Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques
Matt Abrahams, Think Fast Talk Smart
Join Matt Abrahams, a lecturer of Strategic Communication at Stanford Graduate School of Business, every Tuesday as he sits down with experts in the field to discuss real-world challenges. How do I send my message clearly when put on the spot? How do I write emails to get my point across? How can I easily convey complex information? How do I manage my reputation? Whether you’re giving a toast or presenting in a meeting, communication is critical to success in business and in life. Think Fast, Talk Smart provides the tools, techniques, and best practices to help you communicate more effectively. Learn more & sign up for our eNewsletter: https://fastersmarter.io
Categories: Education
Listen to the last episode:
What makes a great conversation?
“Many of us dread small talk,” says Harvard Business School professor and author Alison Wood Brooks. Yet she believes these everyday exchanges are the gateway to deeper connection and opportunity. An expert in the science of conversation, Wood Brooks, teaches a popular course titled Talk and has spent years researching what makes a great conversation. "Big things often start with small talk," she notes. "It’s not about avoiding it; it’s about knowing how to use it to uncover something meaningful."
In this LinkedIn Live episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Wood Brooks joins host Matt Abrahams to share a practical framework for mastering small talk and making it enjoyable, even for those who loathe it. Drawing from her "topic pyramid" approach, Wood Brooks breaks down how to elevate a conversation from mundane chitchat to something memorable. “Think of it as a treasure hunt,” she suggests. “Small talk is where you start looking for golden nuggets that can lead to deeper engagement.”
Episode Reference Links:
- Alison Wood Brooks
- Alison's Book: Talk
- Ep.73 Listen Up: Why It’s Better to Be Interested than Interesting
- Ep.89 Listen, Listen, Listen: How to Build Deep Connections
Connect:
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- Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn
Chapters:
- (00:00) - Introduction
- (02:05) - What Makes a Good Conversation?
- (04:24) - The Topic Pyramid
- (07:05) - Preparation for Small Talk
- (09:21) - Remembering Conversation Details
- (10:59) - Asking Too Many Questions
- (12:52) - Conversation Goals and Contexts
- (16:46) - Virtual vs In-Person Conversations
- (18:35) - The Importance of Listening
- (22:29) - Think Fast Talk Smart Premium
- (23:47) - Conclusion
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173 - Launching: Think Fast Talk Smart Premium Thu, 14 Nov 2024
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172 - 168. How Story Can Change Everything in Your Career Tue, 12 Nov 2024
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171 - 167. Hollywood Lessons For Successful Communication Tue, 05 Nov 2024
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170 - 166. Why Relying on Talent Alone Will Fail You Tue, 29 Oct 2024
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169 - 165. Building Your Personal Brand Makes a Promise: Are You Keeping It? Tue, 22 Oct 2024
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168 - 164. Best of: Using "Pre-suasion" to Influence Others Tue, 15 Oct 2024
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167 - 163. Is Your Audience Ignoring You? How Authenticity Creates Connection Tue, 08 Oct 2024
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166 - 162. Unlock Career Opportunities: How to Make the Right Moves Tue, 01 Oct 2024
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165 - Bonus: How to Manage Speaking Anxiety the Think Faster, Talk Smarter Way Thu, 26 Sep 2024
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164 - 161. Do Your Homework: Know What to Say by Knowing Who You’re Talking To Tue, 24 Sep 2024
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163 - 160. Best of: How to Communicate Your Gameplan Tue, 17 Sep 2024
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162 - 159. Earn Your Audience: You Can’t Lead If No One’s Listening Tue, 10 Sep 2024
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161 - 158. Hope for Cynics: Building Trusting Relationships through Communication Tue, 03 Sep 2024
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160 - 157. Communicating the Future: Defining Where We Want AI to Take Us Tue, 27 Aug 2024
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159 - 156. Creative Communication: How Our Design Choices Illustrate Our Values Tue, 20 Aug 2024
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158 - 155. Can We Be Candid? How to Communicate Clearly and Directly Tue, 13 Aug 2024
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157 - 154. Best of: Communicating Better as a Leader Tue, 06 Aug 2024
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156 - 153. Listen Up, Leaders: A Record-Setting Coach’s Guide to Communication Tue, 30 Jul 2024
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155 - 152. Fix Your Communication: Why It’s About Connection Over Perfection Tue, 23 Jul 2024
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154 - 151. Get Hired: How the Right Communication Can Advance Your Career Tue, 16 Jul 2024
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153 - 150. Communication Tips from the Classroom and Around the World Tue, 09 Jul 2024
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152 - 149. Best of: How to Take Risks in Your Communication, Relationships, and Career Tue, 02 Jul 2024
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151 - 148. Conviction and Compassion: How to Have Hard Conversations Tue, 25 Jun 2024
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150 - 147. Disrupt Yourself: How to Innovate Who You Are and Become Who You Can Be Tue, 18 Jun 2024
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149 - 146. Stress Resets: How to Change Your Internal Dialogue to Communicate Better Tue, 11 Jun 2024
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148 - 145. Best of: The Art of Negotiation, How to Get More of What You Want Tue, 04 Jun 2024
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147 - 144. Communicating Through Conflict: How to Get Along with Anyone Tue, 28 May 2024
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146 - 143. Adopting a VC Mindset: How to Achieve More by Thinking, and Communicating, Like a Venture Capitalist Tue, 21 May 2024
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145 - 142. Power and Persuasion: Live Insights from Stanford Experts Tue, 14 May 2024
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144 - 141. An Invitation for Innovation: Why Creativity Is Found, Not Forced Tue, 07 May 2024
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143 - 140. Best of: How to Handle a Skeptical Audience Tue, 30 Apr 2024
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142 - 139. Lose Yourself: The Secret to Finding Flow and Being Fully Present Tue, 23 Apr 2024
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141 - 138. Speak Your Truth: Why Authenticity Leads to Better Communication Tue, 16 Apr 2024
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140 - 137. When Words Aren’t Enough: How to Excel at Nonverbal Communication Tue, 09 Apr 2024
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139 - 136. The Art of Disagreeing Without Conflict: Navigating the Nuance Tue, 02 Apr 2024
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138 - 135. Best of: The Personal and Professional Power of Emotional Awareness Tue, 26 Mar 2024
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137 - 134. How to Chat with Bots: The Secrets to Getting the Information You Need from AI Tue, 19 Mar 2024
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136 - 133. From Good to Super: How Supercommunicators Unlock the Language of Connection Tue, 12 Mar 2024
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135 - 132. Lean Into Failure: How to Make Mistakes That Work Tue, 05 Mar 2024
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134 - 131. Friction Fixing: How to Use Obstacles to Your Advantage Tue, 27 Feb 2024
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133 - 130. Best Of: How to Maintain a Powerful Presence in Your Communication Tue, 20 Feb 2024
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132 - 129. Connect Deeply: How to Communicate So People Feel Seen and Heard Tue, 13 Feb 2024
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131 - 128. Four Powerful Principles, Pt 2: Your Questions Answered Thu, 08 Feb 2024
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130 - 127. Four Principles of Powerful, Focused Communication, Pt. 1 Tue, 06 Feb 2024
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129 - 126. Making Meetings Meaningful, BONUS: When Face-to-Face Meetings Matter Tue, 30 Jan 2024
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128 - Think Fast, Talk Smart: The Podcast (A Sound Bite!) Mon, 29 Jan 2024
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127 - 125. Making Meetings Meaningful, Pt. 2: Key Ingredients for Effective Meetings Tue, 23 Jan 2024
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126 - 124. Making Meetings Meaningful, Pt. 1: How to Structure and Organize More Effective Gatherings Tue, 16 Jan 2024
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125 - 123. Best Of: Why Curiosity Is Communication’s Secret Weapon Tue, 09 Jan 2024