibiting communication in others. “Communication is just one of the places where you really can see culture at work,” she says. “In cultural contexts that promote these more independent views of the self, the core goal of communication is to express yourself, to express those beliefs, preferences and desires that define who you are.”
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| 03 Dec 2021 | 46. Stay Creative: How to Keep Your Ideas Fresh and Practical | 00:20:38 | |
“To be creative, ideas must be both novel and useful. That’s the definition that we use in creativity research,” says Justin Berg, an assistant professor of organizational behavior at Stanford Graduate School of Business. But, he warns: “Novel ideas are often not very useful and useful ideas are often not very novel.” In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Berg sits down with lecturer and podcast host Matt Abrahams to share lessons from his work on creativity, which has included conducting experiments with both movie directors and circus performers. “The takeaway is that we should never stop being a creator. As managers and executives climb up the organizational ladder, they may benefit from staying involved in the creative R&D side of things, rather than just spend time having ideas pitched to them.”
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| 27 Sep 2022 | 68. Directive vs. Dialogue: Communicating Better as a Leader | 00:19:00 | |
As the dean of Stanford Graduate School of Business, Dean Jon Levin knows the importance of crafting the right message and sharing it in the right way. But, as he says, one of the biggest challenges for any leader is to know what to communicate, and how. How do leaders strike the balance between being clear and directive, and as Levin says, “leaving space for people to form their own opinions, to discuss ideas, to debate”? He joins host and lecturer of strategic communications Matt Abrahams to discuss on this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart. Connect:
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| 02 Jul 2020 | 14. Be Better At Work: How to Communicate Better With Coworkers and Employees | 00:23:38 | |
Most of the work we do requires coordinating and collaborating with others. But how can we ensure the benefits of working with others, while avoiding conflict that’s inherent to communicating within groups? In this episode, Matt Abrahams speaks with Bob Sutton, Professor of Management Science and Engineering at Stanford School of Engineering and GSB Professor of Organizational Behavior (by courtesy) about maximizing productivity while minimizing what he calls “friction.” “So many organizations make the right things too hard to do and the wrong things too easy,” Sutton says. “For communication, to me, a big part of a leader's job is to be clear about where people should focus attention and where they should not focus attention.”
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| 14 Dec 2021 | 47. Quick Thinks: How to Use Storytelling to Be a Better Founder | 00:07:50 | |
“Great founders are great storytellers,” says Stanford Graduate School of Business professor Stephanos Zenios in this “Quick Thinks” episode. Zenios is the director of the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies and heads Startup Garage, a project-based course where teams design and test business concepts that address real-world problems. “Founders have to tell a story to their customer so that they can inspire them to test and use their new product. They have to tell a story to their employees to inspire them to take some risk. And then, they have to tell a story to investors and their board.”
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| 25 Sep 2020 | 20. Question Your Questions: How to Spark Creativity in Your Communication | 00:23:53 | |
“Sparking communication starts with asking why or what or how.” On this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Tina Seelig, the Professor of the Practice in Stanford’s department of Management Science and Engineering, sits down with podcast host and lecturer Matt Abrahams to talk about the structures of storytelling that will help become more creative communicators and the importance of asking questions about everything we do. “Having a mindset of curiosity opens the door to great communication,” Seelig says. “The more questions you ask, the more you learn, the more engaged you will be with others.”
Show notes: Creativity Rules: Get Ideas Out of Your Head and Into the World inGenius: A Crash Course on Creativity Stanford Technology Ventures Program Knight Hennessy Scholars program ******** | |||
| 13 Jun 2023 | 94. LEADing ideas: Research-Backed Tips and Tools from Four Stanford Professors | 00:29:23 | |
Breaking new ground, Think Fast, Talk Smart steps into the world of live events, bringing together an eager audience of LEAD students from Stanford University and a top-notch panel of former podcast guests: Jesper B. Sørensen, Sarah Soule, Jonathan Levav,and Szu-chi Huang. Topics include crafting strategy for successful leadership and tips on how to effectively lead a hybrid team. This episode also features an interactive audience segment, where various participants of the Stanford LEAD program answer the three questions traditionally posed to guests. Connect:
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| 22 Nov 2022 | 72. Quick Thinks: Talk It Out – How to Successfully Negotiate and Resolve Conflict | 00:13:03 | |
When it comes to negotiating and managing conflict, Professor Michele Gelfand says it’s time to get creative. Everybody has wants and needs. So what do we do when our priorities compete with those of other people? According to Gelfand, a professor of organizational behavior, negotiations and conflict management are exercises in creative problem-solving, ones where we look for ways to not only get what we want, but for those on the other side of the table to get what they want too. “The best negotiators tend to be the most creative,” says Gelfand. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Gelfand joins Matt Abrahams to discuss how creative communication can help us find solutions where everybody wins.
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| 10 Jan 2020 | Introducing Think Fast, Talk Smart: The Podcast | 00:01:37 | |
Join Matt Abrahams, lecturer in strategic communication at Stanford Graduate School of Business, as he sits down with experts from across the world to discuss public speaking anxiety, speaking off the cuff, nailing a Q&A, and more. Connect:
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| 16 Apr 2021 | 31. Quick Thinks: How to Shine Online and Excel at Virtual Communication | 00:09:57 | |
It has been over a year since millions of people have switched from office work to working from home. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, lecturer and host Matt Abrahams highlights guests’ top takeaways on how to best communicate, share information, and cultivate a professional presence though the screen. “I think we have to find ways to reduce cognitive overload,” says Professor and Senior Associate Dean Sarah Soule. “I now offer my information in much smaller pieces interspersed with breakout groups.”
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| 11 Jun 2024 | 146. Stress Resets: How to Change Your Internal Dialogue to Communicate Better | 00:20:08 | |
Stress can get in the way of our communication with others. To manage our stress, psychologist Jenny Taitz says, we first need to adjust the conversations that we have with ourselves. Taitz is an assistant clinical professor in psychiatry at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the author of several books, including Stress Resets: How to Soothe Your Body and Mind in Minutes. According to her, much of the stress we experience is self-created through negative thought patterns and harsh self-criticism. “We're doing this to ourselves all the time,” she says. But as we become aware of these unhelpful mental loops, Taitz’ “resets” can help us disrupt them and reframe self-talk in more productive ways In addition to changing our self-talk, Taitz offers tools for refreshing our communication with others. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, she and host Matt Abrahams explore her G.I.V.E. framework — how being gentle, interested, validating, and easy-mannered equips us for more positive conversations with ourselves and others Episode Reference Links:
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| 13 Aug 2020 | 17. Think Fast: You Asked, We Answered | 00:19:13 | |
We asked listeners to send in their communication conundrums and ended up with an inbox full of thoughtful, specific questions. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, host and Stanford GSB lecturer Matt Abrahams is joined by Shawon Jackson, MBA ’21, to share techniques on crafting written responses, dealing with constant interruptions, and confronting the power dynamics present in most communication. Shawon is the founder of Our Voices Matter, a public speaking program for high school students of color and a dual-degree student between Stanford GSB and Harvard Kennedy School.
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| 12 Apr 2022 | 56. Lean Messaging: How Simple Messages Really Stick | 00:20:31 | |
“Anyone can make a complicated thing sound complicated. It takes real skill to make it sound simple.” This episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart features Steve Blank, seasoned entrepreneur, marketer, and Stanford adjunct professor in the Department of Management Science and Engineering. “Messages need to be memorable,” he tells podcast host and strategic communications lecturer Matt Abrahams. “The more memorable the message, the greater its ability to create change.” Blank teaches courses on Lean Startups, innovation, and entrepreneurship, and throughout his 45 years of launching businesses and helping others do the same, he’s learned the importance of crafting the perfect message by keeping it simple.
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| 02 Sep 2021 | 39. Brains Love Stories: How Leveraging Neuroscience Can Capture People's Emotions | 00:20:31 | |
In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, lecturer and podcast host Matt Abrahams sits down with David Eagleman, a neuroscientist and the host of the PBS series The Brain, to discuss why our brains are wired for storytelling and how new senses might impact our connection and communication with others. “I’ve always been really interested in this idea of how we can pass information to the brain via unusual channels," Eagleman says. "We’ve got our eyes or ears or fingertips and our nose, we’re very used to this and we sort of think these are fundamental, but of course, this is just what we’ve inherited from a long road of evolution... It turns out you can push information in the brain in other ways.” Connect:
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| 08 Jan 2021 | 26. Writing to Win: How to Quickly Capture Readers and Keep Them Engaged | 00:22:23 | |
“The reader is impatient,” says Glenn Kramon, Stanford GSB lecturer in management and editor at the New York Times. “Start with the most important conclusion and then explain how you got there.” On the latest episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, lecturer and podcast host Matt Abrahams sits down with Glenn Kramon to talk about just how important our writing is — from a lengthy report to the opening line of an email. Listen as they discuss tips on improving your writing skills and share examples of what not to do.
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| 30 May 2023 | 92. No Regrets: How to Take Risks in Your Communication, Relationships, and Career | 00:27:13 | |
“What people regret over time are things they didn't do. They didn't take that trip, they didn't ask that person out on a date. They didn't start that business,” says former political speech writer and best-selling author Dan Pink. “I think it's because we are slightly over-indexed on risk. We overstate the risk in many circumstances.” On this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, strategic communications lecturer Matt Abrahams sits down with Pink to hear how we should all take more risks and how leaders can inspire others by focusing on the why instead of the how. “There's almost incontrovertible evidence that sense of purpose is the most cost effective performance enhancer that organizations have,” Pink says. They also discuss the power in taking breaks, which Pink considers part of performance, not a deviation from it. “What we know from many domains is that professionals take breaks. It's not that amateurs take breaks and the professionals don't, it's the exact opposite.” Pink’s latest book is The Power of Regret, How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward.
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| 18 Nov 2021 | 45. Recipes From the “Communication Kitchen”: How to Handle Three Common Challenges This Holiday Season | 00:14:01 | |
In each episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Stanford GSB lecturer and podcast host Matt Abrahams asks his guests the same question: “What are the first three ingredients in a successful communication recipe?” Answers have ranged from specific and poetic, to impactful and thought-provoking. In this episode, we bring you some favorite responses, as well as Matt’s tips for solving three common communication challenges that tend to arise during the holiday season.
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| 14 May 2024 | 142. Power and Persuasion: Live Insights from Stanford Experts | 00:35:03 | |
A special live edition from the Me2We event at Stanford, where strategic communications expert and podcast host Matt Abrahams joins four distinguished faculty members from Stanford Graduate School of Business:
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| 31 Mar 2021 | 30. Dissolve Disagreements: How Communication Impacts Conflict | 00:21:14 | |
“Communication, conflict, and cooperation are intertwined in a multitude of ways,” says Nir Halevy, associate professor of organizational behavior at Stanford Graduate School of Business. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Halevy sits down with host and lecturer Matt Abrahams, to discuss how we can often solve conflicts and disagreements by employing the correct strategy in our communication. “How you articulate a particular grievance, your choice of words, the nonverbal aspects of your claim, such as the tone of your voice, can definitely influence reactions to your claim,” Halevy says.
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| 07 Jun 2022 | 60. Communicating Uncertainty: How to Connect With Your Audience, Even When The Answers Aren’t Clear | 00:17:33 | |
“It's not reassuring when we don't know the answers to critically important questions involved in health and wellbeing. But it's far more of a problem if we try to pretend we do.” In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Stanford Medical School dean Lloyd Minor sits down with podcast host Matt Abrahams to discuss transparency in leadership. “Rather than pushing ambiguity away, we should lean into it, and use it as a stimulus to guide our communication in more effective ways.” They also discuss the benefits an introvert can bring to leadership roles and critical role listening plays for anyone in a position of power.
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| 22 Apr 2021 | 32. Speech That Empowers: How to Encourage Growth and Resilience in a Younger Audience | 00:25:06 | |
“Communication is such a delicate dance and kids need to emerge from childhood having practiced,” says Julie Lythcott-Haims, former associate vice provost of undergraduate education Stanford University. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, lecturer and podcast host Matt Abrahams sits down with Lythcott-Haims to discuss her new book, Your Turn: How to be an Adult, and ideas on how to communicate with young people so they feel empowered to take on the various (and often intimidating) duties of adulthood. “Responsibility isn’t a bad thing,” she says. “Responsibility is actually an amazing thing. And I think we have to do a better job of narrating that truth.”
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| 07 May 2020 | 10. High-Stakes Communication: How to Manage Anxiety When Speaking in Front of Others | 00:18:00 | |
Most people feel nervous in situations such as speaking in front of a class, pitching a big idea, or giving a toast, yet research-backed techniques can help manage both the symptoms and sources of our speaking jitters. Matt Abrahams sits in the interviewee chair for this episode and talks with the podcast's producer, Jenny Luna, to share his backstory with public speaking anxiety and how by recognizing the causes of our nervousness, and applying mitigating techniques, we can gain confidence in our communication. Connect:
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| 30 Jan 2024 | 126. BONUS Making Meetings Meaningful: When Face-to-Face Meetings Matter | 00:34:29 | |
If we want to generate better ideas, then we need to get people back to the office. In this bonus meetings mini-series episode, we feature an episode from the newest podcast from Stanford Graduate School of Business – If/Then: Business, Leadership, Society. In this conversation with senior editor Kevin Cool, Professor of Marketing and former TFTS guest Jonathan Levav details his study of remote work and creativity. “Pairs that worked face-to-face generated 15 to 20% more ideas than pairs that worked on Zoom,” Levav notes. What’s more, in-person brainstorming helped people consider a wider and more diverse range of possibilities. “Working on Zoom was a double penalty. Fewer ideas — and a narrower set of ideas.” Remote work may be the new normal in our post-pandemic world, but Levav cautions us from accepting the status quo — especially if we want to keep our creative edge. As this episode of If/Then explores, our best ideas could still lie ahead of us — if we can all get in the same room. If/Then is a podcast from the Stanford Graduate School of Business that examines research findings that can help us navigate the complex issues we face in business, leadership, and society. Each episode features an interview with a Stanford GSB faculty member.
Be sure to also listen to Part 1 and 2 of our Making Meeting Matter mini-series.
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| 20 Aug 2024 | 156. Creative Communication: How Our Design Choices Illustrate Our Values | 00:25:43 | |
As a designer, Scott Doorley is interested in how humans create the world around them. It’s a conversation, he says, that starts with the question: What kind of world do we want? Doorley is the creative director of the Stanford d.school and co-author of the book, Assembling Tomorrow: A Guide to Designing a Thriving Future. In designing everything from a device to an app to a building, “People get excited about what it can do,” he says, “but what should it do? What do we want? What's the desirable outcome that we want in the world?” In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Doorley and host Matt Abrahams discuss how applying design thinking to communication can help us connect more with each other, better understand the world, and create meaningful change. Episode Reference Links:
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