Everything about how you communicate - your hands, your word choices, even your calendar invites - is either building connection or quietly destroying it.

In this episode of Think Fast Talk Smart podcast, host Matt Abrahams sits down with Vanessa Van Edwards - bestselling author, behavioral researcher, and expert on human behavior - to explore the hidden science behind strategic communication, nonverbal communication, and the subtle signals that shape every interaction we have.

From gestures and body language to facial expressions and visual presence, Vanessa reveals how people constantly send and receive nonverbal cues that influence trust, credibility, and connection in conversations.

In this episode, they cover:
• The hidden role of nonverbal cues
• How the importance of body language in communication is often underestimated
• The science behind gestures
• The surprising source of negative communication
• Why choosing the right words in communication matters more than you think
• The difference between the Platinum Rule vs the Golden Rule

If your messages often come across differently from what you intended, this conversation with Vanessa Van Edwards is packed with actionable frameworks that can help you master strategic communication and improve nonverbal communication by using both words and body language to create stronger connections in every interaction.

About The Guest:
Vanessa Van Edwards is the lead investigator at Science of People. She specializes in helping professionals master their people skills, increase likability, and confidently navigate both digital and in-person interactions. Vanessa has written two best-selling books, Captivate: The Science of Succeeding with People, and Cues: Master the Secret Language of Charismatic Communication. She also helps Matt teach parts of his Strategic Communication Masterclass.

About Matt:
Matt Abrahams is a leading communication expert, Lecturer in Organizational Behavior at Stanford GSB, and host of the award-winning Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast. He has coached presenters at TED, the World Economic Forum, and the UN Secretary General's office, and his online talks have garnered millions of views worldwide. He is the author of Think Faster, Talk Smarter and Speaking Up without Freaking Out, two bestselling guides to confident, spontaneous communication.

Key Quotes
• "I think of communication as the number one way to remove friction." - Vanessa Van Edwards (1:09)
• "If you don't know your stuff well enough, you won't be able to gesture. So thinking about gesture is a good self-check: do I know my content so well that I could speak to you on two tracks?" - Vanessa Van Edwards (3:49)
• “The platinum rule is treat others as they would want to be treated - and it is a very different mental shift in every social interaction. It helps you be other-focused, which is an immediate click-on for empathy.” - Vanessa Van Edwards (17:06)
• "Laughter is the lubrication of learning." - Vanessa Van Edwards (19:33)

Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:05 Communication Should Remove Friction
02:00 Gestures Are Incredibly Important
05:57 Over-Signaling And Under-Signaling
07:37 Avoiding Verbal “Danger Zones”
11:20 Influencing With Imagery Cues
16:23 Upgrade to The ‘Platinum’ Rule
18:08 Matt’s 3 Questions
22:37 Conclusion

Relevant Links:
Vanessa Van Edwards: https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/vanessa-van-edwards/

Vanessa’s Book- Captivate: https://bookplease.ai/edwards/captivate?podcast=think-fast-talk-smart

Vanessa’s Book- Cues: https://bookplease.ai/edwards/cues?podcast=think-fast-talk-smart

Episode References:
165. A Brand Is Not Just A Logo: How to Build a Brand for Yourself or a Company https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDfIB4XO9iU

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