Think humor has no place in serious communication? Matt Abrahams would disagree. A bit of levity up front builds connection, and connection makes people more receptive to your message. It is not about being a comedian. It is about being human. Where could you add a little lightness to your…
Do not fear the weakness question. Reframe it. Matt Abrahams shares a simple structure: answer the question, give a specific example of how you are improving, and describe the value it brings to the role. Suddenly, a weakness becomes proof that you grow, adapt, and deliver. What would your answer…
Want a bigger, more confident voice? Do not push harder. Breathe better. Matt Abrahams explains that lower, slower breathing gives you the vocal support to actually project. A simple way to build awareness: read out loud. The words are right in front of you, so you can focus entirely on…
Using AI the right way will always make you feel worse about using it, says a groundbreaking study. The guests of episode 326 of the Think Fast Talk Smart podcast conducted this study to figure out the best way to use AI in the workplace. Jeremy Utley is an adjunct…
There are three kinds of speakers: the rambler who thinks out loud and loses the room, the robot who scripts and rehearses until they sound stiff, and the raconteur who tells a story. Oliver Aust shares that the best communicators use structure, not scripts, and lead with a vision. Which…
Do not build a LinkedIn profile for the job you have. Build one for the job you want. Oliver Aust breaks down his PACE framework for standing out: get your profile right, know exactly who you want to reach, post consistently, and engage with others so they engage with you.…
Great work doesn’t always speak for itself. For communication strategist and author of Message Machine: How Communications Will Make You An Unstoppable Founder, Oliver Aust, getting your ideas noticed requires “message-market fit,” finding the right words and stories to make people understand why what you offer matters. In this episode…
Initiating conflict can feel uncomfortable, but knowing how to approach a difficult conversation can make all the difference. In this episode of the Think Fast Talk Smart podcast, Priya Parker shares her checklist for how to initiate conflict thoughtfully and productively. The conversation explores conflict management, conflict prevention, and resolution,…
When someone asks you a question, your instinct is probably to brace for an attack. Russ Altman wants you to flip that. On our latest episode, the Stanford professor shares the mindset shift he teaches his PhD students: treat every question as a little gift. A good question means someone…
Worried AI is coming for your job? Russ Altman has a question for you first: why are you communicating at all? Stanford AI researcher and self-described AI optimist argues that if you're being authentic and you actually have a message, a tool like ChatGPT isn't a threat; it's an amplifier.…
From writing a research grant to proposing marriage to explaining quantum physics to your grandmother, effective communication begins with clarity. Stanford Graduate School of Business' Matt Abrahams sits down with Russ Altman, Senior Fellow at Stanford’s Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence to discuss the future of communication in an AI-driven…
Evolving through experience can also mean evolving through conflict. Priya Parker joins Matt Abrahams on the Think Fast Talk Smart podcast to explore how disagreements can help teams grow, adapt, and become stronger. The conversation looks at conflict management, conflict prevention and resolution, and practical conflict resolution techniques that can…
Conflict management is not just about resolving disagreements after they happen - it’s also about understanding how to prevent conflict and create better conversations from the start. In this episode of the Think Fast Talk Smart podcast, Priya Parker joins Matt Abrahams to explore conflict prevention and resolution, practical conflict…
The fix for conflict at work is not fighting LESS, but fighting BETTER, says Priya Parker. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, host Matt Abrahams welcomes back Priya Parker, the master facilitator and bestselling author of The Art of Gathering. Priya returns with her new book, The Art…
Conflict resolution at work doesn't always have to mean avoiding disagreements - it can be about learning how to have better conversations when people see things differently. In this conversation featuring Priya Parker on the Think Fast Talk Smart podcast hosted by Matt Abrahams, the discussion explores how low-stakes arguing…
Building trust as a leader starts with creating an environment where people feel respected, heard, and supported. Claude Steele shares how being a kind leader can strengthen relationships and help people feel more comfortable contributing their ideas and perspectives. The discussion also highlights communication techniques that leaders can use to…
What if the voice in your head isn't telling you the truth? Martin Seligman points to the cognitive revolution as the most important shift in psychology in his lifetime: the discovery that what you think shapes what you feel and how you act, not the other way around. The takeaway…
Martin Seligman founded the science of happiness, but he'll be the first to tell you he's a pessimist!. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, host Matt Abrahams speaks with Martin Seligman, the University of Pennsylvania psychologist who founded the field of positive psychology after a career spent studying…
Are you trying to fix what's wrong, or build on what's right? Martin Seligman spent his career on that distinction. As he shares in our new episode, traditional psychology focused on moving people from minus-eight to minus-three, but he wanted to understand how we go from plus-three to plus-eight. That…
Feedback techniques can make a big difference in how people learn, grow, and respond to criticism, especially in diverse groups. In this conversation, Claude Steele explores inclusive education, feedback in diverse groups, and how the way feedback is communicated can influence whether people see it as helpful or discouraging. The…
Stereotype threat psychology helps explain how awareness of negative stereotypes can affect a person's confidence, performance, and behavior. This discussion between Claude Steele and Matt Abrahams explores stereotype threat theory, the research behind the stereotype threat experiment, and how stereotypes can influence people even when they don't personally believe them.…
One sentence from a professor sent students' motivation off the charts. Claude Steele has spent a career finding out why. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, host Matt Abrahams speaks with Claude Steele, the Stanford psychologist whose decades in social psychology gave a name to a modern condition:…
Student diversity can shape how people learn, participate, and respond to different forms of communication. In this conversation featuring Claude Steele on the Think Fast Talk Smart hosted by Matt Abrahams, the discussion explores diversity in education and why understanding students' differences in backgrounds and experiences matters when communicating with…
Strong communication is the skill that changes everything. Whether you are building rapport, managing your reputation, or navigating a difficult conversation, how you communicate matters. This fall, join Matt Abrahams for his @stanford Continuing Studies course, Communication Essentials for Work and Life, where you will explore persuasion, storytelling, body language,…