
Join Matt Abrahams, a lecturer of Strategic Communication at Stanford Graduate School of Business, as he sits down with experts in the field to discuss real-world challenges. How do I send my message clearly when put on the spot? How do I write emails to get my point across? How can I easily convey complex information? How do I manage my reputation? Whether you’re giving a toast or presenting in a meeting, communication is critical to success in business and in life.Think Fast, Talk Smart provides the tools, techniques, and best practices to help you communicate more effectively.
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120. A Few of Matt’s Favorite Things: 10 Communication Takeaways from 2023's TFTS Episodes
Matt reflects on all the advice we've heard this season and shares the top 10 takeaways that he’s applying to his own communication:(00:00) Matt's Introduction(00:42) Jonah Berger: episode 80(02:09) Rachel Greenwald: episode 89(03:44) Dan Pink: episode 92(04:53) Vanessa Patrick: episode 95(06:55) Carmine Gallo: episode 103(07:43) Katie Milkman: episode 104(09:12) Kim Scott: episode 105(10:32) Francis Frei: episode 109(11:40) Patrick McGinnis: episode 113(13:14) Julian Treasure: episode 114Connect:Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart WebsiteThink Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn Page & InstagramMatt Abrahams >>> LinkedInStanford GSB >>> LinkedIn & TwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
119. Best Of: How to Embrace the Benefits of Stress
“Stress is natural,” says Alia Crum, an assistant professor of psychology at Stanford. “Stress is inevitable when you’re living a life that’s connected with things you care about. And learning how to embrace it, learning how to work with it is really what helps us thrive and grow and perform at our highest level.”In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, lecturer and podcast host Matt Abrahams talks with Crum about her work as the principal investigator at the Stanford Mind & Body Lab, where she is studying how people can benefit from stress. “There’s a whole side of stress that shows that it can have enhancing qualities on our cognitive functioning, our physical health, and on how we behave and interact with others,” she says.For a full transcript of this conversation, visit our website.Connect:Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart WebsiteThink Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn Page & InstagramMatt Abrahams >>> LinkedInStanford GSB >>> LinkedIn & TwitterAttend the Think Fast, Talk Smart Live Event December 13, 2023 --> Sign up at FasterSmarter.ioSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
118. Maximizing your Personal Brand: Communicating Who You Are to Help Get What You Want
What comes to people’s minds when they think about you, and can you control it? Dorie Clark says you can — with the power of your personal brand.According to Clark, “You have brand equity in your own life.” Your personal brand or reputation, she says, “makes things either easier or harder for you” as you pursue your personal and professional goals. The key question, she says, is “What kind of reputation have you built up?” By taking stock of the personal brand you have, you can redefine it to align with who you are and where you want to go.In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Clark and host Matt Abrahams discuss the power of personal branding, being more strategic in how we communicate about ourselves, and how we can shape the narrative of our lives, personally and professionally.For a full transcript of this conversation, visit our website.Attend the Think Fast, Talk Smart Live Event December 13th --> Sign up at FasterSmarter.ioSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
117. Say It, See It: How to Connect Through Conversation
Communication is about so much more than sharing words. As neuroscientist Shane O’Mara explains, communication is about sharing reality.According to O’Mara, “A conversation is where we create a shared reality together.” As a professor of experimental brain research at Trinity College Dublin, his research has focused on how human brains sync up through communication. “The essence is that we are creating a shared reality where we come to share the same states of emotion, the same states of memory, and we come to think about the future together in a new way.”On this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, O’Mara joins host Matt Abrahams to discuss how language, memory, and imagination play into communication, and how we can use active listening, turn-taking, and mentalizing to create a shared reality together.More resourcesFor a full transcript of this conversation, visit our website. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
116. Quick Thinks: Don't Sweat the Small Talk
Even if you don’t think you’re a natural, anyone can become proficient at the art of small talk by utilizing the right tactics and behaviors. In this collaboration with Harvard Business Review, strategic communications lecturer Matt Abrahams shares his tips and techniques for cocktail party chit chat, networking small talk, and holiday dinner-table conversation. Watch the full video on HBR's YouTube channel.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Best of: How We Set and Achieve Goals
Why do we do what we do? What factors drive us? And how do things like competition with others help us achieve our goals?These are the questions most interesting to Szu-chi Huang, an associate professor of marketing with a specific interest in motivation. “Competition definitely increases motivation,” says Huang. “It makes attaining the goal more valuable.”In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Huang and host Matt Abrahams explore the intersection of human psychology, behavior, and goal attainment — and how communication connects them all.For a full transcript, visit this episode's webpage.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Communication Means Paying Attention: The Four Pillars of Active Listening
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. For a full transcript of this episode, visit our podcast webpage.More resources:Julian Treasure on TEDJulian Treasure on LinkedInSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Missing Something? How to Kick FOMO with Conscious Decision-Making
What if you had that job? What if you were with that person? What if there’s a better option out there? If you find yourself asking these questions, Patrick McGinnis invented the term for what you’re experiencing: FOMO.First coined by McGinnis in a piece published by the Harvard Business School newspaper, FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) describes the anxiety we feel when thinking that other people are having more fun and living more fulfilling lives than we are. As McGinnis says, “We are constantly comparing ourselves to other people. We are seeing the options that are out there. And then we're saying, what I'm doing right now isn't good enough. I am missing out on something.”Both in his book, Fear of Missing Out: Practical Decision-Making in a World of Overwhelming Choice, and in this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, McGinnis explains how conscious decision-making can help us feel more sure of our choices and experience less anxiety about the options we pass up.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
From Mistakes to "Missed Takes"
This episode we're sharing an excerpt from Matt Abrahams's audiobook, Think Faster, Talk Smarter. Listen in as Matt explains how to think like a movie director, where a mistake isn't a grave error, but rather a "missed takes" and an opportunity to try again with a new approach.*This audio excerpt is 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.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Best Of: How to Spark Creativity in Your Communication
“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 at Stanford’s department of management science and engineering and the executive director of the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program, chats with host and lecturer Matt Abrahams about 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.”Think Fast, Talk Smart is a podcast produced by Stanford Graduate School of Business. Each episode provides concrete, easy-to-implement tools and techniques to help you hone and enhance your communication skills.For a full transcript of this episode, visit our website. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
TL;DR: How to Write to Capture Busy Readers
Whatever you’re writing, Todd Rogers says most people are too busy to read it. That’s why, he says, “you want to make it as easy as possible for them."Rogers is a professor of public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and the author of the book Writing for Busy Readers: Communicate More Effectively in the Real World. From text messages to fundraising letters to political speeches, Rogers says effective writing makes it “easy for busy readers to navigate what we send them, pull out the key information, and do what they are planning to do anyway, which is move on to the next thing.” This kind of writing, Rogers says, is “more effective for us, and kinder to readers.”In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Rogers and host Matt Abrahams explore how to use structure, simplicity, and everyday vocabulary to write in a way that saves readers time and transmits ideas more effectively.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Simplify! How to Communicate Complex Ideas Simply and Effectively
You said it. But did they hear it? For Frances Frei, communication is about saying things simply enough for an audience to truly understand.As a professor of technology and operations management at Harvard Business School, Frei knows that shaping culture within organizations requires communicating in ways that influence how people think and act. The problem for many leaders, she says, is that when we “understand something deeply, we describe it in a complicated way. If you want broad influence and persuasion, we have to understand it really deeply. And then describe it in a simple and compelling enough way that others can take action.”In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Frei and host Matt Abrahams explore strategies for simpler communication, building and maintaining trust, and celebrating diverse perspectives within our teams. They also discuss takeaways from Frei's latest book, Move Fast and Fix Things: The Trusted Leaders' Guide to Solving Hard Problems.More resources:For a transcript of this episode, visit our website.Move Fast and Fix Things: The Trusted Leaders' Guide to Solving Hard ProblemsFixable, a podcast with Anne Francis and Frances FreiSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
All In: How Improv Helps You Show Up and Communicate Well
If you’re reading from your notes, you’re going to miss the magic of the moment. That’s why Adam Tobin, Dan Klein, and Patricia Ryan Madsen bring improv techniques to all their communication.Communication experts in their respective fields of media, performance, and drama, Tobin, Klein, and Madsen all see the immense power of improv in helping us communicate more freely. As Tobin says, “You do the preparation so that you are expert in the material. And then you let go of the specific delivery of the information in favor of being aware of what's going on now.” Madsen agrees, explaining that we don’t need all the answers, we just need to show up. “Step first,” she says, “then see where you are.”In this celebration of the 100th episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, the three guests join host Matt Abrahams to discuss how improv can transform our communication in everything from small talk to work presentations, and help us create space where we feel safe enough to show up as our most authentic selves.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You're Put on the Spot
In this episode, executive producer Jenny Luna interviews host and strategic communications lecturer Matt Abrahams about the tips and tools in his new book, Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You're Put on the Spot See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Best Of: Using Skills From Improv to Master Your In-The-Moment Communication
In January of 2020 we launched Think Fast Talk Smart with the goal of helping people improve their communication skills. Now, with more than 100 episodes and an engaged audience tuning in from more than 200 countries, we're proud to take you back to the very first episode, where the magic began.As we've discussed multiple times on the show, most professional communication is spontaneous in nature. It’s providing feedback in the moment, answering questions, introducing people. On this inaugural episode, Strategic Communication lecturer Matt Abrahams speaks with Stanford lecturers Adam Tobin and Dan Klein on how to become more comfortable and confident in in-the-moment speaking situations. For a full transcript of this episode, visit the podcast webpage. You can also find this podcast on YouTube.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.