Think Fast, Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

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"Think Fast, Talk Smart: Communication Techniques" podcast presented by Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB).

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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 Afghanistan, and a renowned leadership expert. In his experience building cohesive teams in complex environments, he’s discovered that successful teams are built on a “shared consciousness [where] all have a common contextual understanding of what the situation is.” The key to creating that kind of culture, he says, is radical transparency — from leaders and subordinates alike. Whatever your position, “You are responsible for informing other people of things that they need to know,” he says.

In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, McChrystal and host Matt Abrahams discuss how to build shared consciousness within teams, how to communicate across cultural divides, and how to lead with clarity, context, and character.

To listen to the extended Deep Thinks version of this episode, please visit FasterSmarter.io/premium.

Episode Reference Links:

General Stanley McChrystal
General McChrystal’s Books: On Character / Team of Teams
155. Can We Be Candid? How to Communicate Clearly and Directly
161. Do Your Homework: Know What to Say by Knowing Who You’re Talking To

Connect:

Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium
Email Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.io
Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website
Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io
Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube
Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn

Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction
(02:03) - Building Shared Consciousness
(06:13) - Leading Across Differences
(07:53) - Delivering Difficult News
(10:18) - Communicating in a Virtual World
(16:17) - Character as an Iterative Practice
(18:27) - The Final Three Questions
(23:23) - Conclusion

********
This episode is sponsored by Grammarly. Let Grammarly take the busywork off your plate so you can focus on high-impact work. Download Grammarly for free today

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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 to high-stakes professional communications. In this episode of the Think Fast, Talk Smart Tech Tools miniseries, host Matt Abrahams talks with Grammarly co-founder Max Lytvyn about the origins of the tool, how AI is shaping the future of writing, and why starting with your goal is the key to effective communication.

In addition to insight-packed discussions, this miniseries explores innovative tools that enhance the way we communicate and connect. Whether you want to make your presentations more memorable, craft stories that stick, or connect with your audience on a deeper level, these episodes will help you communicate with greater clarity, confidence, and impact.

Episode Reference Links:

Connect:

Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium
Email Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.io
Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website
Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io
Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube
Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn

Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction
(01:14) - The Origins of Grammarly
(02:50) - Grammarly Elevator Structure
(04:54) - Lessons on Improving Writing
(07:11) - Favorite Communicator
(08:08) - Communication Hack or Tool
(11:02) - Conclusion

*******
Thank you to our sponsors. These partnerships support the ongoing production of the podcast, allowing us to bring it to you at no cost.

Try Prezi today and get 25% off exclusively at prezi.com/thinkfast.

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 Skeptics. As he knows from experience, there’s power in “Waking up to something fundamental, that the mind is out of control, and you don't want to be owned by it.” How do we break the pattern of being controlled by our thoughts? Mindfulness and self-awareness, he says, put “distance” between us and our “thoughts and urges and emotions,” enabling us to connect with ourselves and others with greater consciousness and clarity.

In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Harris and host Matt Abrahams discuss how mindfulness can transform our communication, sharing strategies for deeper listening, responding versus reacting, and reflecting what others say back to them. “Relationships are the most important aspect of your happiness,” Harris says. The quality of those connections goes up when “you’re “less stuck in your own head.”

Episode Reference Links:

Connect:

Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium
Email Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.io
Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website
Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io
Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube
Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn

Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction
(01:51) - On-Air Panic Attack
(02:59) - Managing Communication Anxiety
(04:01) - Nervousness Before Live Audiences
(05:48) - Meditation Misconceptions
(09:36) - Responding vs. Reacting
(12:07) - Mindfulness & Productivity
(15:11) - Lessons from Interviewing
(17:19) - The Final Three Question
(25:14) - Conclusion

********
Thank you to our sponsors. These partnerships support the ongoing production of the podcast, allowing us to bring it to you at no cost.

Strawberry.me. Get $50 off coaching today at Strawberry.me/smart

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 our drift.”
Pinker is the Johnstone Professor of Psychology at Harvard University, a celebrated linguist and cognitive scientist, and the author of twelve influential books. His latest, When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows: Common Knowledge and the Mysteries of Money, Power, and Everyday Life, explores how our shared understanding of awareness — what Steven refers to as common knowledge — and the way we signal it, governs everything from friendships to authority to negotiations. “Common knowledge is what ratifies or annuls social relationships, and that's why blurting something out that contradicts the assumptions of the relationship can blow everything up and be deeply awkward.”
In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Pinker joins host Matt Abrahams to discuss why humans lean on innuendo, euphemism, and strategic ambiguity. They examine how culture and context shape what we hear, why our social fabric depends on more than just literal meaning, and offer practical ways to refine our communication by paying attention not just to what we say, but to what others know we know.

To listen to the extended Deep Thinks version of this episode, please visit FasterSmarter.io/premium.

Episode Reference Links:

Connect:

Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium
Email Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.io
Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website
Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io
Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube
Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn

Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction
(00:53) - Why We Speak Indirectly
(05:09) - The Role of Context
(09:05) - Cross-Cultural Perspectives
(10:21) - Hypocrisy as Social Glue
(12:13) - Clarity, Conciseness, & Grace
(15:37) - Metaphors We Live By
(17:55) - The Final Three Questions
(21:51) - Conclusion

*****
Thank you to our sponsors. These partnerships support the production of the podcast, allowing us to bring it to you at no cost.

This episode is brought to you by Babbel. Think Fast Talk Smart listeners can get started on your language learning journey today- visit Babbel.com/Thinkfast and get up to 55% off your Babbel subscription.

Support Think Fast Talk Smart by joining TFTS Premium.

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, design, and build together — making it easier than ever to bring ideas to life in real time. In this episode of the Think Fast, Talk Smart Tech Tools miniseries, host Matt Abrahams talks with Yamashita about how visuals facilitate shared understanding, why frameworks enhance team communication, and how to craft insights that people naturally remember and reuse.
In addition to insight-packed discussions, this miniseries explores innovative tools that enhance the way we communicate and connect. Whether you want to make your presentations more memorable, craft stories that stick, or connect with your audience on a deeper level, these episodes will help you communicate with greater clarity, confidence, and impact.

Episode Reference Links:

Connect:

Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium
Email Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.io
Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website
Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io
Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube
Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn

Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction
(01:16) - Figma Elevator Structure
(02:07) - Joining Figma
(03:17) - The Power of Visual Storytelling
(04:36) - Creating Shared Meaning with Visuals
(05:37) - Favorite Communicator
(08:59) - Communication Hack or Tool
(10:36) - Conclusion

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 anniversary, this special Rethinks episode dives into Matt’s most practical tips, powerful frameworks, and mindset shifts to help you speak with confidence in any spontaneous situation. From managing anxiety to structuring your thoughts on the fly, it’s filled with tools to help you become a more effective communicator.

Episode Reference Links:

Connect:

Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium
Email Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.io
Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website
Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io
Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube
Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn

Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction
(01:40) - Defining Spontaneous Speaking
(02:30) - Origins of Matt’s Interest
(03:21) - The Six-Step Methodology
(04:06) - Shifting Your Mindset
(08:16) - Practical Structures for Speaking
(10:31) - The “F-Word” of Spontaneous Speaking
(12:04) - Communication Lessons from Martial Arts
(13:24) - The Karate Pants Story
(15:20) - Hosting 100 Episodes
(16:35) - On-the-Spot Challenges
(22:54) - Conclusion

*****
Thank you to our sponsors. These partnerships support the production of the podcast, allowing us to bring it to you at no cost.

Support Think Fast Talk Smart by joining TFTS Premium.

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 from our Spontaneous Speaking miniseries, Voss offers a rare window into the mindset and methods that helped him show up calm, focused, and adaptable when the pressure is sky-high.
“Emotional intelligence is an insane accelerator to outcomes,” Voss shares, explaining how empathy, tone, and timing can shift the direction of any conversation. He breaks down techniques like labeling and mirroring, explores how to use silence and word choice strategically, and explains why overthinking can be just as risky as acting too fast. From gut-level pattern recognition to tactical use of voice, Voss shows how communication becomes more impactful when we’re not trying to control — but to connect.
In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Voss and host Matt Abrahams dive into how negotiation techniques developed for life-or-death situations can be applied far beyond them — offering powerful takeaways for anyone who needs to think clearly under pressure, stay agile in the moment, and communicate effectively when it matters most.

Episode Reference Links:

Connect:

Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium
Email Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.io
Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website
Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io
Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube
Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn

Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction
(01:06) - Path to Hostage Negotiation
(01:58) - Power of Emotional Intelligence
(03:16) - Staying Calm Under Pressure
(04:26) - Mental Prep & Mindset
(05:34) - Trusting Your Gut
(06:14) - Avoiding Overthinking
(07:17) - Flexibility in Negotiations
(08:31) - Listen More, Talk Less
(08:47) - Labeling & Mirroring
(11:07) - Tone Shapes Impact
(12:22) - The Final Three Questions
(17:07) - Conclusion

*****
Thank you to our sponsors. These partnerships support the production of the podcast, allowing us to bring it to you at no cost.

Support Think Fast Talk Smart by joining TFTS Premium.

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 static slides and into dynamic, memorable experiences. In the first episode of the Think Fast, Talk Smart Tech Tools miniseries, host Matt Abrahams talks with Szafranski about why visuals are so powerful for retention, how non-linear storytelling can make presentations more engaging, and the role AI now plays in shaping the stories we tell.
In addition to insight-packed discussions, this miniseries explores innovative tools that enhance the way we communicate and connect. Whether you want to make your presentations more memorable, craft stories that stick, or connect with your audience on a deeper level, these episodes will help you communicate with greater clarity, confidence, and impact.

Episode Reference Links:

Connect:

Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium
Email Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.io
Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website
Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io
Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube
Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn

Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction
(01:18) - Prezi Elevator Structure
(02:09) - The Power of Visuals in Storytelling
(04:12) - Making Complex Ideas Simple
(06:22) - When to Use Visuals
(09:01) - Advantages of Non-Linear Storytelling
(11:26) - AI’s Role in Visual Communication
(14:22) - Favorite Communicator
(15:37) - Communication Hack or Tool
(17:28) - Conclusion

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 executive roles, entrepreneurship, and even F-16 flight instruction. As the founder of Leap Academy and host of the Leap Academy Podcast, she helps equip others to navigate their own personal and professional reinventions. As she says, “It’s really about communicating from the vision,” which starts as an inside job. “Why is this the right thing for me right now? You convince yourself first, because when you're [at] peace with what you're trying to do, it's a lot easier to convince others.”

In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Golan and host Matt Abrahams explore how honest communication shapes every stage of reinvention, whether that’s listening to the signals your mind and body are sending you — like “sleepwalking through life” and imagining something more — or articulating your pivot in ways that create understanding rather than resistance. Wherever you hope to leap, Golan’s insights show how to communicate through change with confidence and clarity.

Episode Reference Links:

Connect:

Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium
Email Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.io
Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website
Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io
Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube
Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn

Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction
(00:46) - Breaking Barriers & Career Patterns
(01:25) - Waking Up to Change
(02:49) - Signs It’s Time for a Pivot
(05:52) - The Rise of Portfolio Careers
(09:24) - Communicating Career Leaps
(12:36) - Finding Clarity in Reinvention
(18:20) - The Final Three Questions
(21:15) - Conclusion

*****
Thank you to our sponsors. These partnerships support the production of the podcast, allowing us to bring it to you at no cost.

Support Think Fast Talk Smart by joining TFTS Premium.

Bio of Think Fast, Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

"Think Fast, Talk Smart: Communication Techniques" is a podcast presented by Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB), Matt Abrahams, a lecturer of Strategic Communication at Stanford Graduate School of Business, sits down with experts in the field to discuss real-world challenges.

The podcast aims to equip listeners with the skills and knowledge needed to communicate effectively in various situations. Whether you find yourself put on the spot, struggling to convey complex information, writing emails, or managing your reputation, the podcast provides valuable insights and practical techniques to enhance your communication abilities.

With a focus on business and personal contexts, "Think Fast, Talk Smart" recognizes that effective communication is crucial for success in all aspects of life. The podcast offers tools, strategies, and best practices to improve your communication skills, from giving toasts at special events to presenting in high-stakes meetings.

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