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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Great strategy starts with a question—and a story worth believing in. A good strategy isn’t just built—it’s told. For Martin Reeves , chairman of the BCG Henderson Institute and author of The Imagination Machine and Like: The Button That Changed the World , strategy and imagination are both deeply communicative processes, rooted in storytelling, curiosity, and the courage to reframe assumptions. “A strategy is really just a special kind of story,” Reeves explains. “It begins with the present and...
A live SXSW panel on how employee complaints illuminate the path to organizational innovation. Wrong question: How can AI revolutionize productivity in my organization? Right question: What do my employees hate most about their jobs? For the Portland Trail Blazers, a winning game plan for AI implementation didn’t begin with a tech-first approach — it began with a talk-first one. “The whole concept was to talk about pain points," explains David Long, VP of Digital Innovation, describing the "Lunc...
How to have the conversations that are most difficult — and most important. Before you can have hard conversations with others, you need to have an honest conversation with yourself. That's the counterintuitive advice from Sheila Heen , who says our own internal narratives often derail our attempts at negotiation and conflict resolution. "The first negotiation is actually a negotiation I have with myself about my own story," explains Heen, a Harvard Law School lecturer and co-author of Difficult...
Stay sharp, sound confident, and speak with impact — even when you're put on the spot. Communicating clearly is challenging enough when there’s time to prepare. But in most situations — whether in meetings, casual conversations, or high-stakes moments — we rarely have the luxury of scripting our words. We must think and speak in real time. Spontaneous communication is a daily challenge, yet few of us receive formal training in how to handle it with poise and confidence. So how can we stay compos...
The power of creating the reputation you want to have. Whether you know it or not, you have a brand. What that brand is, says Lorraine Lee, doesn’t happen by accident. “You can either form and create it, or you can let people define it for you.” A teacher, content creator, speaker, and author of Unforgettable Presence: Get Seen, Gain Influence and Catapult Your Career , Lee helps people improve their communication presence and define their personal and professional brands. “Your brand is essenti...
Alex Rodriguez shares why in sports and business, striking out is just a part of the game. From the baseball field to the boardroom, great communication is critical for success. But as Alex Rodriguez knows, we don’t always hit it out of the park. For this sports superstar turned entrepreneur, striking out is never the end of the story. “I'm fifth all-time in the history of strikeouts,” says Rodriguez. “That means there's only four people in the history of mankind that have failed more than me.” ...
This live Q&A with host Matt Abrahams celebrates 200 episodes of Think Fast, Talk Smart. In an age of endless content and information, how do we ensure our communication cuts through the noise? Across 200 episodes of Think Fast, Talk Smart , host Matt Abrahams has discovered four essential ingredients that help messages rise above the chatter: concision, relevance, accessibility, and precision. “Attention is our most precious commodity in the world today, and we need to make sure that we eng...
This three-part miniseries is all about keeping your cool when speaking on the spot. Communicating effectively can be challenging enough, even with plenty of time to prepare what we want to say. But for most of our communication, there’s no time to plan, practice, or perfect — we have to respond in the moment. Spontaneous communication is a part of our everyday lives, but few of us have been trained to handle these impromptu situations with confidence. What does it take to flow, not freeze, when...
This three-part miniseries is all about keeping your cool when speaking on the spot. Communicating effectively can be challenging enough, even with plenty of time to prepare what we want to say. But for most of our communication, there’s no time to plan, practice, or perfect — we have to respond in the moment. Spontaneous communication is a part of our everyday lives, but few of us have been trained to handle these impromptu situations with confidence. What does it take to flow, not freeze, when...
This episode explores strategies for improving spontaneous speaking skills through preparation, mindset adjustments, and practical exercises. Experts from various fields share techniques to manage pressure, reduce overthinking, and connect with audiences in the moment. The episode offers actionable advice for anyone looking to enhance their communication abilities when speaking on the spot.
Communication isn’t about perfect word choice, it’s about connecting with others. For native speakers and language learners alike, communicating comes with all kinds of challenges. But no matter how much we stumble over our words, Lindsay McMahon says communication isn’t about perfection — it’s about connection. The CEO and founder of All Ears English and host of the All Ears English podcast, McMahon is on a mission to help non-native English speakers around the world hone their ability to commu...
Stanford experts answer live questions on leadership, authenticity, and communication. What happens when four top Stanford thinkers take live questions from a room full of leaders? In Part 2 of this special Think Fast, Talk Smart series from the Stanford LEAD Me2We Conference, Matt Abrahams and his panel of expert GSB faculty— Allison Kluger , Naomi Bagdonas , Christian Wheeler , and Nir Halevy —answer questions from a live audience. They cover real-world challenges around leadership, authentici...
Effective leadership begins with the way you communicate. Leading with impact isn’t about speaking louder—it’s about communicating in ways that resonate with what people already value. In Part 1 of this special two-part series from the Stanford LEAD Me2We Conference, Matt Abrahams brings together four expert GSB faculty— Allison Kluger , Nir Halevy , Christian Wheeler , and Naomi Bagdonas —to explore how to lead and communicate with intention. They share how authenticity builds trust, why discom...
Turn Q&A from nerve-wracking to confidence-boosting with strategies for clear, controlled answers. A great presentation doesn’t end with the final slide—it continues through the Q&A, where real engagement happens. Yet, for many speakers, this is the most nerve-wracking part. In this episode, Matt Abrahams explores why Q&A can feel intimidating and how shifting your mindset can turn it into an opportunity rather than a challenge. Drawing from his book, Speaking Up Without Freaking Out...
Matt Abrahams interviews Dan Heath about the power of storytelling. Heath shares a compelling case study of a hospital's receiving area to illustrate how stories can engage audiences and drive change. The discussion covers the elements of impactful narratives, how to find the right stories, and the importance of setting audience expectations.
How to craft communication that your audience will remember. Why do some messages stick, while others go in one ear and out the other? When it comes to crafting memorable communication, Ada Aka says not all verbiage is created equal. “Certain words are intrinsically more memorable than others,” says Aka, an assistant professor of marketing at Stanford Graduate School of Business. In her research of consumer behavior and decision-making, she’s uncovered how language shapes not just our perception...
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 ...
Why numbers are only as compelling as the narratives we attach to them. Facts and figures can be your friend, but before you load your presentation full of data, Miro Kazakoff has a word of caution: “Data’s objective, but people are not.” You might think that your data speaks for itself, but Kazakoff says numbers need a narrative. A senior lecturer at MIT Sloan School of Management and author of Persuading with Data: A Guide to Designing, Delivering, and Defending Your Data , he says the key to ...
Matt Lieberman discusses social neuroscience and communication, emphasizing "perspective-getting" over "perspective-taking" by asking questions to understand others' views. He explores how social neuroscience can improve team dynamics, decision-making, and persuasion, as well as how social pain impacts behavior and connection. The episode also touches on the role of identity in persuasion, and highlights the importance of humility and self-awareness in effective communication.
Rethink career success by testing, adapting, and staying open to unexpected opportunities. Career planning isn’t as straightforward as we often assume—but according to Dorie Clark , that’s actually a good thing. Instead of following a rigid path, she believes we should be “treating our careers like a series of experiments”—testing, iterating, and staying open to unexpected opportunities."People assume they need to have everything mapped out for the next twenty years," Clark explains. "But in rea...
Why good communication starts with tapping into your power. Impactful communication isn’t just about the words you use. According to Chris Lipp , it’s about the power you deliver them with. “When we have a belief in ourselves, what we say changes,” says Lipp, a professor at Tulane University’s Freeman School of Business and author of The Science of Personal Power . Throughout his career as an academic and communications coach for entrepreneurs, he’s explored how tapping into personal power can t...
How to captivate an audience and make your message stick. Pitches and presentations don’t fall flat because speakers aren’t prepared. For Guy Kawasaki , it’s because speakers miss the point. “If all you're trying to do is inform, you're not going to pull it off. You have to entertain your audience.” A renowned author, speaker, and entrepreneur, Kawasaki knows that the point of great storytelling isn’t about information, it’s about emotion. “Too many speakers think, ‘I need to inform my audience....
Stay prepared, build your network, and take control of your career. Most of us know that career growth is important—but according to Catherine Fisher , we're thinking about it all wrong. It’s not just about landing a job or climbing the ladder; it’s about staying adaptable, building strong connections, and being proactive about opportunities before you need them. As LinkedIn’s Vice President of Global Consumer Communications, Fisher has spent years helping professionals navigate an evolving job ...
Reframe anxiety as a strength and use stress to enhance your 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 comm...
Clarify your purpose — and stop wasting time. The new year gives us an opportunity to reflect on who we are and who we want to be. As we set resolutions and prepare for evolutions, this special four-part series on communication, happiness, and well-being explores practical ways to enhance our lives through better communication, deeper connections, and more meaningful choices. As Cassie Holmes knows, how we spend our time has a big impact on our happiness and well-being. For her, that means focus...
Why connection is the key to a life well lived. The new year gives us an opportunity to reflect on who we are and who we want to be. As we set resolutions and prepare for evolutions, this special four-part series on communication, happiness, and well-being explores practical ways to enhance our lives through better communication, deeper connections, and more meaningful choices. When it comes to happiness, Arthur Brooks says it’s not about reaching a destination — it's about heading in the right ...
Why creating happiness in the future starts today. The new year gives us an opportunity to reflect on who we are and who we want to be. As we set resolutions and prepare for evolutions, this special four-part series on communication, happiness, and well-being explores practical ways to enhance our lives through better communication, deeper connections, and more meaningful choices. In pursuing happiness and well-being, we often focus on the present moment. But according to Hal Hershfield , one of...
A double definition of happiness — and how to cultivate both parts. The new year gives us an opportunity to reflect on who we are and who we want to be. As we set resolutions and prepare for evolutions, this special four-part series on communication, happiness, and well-being explores practical ways to enhance our lives through better communication, deeper connections, and more meaningful choices. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to happiness, but according to Laurie Santos , everyone needs...
Clear communication during times of uncertainty. Whether leading people through a 15-minute meeting or a years-long pandemic, communication requires compassion. For Dr. Anthony Fauci , that means being clear about who we’re speaking to and concise in what we say. As one of the world's leading experts in infectious diseases and public health, Fauci has been America's most trusted voice during the COVID-19 pandemic and other health crises. Whether addressing groups of fellow scientists and special...
Ten essential communication strategies designed to elevate your skills. 2024 has been an incredible year for learning and growth, and as we head into 2025, there’s no better time to reflect on the skills and strategies that can shape our communication and careers. In this special episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart , Matt Abrahams takes us through ten standout lessons from the past year. These aren’t just ideas to remember — they’re practices to evolve with. From Priya Parker’s insights on generou...
