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.
Feeling Nervous? How Anxiety Can Fuel Better 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.“What I have come to value about anxiety,” says McGonigal, “is it’s a sign that I care.” As she explains, feelings of stress alert us to things that matter to us and help us stay present in the moment — particularly useful, she says, when it comes to communication.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.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Directive vs. Dialogue: Communicating Better as a Leader
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.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
What Is Normal? How Culture Affects Communication Styles
Why do we drive on only one side of the road? Why don’t we sing in libraries? Why wear a swimsuit?For Professor Michele Gelfand, it all comes down to culture. As a cross-cultural psychologist, Gelfand is fascinated by social environments and their effects on human behavior, particularly, how strictly people adhere to social norms.In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Gelfand joins host and lecturer of strategic communications Matt Abrahams to explain why some cultures are “tight” and “have strict social norms,” while others are “loose,” with “more permissibility of behavior.”SHOW NOTESStanford GSB InsightsThreatening Language Can Be Contagious. This New Tool Tracks Its SpreadWhy the Pandemic Slammed “Loose” Countries Like the U.S.MicheleGelfand.comRule Makers, Rule Breakers: How Tight and Loose Cultures Wire Our WorldMindset Quiz: How Tight or Loose Are You?Other articles: The loosening of American culture over 200 years is associated with a creativity–order trade-offThe relationship between cultural tightness–looseness and COVID-19 cases and deaths: a global analysisSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Best Of: Lessons from Neuroscientist Andrew Huberman to Help You Hack your Speaking Anxiety
“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 “Best of” episode, we revisit one of our most popular interviews. In it, Huberman, from the wildly popular Huberman Lab Podcast, shares his research on the autonomic continuum, a spectrum between states of high alertness or fear all the way down to deep sleep, and shares how to use the system to your advantage. “If people can conceptualize that the anxiety or stress response is the same as the excitement response, they feel different,” Huberman says.Join the community & conversation by following the Think Fast, Talk Smart LinkedIn page.For transcripts & more information, visit the Think Fast, Talk Smart websiteTimestamps[1:32] Best of Summer series Episode 3 Homework Assignment: Breathing exercise[3:09] The autonomic continuum and the state we enter when we get nervous[5:59] Our nervous system when we're getting ready to go to the podium[10:02] A relaxation hack: forward movement under conditions of anxiety or high levels of alertness[12:50] EMDR Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing: side-to-side eye movement that triggers the suppression of fear in the brain[15:11] Ways to raise your stress tolerance for high levels of agitation in your body.[17:25] Breathing hack: Just an exhale is the wrong advice. You want to do a double inhale. So inhale twice through the nose. So inhale through the nose. And then before you exhale, sneak in a little bit more air and then do a long exhale.[20:05] What we can do to prepare for anxiety in advance.[22:50] Insight for virtual communication.[24:44] Huberman's answer to the Think Fast, Talk Smart three questions Matt asks all guests.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Ties That Bind: Why Remote and Hybrid Teams Need the Right Connection
“We need to be much more adaptive in the way we think about hybrid work,” says Michael Arena. “Experiment, experiment, experiment.”Innovation relies on teams connecting in very specific ways. But are those connections possible in a hybrid work reality? Glenn Carroll, a professor of management at Stanford GSB, and Michael Arena, a faculty member of Penn's Master's in Organizational Dynamics program, have been looking for the answer — studying how team interactions have changed since millions of workers went remote.In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, they discuss how teams can optimize their communications to keep innovating in a post-pandemic world.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Best of: Techniques for Managing Your Reputation
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.Listen for details on this episode’s “homework assignment” and share on LinkedIn.Join the community & conversation by following the Think Fast, Talk Smart LinkedIn page.Think Fast, Talk Smart on the Stanford GSB websiteShow Notes:Allison Kluger, Stanford GSB profileReputation Rules, by Daniel Diermeier“How Tylenol Made a Comeback” NYTimesAllison Kluger: "Telling your Story Can Lead to Success and Opportunity"Allison Kluger: Last Lecture Series: “If Not You, Then Who”See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Cheap Talk: What Economics Has to Say About Communication
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.”Think Fast, Talk Smart is a production of Stanford Graduate School of Business. 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. Find us on LinkedIn for more communication tips and techniques by searching "Think Fast, Talk Smart."Show Notes: An Economist Goes to the Game: How to Throw Away $580 Million and Other Surprising Insights from the Economics of Sports by Paul Oyer"Utility Player: Paul Oyer Explains How Economics Can Make Sports More Fun"Books by William ManchesterEmpire Falls by Richard RussoSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Best Of: Summer Learning Series, How Humor Can Be a Secret Weapon in Communication
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.Enjoy and see you on LinkedIn!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Courage, Ambiguity, Belonging and Data: How to Design Your Communication for Success
All communication comes from a place of creativity and creativity is rooted in design. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, strategic communications lecturer and podcast host Matt Abrahams interviews four authors from the Stanford d.school. Each conversation challenges convention in how we approach our communication, be it visual, body language, or speech. Listen to this episode to hear more from Ashish Goel, author of Drawing on Courage; Susie Wise, author of Design for Belonging; Carissa Carter, author of The Secret Language of Maps; and Andrea Small, co author of Navigating Ambiguity.Show NotesLearn more about the d.school, the four authors, and the four guide books.Think Fast, Talk Smart Website and TranscriptsThink Fast, Talk Smart LinkedIn CommunityMatt Abrahams LinkedInAleta Hayes, senior lecturer, Theater and Performance studiesInterpersonal Dynamics, Stanford Graduate School of BusinessThink Fast, Talk Smart with Sarah Stein Greenberg: "Ideas & Empathy: How to Design and Communicate with Others in Mind"See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Communicating Uncertainty: How to Connect With Your Audience, Even When The Answers Aren’t Clear
“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. Think Fast, Talk Smart is a production of Stanford Graduate School of Business. Send us your questions and feedback via our LinkedIn page, search "Think Fast, Talk Smart."See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
From Dreaming to Doing: 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.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.Show Notes"How Pursuit of the Same Goal Can Turn Friends Into Foes," Stanford GSB Insights"Step by Step: Sub-Goals as a Source of Motivation," Faculty Research: Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Forgiveness: How the Right Communication Repairs Relationships
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.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.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Are You Listening?: How to Stay Open and Curious to Other People’s Ideas
“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.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.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Lean Messaging: How Simple Messages Really Stick
“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.Think Fast, Talk Smart is a podcast produced by Stanford Graduate School of Business and hosted by Lecturer Matt Abrahams. Each episode provides concrete, easy-to-implement tools and techniques to help you hone and enhance your communication.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Ideas & Empathy: How to Design and Communicate with Others in Mind
“Very often, you are not designing for yourself. And you kind of have to get out of your own way to effectively design with others’ needs in mind.”In this podcast episode, lecturer Matt Abrahams is joined by Sarah Stein Greenberg, Director of the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design, aka the Stanford d.school, and author of Creative Acts for Curious People: How to Think, Create, and Lead in Unconventional Ways.Together, Greenberg and Abrahams discuss how design and communication require seeing things from more than just our own point of view, and the tools we can use to broaden our perspectives.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.