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Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

Matt Abrahams, Think Fast Talk Smart

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One of the most essential ingredients to success in business and life is effective communication. Join Matt Abrahams, best-selling author and Strategic Communication lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Business, as he interviews experts to provide actionable insights that help you communicate with clarity, confidence, and impact. From handling impromptu questions to crafting compelling messages, Matt explores practical strategies for real-world communication challenges. Whether you’re navigating a high-stakes presentation, perfecting your email tone, or speaking off the cuff, Think Fast, Talk Smart equips you with the tools, techniques, and best practices to express yourself effectively in any situation. Enhance your communication skills to elevate your career and build stronger professional relationships. Tune in every Tuesday for new episodes. Subscribe now to unlock your potential as a thoughtful, impactful communicator. Learn more and sign up for our eNewsletter at fastersmarter.io.
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Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques - 1. Speaking Without a Net: How to Master Impromptu Communication

1. Speaking Without a Net: How to Master Impromptu Communication

Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

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01/15/20 • 23 min

Most professional communication is spontaneous in nature: it’s providing feedback in the moment, answering questions, introducing people. On this podcast 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.

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17 Listeners

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Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques - 169. Don't Be a ZQ: Make Your Conversations Count

169. Don't Be a ZQ: Make Your Conversations Count

Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

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11/19/24 • 25 min

​​ 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."
In this LinkedIn Live episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Wood Brooks joins host Matt Abrahams to share a practical framework for mastering small talk and making it enjoyable, even for those who loathe it. Drawing from her "topic pyramid" approach, Wood Brooks breaks down how to elevate a conversation from mundane chitchat to something memorable. “Think of it as a treasure hunt,” she suggests. “Small talk is where you start looking for golden nuggets that can lead to deeper engagement.”

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Chapters:

  • (00:00) - Introduction
  • (01:42) - What Makes a Good Conversation?
  • (04:01) - The Topic Pyramid
  • (06:42) - Preparation for Small Talk
  • (08:58) - Remembering Conversation Details
  • (10:36) - Asking Too Many Questions
  • (12:29) - Conversation Goals and Contexts
  • (16:23) - Virtual vs In-Person Conversations
  • (18:12) - The Importance of Listening
  • (22:06) - Think Fast Talk Smart Premium
  • (23:24) - Conclusion

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7 Listeners

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Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques - 111. Rethinks: How to Spark Creativity in Your Communication

111. Rethinks: How to Spark Creativity in Your Communication

Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

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10/16/23 • 25 min

“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.”

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Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques - 91. Um, Like, So: How Filler Words Can Create More Connected, Effective Communication
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05/23/23 • 31 min

We’re often advised not to use “um” or “uh”, or “so” and “you know” in our communication. But linguist Valerie Fridland might argue otherwise. “Language is about how we encode both the linguistic message and a social message,” she says. “Crutch words ... are really valuable and they have arisen to serve a need.”

In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Fridland sits down with host and strategic communications lecturer Matt Abrahams to discuss how and when we use "you know","so", and other filler words. For example, Fridland says, the way we use “um” varies greatly from how and we might use “uh.” And the use of “like,” while deplored by many, actually serves a linguistic function and can provide context and background for a listener.

She and Matt also discuss the social linguistic function of vocal fry and whether emojis have a place in business communication.

Fridland is a professor of sociolinguistics at the University of Nevada. She's an expert on the relationship between language and society and recently released a new book, Like Literally Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English.

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Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques - 72. Quick Thinks: Talk It Out – How to Successfully Negotiate and Resolve Conflict
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11/22/22 • 13 min

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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Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques - 2. Communicating Our Multiple Selves: How to Effectively Manage Your Reputation
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01/30/20 • 16 min

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.

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Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques - 121. Building Trust and Connection: How to Lead with Vulnerability

121. Building Trust and Connection: How to Lead with Vulnerability

Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

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12/26/23 • 22 min

We have to be vulnerable in order to build trust in our relationships. But as Jacob Morgan says, “Vulnerability for leaders is not the same as it is for everybody else.”

In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Morgan shares with host Matt Abrahams his “vulnerable leadership equation” and how leaders can use it to transform the way they interact with others — creating more trust, unlocking people’s potential, and building successful teams and organizations.

As Morgan explains, owning up to your mistakes and struggles might make you vulnerable, but it doesn’t necessarily make you a leader. In his latest book, Leading with Vulnerability: Unlock Your Greatest Superpower to Transform Yourself, Your Team, and Your Organization, Morgan lays out why leading with vulnerability goes a step further, saying, “Here's what I learned from the mistake that I made [and] steps that I'm going to put into place to make sure this doesn't happen again.”

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Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques - 167.

167.

Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

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11/01/24 • 22 min

Good stories win in business and life.

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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Chapters:

  • (00:00) - Introduction
  • (01:13) - What Makes a Good Story?
  • (02:06) - Bringing Emotion into Communication
  • (02:42) - Storytelling Across Professions
  • (04:46) - Crafting an Effective Story
  • (06:32) - Uniqueness in Storytelling
  • (07:35) - Balancing Creativity and Business
  • (09:04) - Managing Conflict with Connection
  • (10:53) - Screen Time and Family
  • (12:33) - Navigating Industry Change
  • (14:53) - The Final Three Questions
  • (21:18) - Conclusion
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Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques - Bonus: How to Manage Speaking Anxiety the Think Faster, Talk Smarter Way
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09/26/24 • 21 min

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.

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Chapters:

  • (00:00) - Introduction
  • (01:06) - The Onion Interview
  • (02:48) - Speaking Up Without Freaking Out
  • (05:16) - The ABCs of Speaking Anxiety
  • (06:30) - Mindfulness Matters
  • (08:48) - Reframe Anxiety as Excitement
  • (10:12) - Cooling Down and Managing Physical Symptoms
  • (14:01) - Taming Negative Thoughts
  • (15:12) - The Power of Repetition
  • (15:50) - Preparing Questions
  • (18:15) - Rationalizing the Odds
  • (19:18) - Conclusion

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Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques - 83. You Need a Manifesto: How to Communicate Your Convictions

83. You Need a Manifesto: How to Communicate Your Convictions

Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

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03/28/23 • 20 min

“If you're not living life according to your own values, you're most likely living them according to someone else's,” says Charlotte Burgess-Auburn.

Burgess-Auburn is a designer, artist, educator, and the Director of Community at the d.school. With her recently published guide, You Need A Manifesto: How To Craft Your Convictions And Put Them To Work, she aims to help people identify their core values and then codify them to chart a course of meaning and purpose.

“A manifesto is a statement of purpose and a script for action,” she says, “a compass [and] navigation tool to help you find your way.” As she and Matt Abrahams discuss on this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, a personal manifesto can help us communicate our deepest values — first to ourselves, and then to the world.

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FAQ

How many episodes does Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques have?

Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques currently has 191 episodes available.

What topics does Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques cover?

The podcast is about Career Growth, Career, Leadership, Improv, Podcasts, Self-Improvement, Education, Business, Public Speaking, Communication and Careers.

What is the most popular episode on Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques?

The episode title '1. Speaking Without a Net: How to Master Impromptu Communication' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques?

The average episode length on Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques is 22 minutes.

How often are episodes of Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques released?

Episodes of Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques are typically released every 7 days.

When was the first episode of Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques?

The first episode of Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques was released on Jan 10, 2020.

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