The greatest communicators aren’t always great from the start. As Lerone Martin knows, even the great Martin Luther King Jr. had to practice before he could persuade. Martin is the Martin Luther King Jr. Centennial Professor at Stanford, and as director of the King Research and Education Institute, he has…
The greatest communicators aren’t always great from the start. As Lerone Martin knows, even the great Martin Luther King Jr. had to practice before he could persuade. Martin is the Martin Luther King Jr. Centennial Professor at Stanford, and as director of the King Research and Education Institute, he has…
The greatest communicators aren’t always great from the start. As Lerone Martin knows, even the great Martin Luther King Jr. had to practice before he could persuade. Martin is the Martin Luther King Jr. Centennial Professor at Stanford, and as director of the King Research and Education Institute, he has…
Whether we realize it or not, we negotiate everyday. But when we approach these situations as a win-or-lose battle, we’re already showing resistance, and setting ourselves up for difficulty. But what if you reframed the whole idea, to think of a negotiation not as a fight, but as a problem-solving…
Can kindness be a company’s competitive advantage? Bonnie Hayden Cheng says yes — and she’s got a business metric to prove it: return on kindness. Cheng is a professor of management at City University of Hong Kong who researches how workplace behaviors affect interpersonal dynamics and well-being. In her book,…
Can kindness be a company’s competitive advantage? Bonnie Hayden Cheng says yes — and she’s got a business metric to prove it: return on kindness. Cheng is a professor of management at City University of Hong Kong who researches how workplace behaviors affect interpersonal dynamics and well-being. In her book,…
What separates communicators who clarify from those who confuse? The ability to “Simplify complexity,” says Adam Bryant. “I don't think you can be an effective leader if you can't do that.” Bryant is a senior managing director at the ExCo Group and former New York Times journalist who interviewed over…
What separates communicators who clarify from those who confuse? The ability to “Simplify complexity,” says Adam Bryant. “I don't think you can be an effective leader if you can't do that.” Bryant is a senior managing director at the ExCo Group and former New York Times journalist who interviewed over…
What separates communicators who clarify from those who confuse? The ability to “Simplify complexity,” says Adam Bryant. “I don't think you can be an effective leader if you can't do that.” Bryant is a senior managing director at the ExCo Group and former New York Times journalist who interviewed over…
We’re constantly bombarded with competing images, messaging, and bids for our attention. That's why as communicators, it’s increasingly important to know what engages people.In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Matt Abrahams speaks with Stanford GSB Professor Zak Tormala about the subtle ways you can structure your speech to…
Talking about money is taboo for many people. But according to Wendy De La Rosa, financial well-being only starts when we break the silence around finance. De La Rosa is a professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a co-founder of the Common Cents Lab, an…
Talking about money is taboo for many people. But according to Wendy De La Rosa, financial well-being only starts when we break the silence around finance. De La Rosa is a professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a co-founder of the Common Cents Lab, an…
Talking about money is taboo for many people. But according to Wendy De La Rosa, financial well-being only starts when we break the silence around finance. De La Rosa is a professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a co-founder of the Common Cents Lab, an…
We've all been in the situation where you have something important to contribute to a meeting and you don't know how to insert your thoughts. On this "Quick Thinks" episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, podcast host Matt Abrahams offers the three ways to insert your ideas, either by paraphrasing,…
The most transformative communication insights are the ones we actually remember to use. That’s why host Matt Abrahams is taking stock of his favorite communication tips from this year, so we can carry them into the next. In this annual Think Fast, Talk Smart tradition, Abrahams shares his top 10…
The most transformative communication insights are the ones we actually remember to use. That’s why host Matt Abrahams is taking stock of his favorite communication tips from this year, so we can carry them into the next. In this annual Think Fast, Talk Smart tradition, Abrahams shares his top 10…
Our 10 favorite communication insights from 2025. The most transformative communication insights are the ones we actually remember to use. That’s why host Matt Abrahams is taking stock of his favorite communication tips from this year, so we can carry them into the next. In this annual Think Fast, Talk…
Power exists in every relationship — whether we like that idea or not — and to be effective in any role, power needs to be understood. In this episode, Matt Abrahams sits down with Professor of Organizational Behavior Deborah Gruenfeld to discuss her new book, Acting with Power: Why We…
As communicators, we often need to take complex information (e.g., financial, technical, or scientific) and make it more understandable for our audience – we’re experts and they likely aren’t. But having so much knowledge on the topics we discuss can often make the job more difficult: we dive in too…
Effective communication isn't about perfecting your performance. According to Dr. Kate Mason, it's about being powerfully present. Mason is a world champion debater, executive communication coach, and author of the book Powerfully Likable. In her work coaching senior executives to communicate more effectively, she emphasizes that it’s not about creating…
Effective communication isn't about perfecting your performance. According to Dr. Kate Mason, it's about being powerfully present. Mason is a world champion debater, executive communication coach, and author of the book Powerfully Likable. In her work coaching senior executives to communicate more effectively, she emphasizes that it’s not about creating…
Effective communication isn't about perfecting your performance. According to Dr. Kate Mason, it's about being powerfully present. Mason is a world champion debater, executive communication coach, and author of the book Powerfully Likeable. In her work coaching senior executives to communicate more effectively, she emphasizes that it’s not about creating…
Most people feel nervous in situations such as speaking in front of a class, pitching a big idea, or giving a toast, yet research-backed techniques can help manage both the symptoms and sources of our speaking jitters.Matt Abrahams sits in the interviewee chair for this episode and talks with the…
Some of the most meaningful shifts in how we communicate come from the moments that challenge us the most. In this special 250th episode of Think Fast Talk Smart, Matt Abrahams reflects on the insights that have shown him how conflict can become a catalyst for clarity, connection, and even…