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.
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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: nobody can predict the future. “If you're going to do something fundamentally new,” he says, “how are we sup...
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 subject. His core insight: most negotiations happen with people you’ll see again — which means success isn’t...
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 guests: Celine Teoh , facilitator of the GSB’s famous Interpersonal Dynamics course; Huggy Rao , organization...
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 lessons, Matt outlines how to calm speaking nerves, become a better listener, structure your ideas clearly, enga...
This episode features Professor Nick Epley, author of "A Little More Social," who explains that our reluctance to engage socially stems from a "mind-reading mistake"—we mistakenly believe others aren't interested. He argues against relying on body language or perspective-taking, advocating instead for "perspective getting" through direct, meaningful questions. Epley provides actionable advice for overcoming social anxiety and introversion by taking small, deliberate social steps, emphasizing that being "a little more social" can lead to unexpected happiness and connection.
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 experience working with older adults, she discusses why adopting a “growth aging mindset” can change the way...
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 working with older adults, she noticed a gap: “I would have a lot of people who lived long lives and were i...
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 mirrors how they think about communication: know your audience, stay curious, and embrace feedback. “We oft...
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 sleep and human performance. In her research and work, particularly with elite athletes and professional sport...
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 that confidence starts within. “If you want others to believe in you, you need to at least have confidenc...
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 investigative journalist known for his New York Times bestseller Range. In his latest book, Inside the Box , he explore...
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 a new idea and perspective for any business conundrum — whether you want to learn how to land that promot...
Matt Abrahams tackles audience questions on communication challenges, including email etiquette, managing speaking anxiety, and balancing authenticity with adaptation. He provides practical strategies for slowing down thought processes, delivering scripted talks naturally, and handling common presentation jitters, such as silent Q&A sessions. The episode emphasizes being present and intentional in communication.
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 find it. “Opportunities for lucky things to happen are ubiquitous. But they're invisible and most people ...
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, Talk Smart host Matt Abrahams to explore what it really takes to communicate with intention. Most of u...
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 speechwriter for Barack Obama. His work focuses on the future of work and how individuals can adapt in an AI-driven wo...
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 bestselling author of Reset: How to Change What's Not Working . Instead of struggling to persuade people to ...
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 today. From handling high-stakes communication in the courtroom to navigating everyday conversations, he say...
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 to do — it’s closing the gap between knowing and doing. “We all have areas where we know exactly what wo...
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 pursued directly, but rather through proxy goals — markers that lead us to what we're really seeking. “Th...
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 Work: Hyper Helpful Scripts for Every Situation . Known for her wildly popular AdviceWithErin platform, s...
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 happiness as two key components: “being happy in your life and being happy with your life.” And while many people...
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 attention and forms memories. Her research explores how communication can move beyond passive listening and ...
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 our lives almost as quickly as we live them,” she says. But instead of fighting our forgetfulness, Simon be...
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 him, habit formation isn’t a product of simply doing something over and over again. “It's not a function ...
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 book, Beyond Belief , reveals how limiting beliefs — like “I’m a bad communicator” — quietly shape what we se...
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 intention. In fast-moving conversations, emotions rise, thoughts race, and structure can disappear. Yet it’s in t...
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 now.” We may not all be influencers or podcast hosts, but “We are all putting content out there and creating ...
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 stresses the importance of direct communication, highlighting how avoiding it can lead to wasted time, energy,...
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 says. “Attentional resources are a limited commodity, and chatter acts like a sponge that consumes that capa...
