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…
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“The tools of communication have changed, the human brain has not.” In a world of endless content and shrinking attention spans, getting your message heard means giving people a reason to care. For Carmine Gallo , a communication coach, author of Viral Voices , and CEO of Gallo Communications, that starts with understanding what captures the brain’s attention: emotion, relevance, and a compelling…
“Over time, what works is truly showing up in a way where you actually care, you're actually trying to give value.” In a culture that rewards boldness and visibility, quieter voices can be easy to overlook. But Susan Cain , a former Wall Street lawyer, negotiation consultant, and bestselling author of Quiet and Bittersweet , argues that introverts bring powerful strengths to communication and…
"The first negotiation is actually a negotiation I have with myself about my own story." 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 , a Harvard Law School lecturer and co-author of Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most , who says our own internal narratives often…
"The dumbest thing you can be is a know-it-all." Curiosity isn't about having all the answers—it's about asking better questions. Journalist and podcast host Nayeema Raza believes the strongest communicators balance confidence with openness, using curiosity to better understand people, ideas, and the world around them. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart , Raza joins Matt Abrahams to explore…
"You want to make sure you have the energy at the end of your communication as well as at the beginning." Why do some people command a room without raising their voice? Being heard isn't about speaking louder—it's about using your voice with intention. Breath, posture, and preparation all play a role in helping your message reach the people who need to hear it. In this Quick Thinks episode of…
"Know your stuff, practice, and then just do it and be there." How do you explain complex ideas without losing your audience? The challenge isn't knowing more—it's helping others understand. For Marketplace host Kai Ryssdal , great communication comes from making difficult topics accessible while holding people's attention. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart , Ryssdal joins Matt Abrahams to…
"Meaning is about being mindful of the effect you have on other people." What makes a life meaningful? We often think purpose and meaning are the same thing, but according to Stanford professor Brian Lowery , they're fundamentally different. Purpose is what drives us. Meaning comes from the impact we have on others. In this live episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart from Stanford’s LEAD Me2We event,…
"When there's a gap between our intention and our impact, we diminish others and our communication." The best leaders don't succeed because they have all the answers—they succeed because they bring out the best thinking in others. Liz Wiseman , executive advisor, CEO of the Wiseman Group, and author of the million-copy bestseller Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter , has spent…
“Managing emotions—yours and your audience's—is hard enough, but it's even harder when you're under pressure to respond." High-pressure communication doesn't have to derail your message. In this Think Fast, Talk Smart Ask Matt Anything episode, Matt Abrahams answers real-world questions from members of the Think Fast, Talk Smart Learning Community , sharing practical advice for communicating with…
"It's not an accent, it's an identity." The way we speak shapes more than how we're understood—it shapes how we're perceived. Peter Novak believes the goal of communication isn't to eliminate an accent, but to communicate with greater clarity, confidence, and authenticity. As a linguist, communication coach, and expert in accent bias, Novak helps multilingual professionals communicate more…
"The assumption of swift trust is really useful." Teams don't always need years to build trust—they need the right conditions to build it quickly. As a Stanford professor and expert in organizational design, Melissa Valentine studies how communication, team structure, and emerging technologies help people collaborate more effectively. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart , Valentine joins…
