Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

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, organizational behavior professor and co-author of The Friction Project; legendary Stanford basketball coach Tara VanDerveer; and Dave Dodson, lecturer and author of The Manager's Handbook.
In this special live episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, the panel shares frameworks and lessons for leading and communicating more effectively. From Teoh’s five A’s for inviting dissent to Rao’s warning against “jargon monoxide,” from VanDerveer’s relationship-first approach to Dodson’s case for leading like a teacher, this conversation explores what it takes to communicate as a leader — and lead as a communicator.
Episode Reference Links:
Celine Teoh
Tara VanDerveer
Huggy Rao
Huggy’s Book: The Friction Project
David Dodson
David’s Book: The Manager’s Handbook
Ep.194 Live Lessons in Levity and Leadership: Me2We 2025 Part 1 

Connect:
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Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn

 Chapters:

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, engage any audience, and strengthen your presence — whether you’re leading a meeting, giving a presentation, or navigating everyday conversations.
Whether you’re speaking to a crowd or having a one-on-one conversation, these tools can help you communicate with more confidence, calm, and connection.
Episode Reference Links:
Headspace 

Connect:
Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium
Email Questions & Feedback >>> [email protected]
Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website
Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io
Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube
Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn

Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction

(03:01) - Speaking Anxiety

(08:07) - Mindful Communication

(13:16) - Clarity & Structure

(16:53) - Creating Engagement

(24:18) - Building Presence

(29:20) - Conclusion

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Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be.

What keeps us from being more social? Nick Epley calls it a “mind-reading mistake.”
We all think about what others think, particularly what they think about us. The problem, says Nick Epley, is that we’re almost always wrong.
Epley is a professor of behavioral science at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and author of A Little More Social: How Small Choices Create Unexpected Happiness, Health, and Connection. What keeps people from engaging authentically, connecting deeply, and enjoying a meaningful social life? It comes down to an error of social cognition, “A mind-reading mistake,” Epley says. “If I don't think you want to talk to me, I won't try. And I'll never find out that I'm wrong about that.”
In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Epley and host Matt Abrahams explore why we hold ourselves back from meaningful conversation, and what happens when we don’t. From taking an interest in others to sharing more freely about ourselves, Epley shares strategies for being a little more social — and making your life considerably better as a result.
To listen to the extended Deep Thinks version of this episode, please visit FasterSmarter.io/premium.
Episode Reference Links:
Nick Epley
Nick’s Book: A Little More Social
Ep.133 From Good to Super: How Supercommunicators Unlock the Language of Connection

Connect:
Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium
Email Questions & Feedback >>> [email protected]
Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website
Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io
Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube
Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn

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Thank you to our sponsors.  These partnerships support the ongoing production of the podcast, allowing us to bring it to you at no cost.

This episode is brought to you by Babbel. Think Fast Talk Smart listeners can get started on your language learning journey today- visit Babbel.com/Thinkfast and get up to 55% off your Babbel subscription.

Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be.

Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction

(01:31) - Problems with Body Language

(04:15) - Perspective Getting

(07:14) - Asking Better Questions

(08:41) - Moving Beyond Small Talk

(10:13) - Why We Hold Back

(11:33) - Advice For Introverts

(15:17) - A Little More Social

(18:34) - The Final Three Questions

(24:45) - Conclusion

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 we think about getting older, and why autonomy matters just as much as safety in conversations with aging loved ones. As she puts it, “it’s not just the big moments, it’s the little moments, too.”
In this Quick Thinks episode of Think Fast Talk Smart, Burnight and host Matt Abrahams explore the role of listening, storytelling, and empathy in effective communication across generations. Through memorable examples and actionable advice, Burnight offers a compassionate framework for talking about — and thinking about — aging differently.
Episode Reference Links:
Dr. Kerry Burnight
Kerry’s Book: Joyspan
Ep.176 From Stereotypes to Synergy: Communicating Across Generations 

Connect:
Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium
Email Questions & Feedback >>> [email protected]
Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website
Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io
Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube
Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn

Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction

(02:52) - Aging Mindsets

(05:20) - Give of the Day

(08:48) - Difficult Aging Conversations

(18:04) - Explaining Complex Ideas

(19:33) - Conclusion

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Thank you to our sponsors.  These partnerships support the ongoing production of the podcast, allowing us to bring it to you at no cost.
Strawberry.me. Get 50% off your first coaching session today at Strawberry.me/smart
Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be.

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 in pretty darn good physical health. They were miserable.” That observation led her to dig into the research on well-being — and to find what it takes to enjoy a long life, not just endure one.
In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Burnight joins host Matt Abrahams to explore her joyspan framework, explaining how growth, connection, adapting, and giving contribute to a full life. From changing the conversation around aging to communicating more effectively across generations, Burnight offers practical wisdom for living better at any age.

Episode Reference Links:
Dr. Kerry Burnight
Kerry’s Book: Joyspan
Ep.176 From Stereotypes to Synergy: Communicating Across Generations 

Connect:
Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium
Email Questions & Feedback >>> [email protected]
Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website
Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io
Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube
Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn

Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction

(03:20) - Defining Joyspan

(05:27) - The Joyspan Matrix

(11:03) - Learning to Adjust

(11:57) - The Power of Stories

(15:38) - Internalized Ageism

(18:40) - The Final Three Questions

(25:53) - Conclusion

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Thank you to our sponsors.  These partnerships support the ongoing production of the podcast, allowing us to bring it to you at no cost.
Strawberry.me. Get 50% off your first coaching session today at Strawberry.me/smart
Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be.