Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques
Think Fast Talk Smart is a podcast hosted by Matt Abrahams, a lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Business, that offers practical communication techniques for business and life. Each episode features interviews with experts who share actionable insights on handling impromptu questions, crafting compelling messages, and improving overall communication skills. The podcast aims to help listeners express themselves with clarity, confidence, and impact in various professional and personal situations.
Episodes
296. AMA: Speaking Out, Staying Grounded, and Managing Up
Practical communication strategies you can use immediately at work and beyond.How do you speak up when a conversation is moving faster than you can think? What should you do when emotions threaten to derail your listening? And how can you give honest feedback to a boss who doesn’t seem interested in hearing it?In this Ask Matt Anything episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, host Matt Abrahams
295. Culture Club: Communicating Values That Scale
Why the best leaders treat uncertainty as a chance to learn, not a failure to avoid.Most companies are built to grow. Far fewer are built to stay true to their purpose as they do.Eric Ries is an entrepreneur, creator of the Lean Startup movement, and author of Incorruptible: Why Good Companies Go Bad and How Great Companies Stay Great. For Ries, innovation starts with a simple reality: no
294. Ask & You Shall Receive: Questions For Better Negotiations
Do you really win the negotiation if it means losing the relationship?You might think that successful negotiation means getting what you want here and now. But Stan Christensen says this short-sighted view is selling many negotiators short.Christensen is a professional negotiator, host of the All Things Negotiation podcast, and instructor of one of Stanford's most popular courses on the s
293. The Leadership Skills We’ll Need Most When Everything Is Changing: Me2We 2026
What it takes to lead as a communicator and communicate as a leader.Leadership isn’t just about making decisions — it’s about how you communicate them. As Matt Abrahams puts it, “Communication is operationalized leadership.”At a recent Me2We event, in connection with Stanford GSB's Executive Education LEAD program, Abrahams held a live discussion with four of the podcast’s most popular gu
292. Headspace Habits: Lessons for Calm, Confident Communication
The hidden habits behind calm, confident communicators.What does it really take to become a more confident communicator? In this special collaboration between Think Fast, Talk Smart and Headspace, host Matt Abrahams shares practical, mindful strategies for speaking with clarity, managing anxiety, listening more deeply, and connecting more authentically with others.Across five short lesson
291. Hello, Stranger: Why Curiosity Beats Charisma Every Time
What keeps us from being more social? Nick Epley calls it a “mind-reading mistake.”We all think about what others think, particularly what they think about us. The problem, says Nick Epley, is that we’re almost always wrong.Epley is a professor of behavioral science at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and author of A Little More Social: How Small Choices Create Unexpecte
290. Quick Thinks: How to Have Better Conversations About Aging
How can we approach aging with more joy, empathy, and meaningful connection?We often talk about lifespan, or how long we live, but Kerry Burnight believes the more important question is how fully we live along the way.Burnight is a gerontologist, former professor of geriatric medicine, and author of Joyspan: The Art and Science of Thriving in Life's Second Half. Drawing from decades of ex
289. Better with Age: Why Joy Matters More Than Longevity
A full life isn’t about the quantity of time, but the quality.Our lifespan might describe how long we live, but it doesn’t say anything about how well we live. For that, Kerry Burnight says, we need a different measure: joyspan.Burnight is a gerontologist, former professor of geriatric medicine, and author of Joyspan: The Art and Science of Thriving in Life's Second Half. In her decades w
288. Turn Your Audience into Co-Creators: Lessons from the Tiger Sisters
The Tiger Sisters share the keys to collaborative communication.Good marketing communication doesn’t just go one way. As the Tiger Sisters know, building a brand is about bringing your audience into the conversation.Cherie and Jean Luo are sisters, tech and finance experts, and co-hosts of the Tiger Sisters Podcast, a show about money, power, and love. Their approach to content creation m
287. Give It a Rest to Do Your Best: The Sleep Habits That Catalyze Your Communication
If you want to do your best, you’d better get your rest.The quality of your sleep fundamentally affects the quality of your communication. Communicating well, Dr. Cheri Mah says, starts with being well-rested.“Sleep impacts nearly every aspect of how you function,” says Mah, a sleep physician, adjunct lecturer at Stanford Sleep Medicine Center, and internationally recognized expert on sle
286. Driven to Succeed: Turn Doubt Into Your Competitive Advantage
Confidence, clarity, and speaking when it matters.Confident communication isn’t about being the loudest in the room. For Susie Wolff, it’s about displaying assurance before you even open your mouth.Wolff is a former professional race car driver, managing director of F1 Academy, and author of Driven. Throughout her career in one of the world's most male-dominated industries, she’s learned
285. Think Inside the Box: How Constraints Spark Creativity and Communication
The secret to better communication isn’t adding more—it’s knowing what to leave out.Communication isn’t clearer when you say more — it’s clearer when you say less. As David Epstein puts it, we’re wired to keep adding, even when “the better solution is often what you take away.” The challenge isn’t having ideas; it’s choosing which one actually matters.Epstein is an author and investigativ
How To Speak Up — When You Don’t Want To | From TED Business
What stops you from speaking up when it matters most?This week on Think Fast Talk Smart, we’re featuring a special episode from TED Business. Healthcare leader Sarah Crawford-Bohl offers a practical, compassionate framework to have difficult conversations with clarity and heart — and shows how it can lead to stronger teams and real impact.TED Business is a podcast from TED that offers you
283. Ask Matt Anything: Authenticity, Anxiety, and Answering Well
Simple strategies to think faster, stay authentic, and communicate with confidence. How do you stay genuine without sounding rehearsed? What helps when your thoughts are moving faster than your words? And how can you handle high-pressure moments with more ease?Strong communication isn’t about having the right lines ready—it’s about being present enough to respond with clarity. In the mome
282. The Language of Luck: Why Fortune Favors Those Who Pay Attention
If you can make conversation, you can make your own luck.Good communication isn’t passive. And good luck, says Tina Seelig, is the same. There’s “what the world gives us,” and then there’s “how we respond to it.”Seelig is executive director of the Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program at Stanford University and author of What I Wish I Knew About Luck. For her, good fortune doesn’t find us, we
281. Be Clear, Be Concise, Be Remembered: Masters of Scale
Great communication isn’t about saying more—it’s about making what you say matter.If we want to communicate more effectively, we need to treat communication less like a habit—and more like a series of intentional choices. In this special feed drop, we’re featuring a conversation from the Masters of Scale podcast, where host Jeff Berman sits down with Stanford lecturer and Think Fast,
280. Stay Relevant: Future Proof Your Career in an AI World
Work is changing, not ending—what it takes to stay relevant in an AI-driven world.Careers aren’t ladders anymore — they’re climbing walls. As Aneesh Raman puts it, “work is changing, not ending,” and success today depends on how well you can navigate change and explain your path along the way.Raman is the Chief Economic Opportunity Officer at LinkedIn and a former presidential speechwrite
279. Rethinks: How to Leverage What People Already Want
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 be
278. How Do You Mean? It’s Not What You Say, It’s How You Say It
Whatever your message, the manner in which you deliver it is just as important.You found the right words. You picked the right time to say them. You even tailored them to your audience. Why did your message fall flat? “It's your tone,” says Jefferson Fisher.Fisher is a trial attorney, New York Times bestselling author, podcast host, and one of the most-followed experts in communication to
277. How Small Choices Shape Better Communication
Real change isn’t about knowing what to do — it’s about actually doing it, one small choice at a time.Change doesn’t come from one big breakthrough. It comes from the small choices we make over and over — often in moments we barely notice.Eric Zimmer, behavior coach, host of The One You Feed podcast, and author of How A Little Becomes A Lot, says the real challenge isn’t figuring out what
276. Dead End Goals: Are Your Ambitions Actually Leading You Toward Meaning?
The goals we set often lead us away from the meaning we ultimately seek.Meaning in life isn’t a concrete point we can route toward. That’s why we need what Arthur Brooks calls “proxy goals” — and much better ones than we typically choose.Brooks, a professor at Harvard Business School and author of The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness, says that meaning can't be
275. Cracking the Code: Learn The Unspoken Rules of Workplace Success
Why mastering unspoken workplace communication is essential to long-term career success.Succeeding at work doesn’t just depend on how hard you work or how smart you are. According to Erin McGoff, it often comes down to whether you understand the “secret language” everyone else seems to be speaking.McGoff is a career creator, Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, and author of The Secret Language of
274. Choose Connection Over Perfection: Why Happiness Starts with Better Communication
How to communicate for deeper connection—and greater happiness.Happiness isn’t just a feeling—it’s something you can actively shape through how you think, connect, and communicate.Sonja Lyubomirsky, a distinguished professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside and co-author of How to Feel Loved: The Five Mindsets That Get You More of What Matters Most, defines happine
273. Quick Thinks: How to Create Messages People Remember
Memorable communication isn’t about saying more—it’s making the right idea stick. No matter how compelling a presentation feels in the moment, most of what you say won’t last in your audience’s memory. The key isn’t trying to make people remember everything — it’s ensuring they remember what matters most.Carmen Simon is a cognitive neuroscientist, author, and expert on how the brain pays
272. Say What Sticks: The Neuroscience of Memorable Communication
People are forgetful. Here’s how to make your messages more memorable.After any presentation, your audience will forget about 90% of what you said. That’s okay, says Carmen Simon — just make sure they remember the right 10%.Simon is a cognitive neuroscientist, speaker, author, and expert on how the brain processes and retains information. Her research reveals a humbling truth: “We forget
271. Rethinks: The Key to Lasting Behavior Change
The secret to building habits that stick.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
270. Make Belief: The Mindset Shifts That Make Your Communication Stronger
Why beliefs can either cap our potential or push us toward possibility.What you believe about yourself could be holding you back. Fortunately, Nir Eyal says beliefs aren’t truths — and you can choose new ones.Eyal is a former lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Business and the Stanford d.school, a celebrated author, and a renowned expert on human behavior and potential. His latest bo
269. Ask Matt Anything: Bring Clarity to Complicated Conversations
Practical insights to help you communicate with more intention in everyday moments.What’s the difference between reacting and responding? How do you move from memorizing your words to truly conversing in the moment? And how do you keep growing as a communicator in everyday moments?Communication isn’t about having the perfect script. It’s about staying present enough to respond with intent
268. Going Viral: How To Balance Authenticity and Spectacle
How to communicate who you are online.You may not think of yourself as a content creator, but in the creator economy, Angèle Christin says we all have to learn how to communicate who we are online.Christin is an associate professor of communications at Stanford University and a senior fellow at the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI. According to her, “we are all content creators no
267. Rethinks: Why Authenticity Leads to Better Communication
Why being true to yourself enables you to show up better for others.From the way you communicate, to the way you build your life and career, Graham Weaver, MBA ’99, says it’s about “giving yourself permission to fully be yourself. You can never go wrong when you’re saying your truth.”Weaver is a lecturer in management, a GSB alum, and the founder and a partner of Alpine Investors. He stre
266. Your Brain Has Too Many Tabs Open: Managing the Voice in Your Head
How to turn down the chatter of negative self-talk.If you want to have better conversations with others, Ethan Kross says you first have to quiet down the chatter in your own head.A professor, researcher, and author, Kross defines chatter as a “negative thought loop” that hijacks our attention and undermines our ability to perform. “We have a limited capacity to focus our attention,” he s
265. Complexity to Connection: Humanizing High-Stakes Communication
How to turn complexity into connection through clear communication.Communication in high-stakes moments isn’t about saying more — it’s about connecting better. For Jonathan Berek and Phil Polakoff, the most effective communicators don’t rely on jargon or performance. They rely on empathy, listening, and stories that resonate.Both longtime Stanford Medicine leaders, Berek and Polakoff have
264. Show Your Receipts: Communicating in a Post-Truth World
Why curiosity is the best way to start a conversation.No matter how wide political, cultural, and generational divides seem to grow, Fareed Zakaria is convinced: communication has the power to connect.Zakaria is the host of CNN's Fareed Zakaria GPS, a Washington Post columnist, and author of Age of Revolutions, a book about the seismic societal shifts that define modern history. In his de
263. Smart Isn’t the Same as Clear: How to Sharpen Your Ideas
Why clarity and authenticity matter more than ever in modern communication.Clear communication in the age of likes, LLMs, and constant noise isn’t about talking more. For Nick Thompson, it’s about being unmistakably clear and unmistakably yourself.Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic and former editor-in-chief of Wired, has spent his career shaping stories that hold attention. “Clear beats cleve
262. Own the Room: How Voice, Breath, and Body Work Together
How to tap the full power of your voice.Being present in communication isn’t just mental. It’s about the physical energy you bring into a space — particularly, says Patsy Rodenburg, the presence of your voice.“The physical presence of the human being is the most important thing we have,” says Rodenburg. As a world-renowned expert in voice, speech, and presentation, she has helped everyone
261. Meetings With a Point: How to Design For Better Decisions
How to design meetings with purpose so they actually move work forward.Meetings are a necessary part of work. But for many people, they’re also a major source of frustration. According to Rebecca Hinds, meetings don’t have to feel like a drain—better meetings start when we stop treating them as a default and start designing them with intention.Hinds is the author of Your Best Meeting Ever
260. From Role To Soul: The Four Ingredients For Mastering Meaning
Why your best life isn’t about having the right answers, but about asking the right questions.Finding meaning and purpose in life isn’t about having all the answers. For Bill Burnett and Dave Evans, it’s about having the courage and curiosity to constantly engage with the questions.As designers, Burnett and Evans have careers spanning everything from academia to companies like Apple, Elec
259. Quick Thinks: Task-Focused to People-Focused—A Smarter Way to Communicate
How “spaciousness” helps teams move beyond busywork — and build the conditions for honest conversation.“We’re just so busy right now” is one of the most common reasons cultures don’t change — and it’s exactly what Megan Reitz set out to understand. In her research, she describes two modes of attention at work: doing mode, where focus narrows to tasks, control, and quick progress, and spac
258. When Power Talks, People Walk: Why Leaders Don’t Hear What Matters Most
Why it’s critical to say what needs to be said — and listen when others do the same.Speak out, listen up — these are Megan Reitz’s core pillars of workplace communication. According to her, healthy organizations are only possible when everyone can say what they think, and they know they’ll be heard.Reitz is an academic and author whose work focuses on creating workplaces where all voices
257. Move Your Audience: Lessons From MLK You Should Use
Why it’s not about being born a great communicator, but becoming one.The greatest communicators aren’t always great from the start. As Lerone Martin knows, even the great Martin Luther King Jr. had to practice before he could persuade.Martin is the Martin Luther King Jr. Centennial Professor at Stanford, and as director of the King Research and Education Institute, he has spent years stud
256. Be Kind: The Most Overlooked Driver of Success
Why being kind is the best investment.Can kindness be a company’s competitive advantage? Bonnie Hayden Cheng says yes — and she’s got a business metric to prove it: return on kindness.Cheng is a professor of management at City University of Hong Kong who researches how workplace behaviors affect interpersonal dynamics and well-being. In her book, The Return on Kindness, she explores how o
255. How Leaders Sound Smart Without Saying Too Much
The keys to communicating clarity, not confusion.What separates communicators who clarify from those who confuse? The ability to “Simplify complexity,” says Adam Bryant. “I don't think you can be an effective leader if you can't do that.”Bryant is a senior managing director at the ExCo Group and former New York Times journalist who interviewed over 500 CEOs for his renowned Corner Office
254. Start Fresh: How Framing, Timing, and Talk Can Improve Your Finances
How to have more open conversations about money.Talking about money is taboo for many people. But according to Wendy De La Rosa, financial well-being only starts when we break the silence around finance.De La Rosa is a professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a co-founder of the Common Cents Lab, an initiative aiming to increase financial well-being for low- to
253. Top 10: The Best Communication Tips from 2025
Our 10 favorite communication insights from 2025.The most transformative communication insights are the ones we actually remember to use. That’s why host Matt Abrahams is taking stock of his favorite communication tips from this year, so we can carry them into the next.In this annual Think Fast, Talk Smart tradition, Abrahams shares his top 10 communication insights from guests over the p
252. Rethinks: How to Make Complex Ideas Accessible
Presenting complex information for your audience to understand.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 a
251. How to Stop Performing and Start Communicating with Presence
Why good communication requires presence, not performance.Effective communication isn't about perfecting your performance. According to Dr. Kate Mason, it's about being powerfully present.Mason is a world champion debater, executive communication coach, and author of the book Powerfully Likeable. In her work coaching senior executives to communicate more effectively, she emphasizes that i
250. How to Navigate Conflict: Tools For Productive Communication
Celebrate our 250th episode with expert strategies that make tough conversations easier — and more meaningful.Some of the most meaningful shifts in how we communicate come from the moments that challenge us the most. In this special 250th episode of Think Fast Talk Smart, Matt Abrahams reflects on the insights that have shown him how conflict can become a catalyst for clarity, connection,
249. Quick Thinks: Rituals That Make Teamwork Work
The right rituals—and the right conversations—can transform how your team collaborates.Strong collaboration starts with thoughtful practices and clear communication. As Molly Sands, Head of the Teamwork Lab at Atlassian, emphasizes, the teams that thrive are the ones that regularly pause to align on what matters and how they’re progressing. “You want to know if you’re making progress,” sh
248. Better Together: How to Supercharge Your Team’s Productivity
The secret to effective teamwork and collaboration.To collaborate, we have to communicate. As Molly Sands knows, “The more that we can get on the same page, the more effective we are.”Sands is a behavioral scientist and the head of the Teamwork Lab at Atlassian, where she researches how teams can collaborate more effectively and efficiently, especially in distributed and hybrid work envir
247. “Matt”er of Fact: Coaching on Feedback and Q&A
Two new Think Fast Talk Smart AI tools put communication skills to the test in real time.Technology promises many things, but few experiments illustrate its potential more vividly than a coach in conversation with his own digital counterpart. In this episode, Matt Abrahams introduces two new AI-powered tools from the Think Fast Talk Smart Online Learning Community: Coach Matt and Chat Mat
246. Shared Wisdom: How Communication Defines Culture and Builds Community
Why good communication is the key to good communities.Community and communication go hand-in-hand. For Sandy Pentland, the culture and cohesion of any group “has to do with the stories [people] tell each other.”Pentland is a professor at MIT, where he helped create and direct the MIT Media Lab. As a pioneer in computational social science, he’s using data to map social networks and decode
244. Community Creates Change: Build Relationships That Actually Matter
Why community is the most powerful tool for transformation.Community isn't just a feel-good buzzword. According to Gina Bianchini, it's a catalyst for personal and collective transformation.Bianchini is the CEO and founder of community-building platform, Mighty Networks, and author of the book Purpose: Design a Community and Change Your Life. "Community is when people come together, and e
243. Rethinks: How Lessons from Neuroscience Can Help You Communicate Confidently
Reduce speaking anxiety and achieve your communication goals.“There’s no difference between the physiological response to something that you’re excited about and something that you’re nervous about or dreading,” says Andrew Huberman, associate professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford University.In this Think Fast Talk Smart Rethinks episode, we revisit one of our most popul
242. Tech Tools: The Power of Showing, Not Telling
Transform how you communicate with tools that make your message stick.Sometimes the best way to explain an idea is to show it. That’s why Loom was built — to make communication more visual, authentic, and efficient. By combining video, screen sharing, and AI-powered editing, Loom helps teams connect and collaborate asynchronously, no matter where they are.In this episode of the Think Fast
241. Team Spirit: How to Make Group Work Work
How to unlock the power of groups through collective communication.They say teamwork makes the dream work. But as Colin Fisher knows, unlocking the power of groups requires a specific kind of collective communication.Fisher is an associate professor of organizations and innovation at University College London School of Management and author of The Collective Edge: Unlocking the Secret Pow
240. Belief It or Not: How to Rewrite the Narratives That Hold You Back
How to identify and rewrite the limiting beliefs holding you back.Achieving what you want in life doesn’t just hinge on what you believe about your future. According to Muriel Wilkins, it has just as much to do with what you believe about your past and present.Wilkins is an executive coach, author, and host of the HBR podcast Coaching Real Leaders. In her new book, Leadership Unblocked: B
239. Tech Tools: How Smarter Scheduling Leads to Stronger Communication
Transform how you communicate with tools that make your message stick.Meetings are where collaboration happens — but too often, scheduling them feels like the biggest barrier to meaningful connection. That’s why Calendly was created: to simplify scheduling and make time for what truly matters — the conversation itself.In this episode of the Think Fast, Talk Smart Tech Tools miniseries, ho
238. Ask Matt Anything: Why Listening Might Be Your Most Powerful Skill
When we truly listen, every conversation changes — including the one with ourselves.Listening isn’t about waiting for your turn to speak — it’s about being present enough to truly hear. In a world full of noise, slowing down to listen can feel like a radical act. Yet it’s in those moments of stillness and attention that real understanding begins.In this special Ask Matt Anything episode o
237. Mistake It Till You Make It: Learn Faster and Fail Smarter
Why we learn the most when we accept that we might be wrong.Effective communication isn’t about having all the answers. As Astro Teller knows, it’s about finding (and sometimes fumbling) your way through the questions.Teller is a computer scientist, entrepreneur, and inventor who serves as Captain of Moonshots at X, Alphabet's Moonshot Factory. In his work leading teams toward audacious s
236. Tech Tools: Zeroing in on Your Email Communication
Transform how you communicate with tools that make your message stick.Staying on top of communication starts with staying in control of your inbox. That’s why Rahul Vohra, founder and CEO of Superhuman, believes that how we manage email directly shapes how we manage our time, focus, and relationships.For years, Superhuman has helped professionals reach Inbox Zero faster — reducing email o
235. Refine, Reframe, Repeat: Make Your Communication a Slam Dunk
The road to mastery is paved with small improvements every day.Communicating can feel daunting at times. What does it take to find your voice in the moments that matter most? As Chiney Ogwumike says, “There is freedom on the other side of your fear.”As a professional basketball player, NBA and WNBA analyst for ESPN, and advocate for gender equality in sports, Ogwumike faces many situation
234. Need to Know: Lead With Transparency, Character, and Silence
When it comes to leading a team, there’s no such thing as too much information.Good leadership is about good communication. And for General Stanley McChrystal, that means creating a culture of free-flowing information: “The goal is to have everyone know everything all the time,” he says.McChrystal is a retired four-star general, former commander of US and international forces in Afghanist
233. Tech Tools: Write with Confidence and Impact
Transform how you communicate with tools that make your message stick.Clarity is the cornerstone of great communication—but turning your thoughts into words isn’t always simple. That’s why Grammarly exists: to help you express yourself with confidence and precision, no matter the context.For over a decade, Grammarly has helped millions of people improve their writing, from everyday emails
232. Pause, Don’t Panic: Finding Calm in High-Stakes Moments
To connect with others, you have to get out of your own head.Whether presenting to millions on live television or talking to just one person, Dan Harris knows that the quality of every interaction depends on the presence you bring to it.Harris is a former national news anchor for ABC News and is now the host of the 10% Happier podcast and author of 10% Happier and Meditation for Fidgety S
231. Secret Signals: Why We Rarely Say Exactly What We Mean
Why what isn’t said can communicate more than what is spoken.We often speak in hints and half-truths, not because we can’t be direct, but because subtlety protects our relationships. “An awful lot of the time, we don’t just blurt out what we mean,” says Steven Pinker. “We hint, we wink, we beat around the bush — counting on our listener to read between the lines, connect the dots, catch o
230. Tech Tools: Use Visuals to Your Advantage
Transform how you communicate with tools that make your message stick.Clear communication isn’t just about sharing information — it’s about making ideas stick. That’s why Yuhki Yamashita, Chief Product Officer at Figma, believes the key to effective collaboration lies in turning complex concepts into simple, memorable visuals.For years, Figma has been reshaping the way teams brainstorm, d
229. Rethinks: How to Speak Successfully When You’re Put on the Spot
To celebrate its second anniversary, we revisit our favourite tools and tips from Matt’s book, Think Faster, Talk Smarter.Original executive producer Jenny Luna turns the tables and interviews host and strategic communications lecturer Matt Abrahams about his bestselling book, Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You're Put on the Spot. To celebrate the book’s second
228. Negotiate Your Way to Success: Empathy, Mirroring, and Labeling
Be ready, stay grounded, and communicate clearly — no matter what’s at stake.Communicating under pressure isn’t just a useful skill — it can be the difference between escalation and resolution. For Chris Voss, former FBI hostage negotiator and CEO of The Black Swan Group, it’s a daily discipline built on empathy, self-regulation, and intentional listening. In this expanded conversation fr
227. Tech Tools: Move Your Audience By Moving Through Your Presentation
Transform how you communicate with tools that make your message stick.Great communication isn’t just about what you say — it’s about what your audience remembers. That’s why Jim Szafranski, CEO of Prezi, believes that visuals and storytelling are key to making ideas stick.For more than 15 years, Prezi has been reimagining the way we share information, helping communicators move beyond sta
226. Reinvent Yourself: Turning Uncertainty Into Opportunity
Reinventing your life or career starts with reflection and conversation. Making the leap — to a new career, to the next stage of a relationship, or to a different version of yourself — requires honest communication. For Ilana Golan, being “leap-ready” requires that we answer three questions: Why me? Why this? And why now?Golan knows all about these leaps, as her career spans corporate exe
225. Speaking Fluent Internet: How Algorithms Are Changing the Way We Speak
In the digital age, it’s critical to craft communication that fits the context.Like it or not, algorithms now decide whose messages get heard. “If you want to communicate effectively,” says Adam Aleksic, “you need to be exactly aware of what that medium is doing.”Aleksic is a linguist, author, and educational content creator with millions of followers across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube
224. Make Your Messages Epic: The Evolution of Words and the Stories They Carry
Why modern communication still relies on ancient words and narratives.All communication and connection depend on one thing: language. That’s why Laura Spinney says understanding language — where it comes from and how it evolves over time — can help us use it more effectively.“Language is incredibly powerful,” says Spinney, an author and journalist published in the Atlantic, National Geogr
223. Laughing Matters: Levity, Leadership, and Lasting Connection
By lightening up your communication, you can build serious connections.Humor in communication isn’t all fun and games. According to Alison Wood Brooks and Naomi Bagdonas, levity is one of the most serious tools we have in building successful connections.Wood Brooks and Bagdonas, both teachers, authors, and experts in the field of communication, recognize how crucial levity is to our profe
222. Discussing Through Discomfort: Why the Conversations You Avoid Cost You the Most
Some conversations are uncomfortable, but avoiding them comes with a cost.You want a more successful career, a more fulfilling relationship, a more meaningful life? What if all that’s standing in your way — are the conversations that you’re avoiding?“Most things that we want in life are on the other side of a difficult conversation,” says Jenn Wynn, a professor at NYU Stern School of Busi
221. Don’t Get Lost in Translation: Staying Cool When Every Word Counts
How do you stay clear, calm, and precise when every word counts and there’s no room for error?Staying calm and focused while translating high-stakes conversations in real time isn’t just a language skill — it’s a masterclass in communication under pressure. And for Giampaolo Bianchi, simultaneous interpreter for the United Nations and World Health Organization, it’s a challenge he meets w
220. Prep Like a Pro: Communication Confidence, Clarity, and Comedy
Master the art of thinking on your feet and turning unpredictability into powerful communication.Being quick on your feet isn’t just a performance skill — it’s a communication necessity. And for Peter Sagal, longtime host of NPR’s Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me, it’s a craft he’s honed over more than two decades in front of a live audience. In this expanded conversation from our Spontaneous Spe
219. Six Motivations, One Workplace: Who Are You at Work?
When communicating with their employees, most firms have no idea who they’re talking to.Good communication is about knowing your audience. But if your organization is only focused on knowing your customers, James Root says you're forgetting a whole other cohort: your employees.Root is a senior partner at Bain & Company, Chair of Bain Futures, and author of The Archetype Effect, in whi
218. Teaching Truths & Tactics: Live Lessons From Stanford in Cape Town
Real connection means understanding your audience, staying true to yourself, and creating space for others.How do you communicate who you are, what you stand for, and leave space for others to do the same? At the Stanford Seed Summit in Cape Town, South Africa, three GSB professors explored why real connection is built through authentic communication.For Jesper Sørensen, authentic organiz
217. Rethinks: How to Build Deep Connections
How to be a skilled conversationalist in work, love, and life.Whether you’re trying to build a romantic or professional connection, Rachel Greenwald’s advice is exactly the same. “Focus on how you make someone feel more than you focus on the words that you're saying,” she says. As a professional coach, Greenwald helps people develop better communication skills, from executives in the busi
216. Wired for Words: A Neuroscientist’s Guide to Influence
Understanding your audience's psychology is the key to crafting communication that resonates.Persuading others isn't about magic spells or mind-reading tricks. According to Emily Falk, the real secret is simpler: know what your audience finds relevant, and you’ll be able to craft a message that resonates.Falk is a professor of communication, psychology, and marketing at the University of
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