283. Ask Matt Anything: Authenticity, Anxiety, and Answering Well

How To Speak Up — When You Don’t Want To | From TED Business

What stops you from speaking up when it matters most? This week on Think Fast Talk Smart [https://www.fastersmarter.io/], we’re featuring a special episode from TED Business. Healthcare leader Sarah Crawford-Bohl offers a practical, compassionate framework to have difficult conversations with clarity and heart — and shows how it can lead to stronger teams and real impact. TED Business is a podcast from TED that offers you a new idea and perspective for any business conundrum — whether you want to learn how to land that promotion, set smart goals, undo injustice at work, or unlock the next big innovation. Every Monday, host Modupe Akinola of Columbia Business School presents the most powerful and surprising ideas that illuminate the business world. After the talk, you'll get a mini-lesson from Modupe on how to apply the ideas in your own life — because business evolves every day, and our ideas about it should, too. Listen wherever you get your podcasts or here [https://link.mgln.ai/DrHDe8]. Episode Reference Links: * TED Business [https://www.ted.com/podcasts/ted_business]  Connect: * Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium [https://www.fastersmarter.io/premium/] * Email Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.io * Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website [https://www.fastersmarter.io/speak-up-difficult-conversations/] * Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io [http://fastersmarter.io/] * Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/think-fast-talk-smart/], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thinkfasttalksmart/], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6caGRBUYZCmgDGM2RK6mxKB9jG_ccmm3] * Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/maabrahams/] Chapters: * (00:00) - Introduction * (02:46) - If Not You, Then Who? * (04:01) - The Cost of Silence * (05:25) - Avoiding Conflict at Work * (06:20) - Why Speaking Up Matters * (07:30) - Building Courage Through Practice * (08:40) - A Moral Compass for Conversations * (12:01) - Handling Tough Feedback * (17:09) - QORC Apology Framework * (18:59) - Conclusion ******** Thank you to our sponsors.  These partnerships support the ongoing production of the podcast, allowing us to bring it to you at no cost. Unleash your Superhuman potential with AI that meets you where you work. Learn more at superhuman.com [https://superhuman.com/] Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be. [https://learning.fastersmarter.io/?redirect_from=podpage]

284. Hear Me Out: How Understanding Accents—Ours & Others—Improves Communication

Understanding the accent you didn’t know you had. Whether communicating in our mother tongue or practicing a new language, we all speak with an accent. But that’s not all, says Valerie Fridland [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/valerie-fridland/] — we hear with an accent as well. Fridland is a professor of sociolinguistics at the University of Nevada, Reno, and author of Why We Talk Funny: The Real Story Behind Our Accents [https://fastersmarter.io/why-we-talk-funny]. According to her, we don’t just sound a certain way, we hear a certain way too, affecting how we understand others. “We’re hearing with an accent — a bias shaped by our own language and experience,” she says. But instead of expecting others’ communication to fit our preconceptions, Fridland says to meet people halfway. “If we want to make communication successful, it’s not just their job as a speaker, it’s my job as a listener.” In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart [https://www.fastersmarter.io/], Fridland and host Matt Abrahams discuss how empathetic listening opens the door to understanding. Whether you’re communicating in a context of mutual intelligibility or attempting to bridge cultural and linguistic divides, Fridland’s insights show how connection is a collaboration — shaped by accents on both sides of the conversation. To listen to the extended Deep Thinks version of this episode, please visit FasterSmarter.io/premium [https://www.fastersmarter.io/premium/]. Episode Reference Links: * Valerie Fridland [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/valerie-fridland/] * Valerie’s Book: Why We Talk Funny [https://fastersmarter.io/why-we-talk-funny] * Ep.91 Um, Like, So: How Filler Words Can Create More Connected, Effective Communication [https://www.fastersmarter.io/91-um-like-so-how-filler-words-can-create-more-connected-effective-communication/]  Connect: * Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium [https://www.fastersmarter.io/premium/] * Email Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.io * Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website [https://www.fastersmarter.io/understanding-accents-improves-communication/] * Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io [http://fastersmarter.io/] * Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/think-fast-talk-smart/], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thinkfasttalksmart/], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6caGRBUYZCmgDGM2RK6mxKB9jG_ccmm3] * Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/maabrahams/] Chapters: * (00:00) - Introduction * (02:32) - The Role of Filled Pauses * (04:56) - When Fillers Become a Problem * (06:18) - Why We Don’t Hear Our Own Accent * (07:43) - Language Rhythm & Intonation * (12:33) - Listening with an Accent * (17:31) - The Final Three Questions * (23:41) - Conclusion ******** Thank you to our sponsors.  These partnerships support the ongoing production of the podcast, allowing us to bring it to you at no cost. Unleash your Superhuman potential with AI that meets you where you work. Learn more at superhuman.com [https://superhuman.com/] Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be.  [https://learning.fastersmarter.io/?redirect_from=podpage]

283. Ask Matt Anything: Authenticity, Anxiety, and Answering Well

Simple strategies to think faster, stay authentic, and communicate with confidence.  How do you stay genuine without sounding rehearsed? What helps when your thoughts are moving faster than your words? And how can you handle high-pressure moments with more ease? Strong communication isn’t about having the right lines ready—it’s about being present enough to respond with clarity. In the moment, it’s easy to rush, overthink, or lose your structure. But with the right tools, you can slow down, connect, and communicate with intention. In this Ask Matt Anything episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart [https://www.fastersmarter.io/], Matt Abrahams shares insights from a live session with the Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community [http://fastersmarter.io/learning]. Through real audience questions, he outlines practical ways to manage nerves, adapt to different situations, and build communication habits that last. Episode Reference Links: * Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community [http://fastersmarter.io/learning]   Connect: * Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium [https://www.fastersmarter.io/premium/] * Email Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.io * Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website [https://www.fastersmarter.io/communication-strategies-authenticity/] * Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io [http://fastersmarter.io/] * Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/think-fast-talk-smart/], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thinkfasttalksmart/], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6caGRBUYZCmgDGM2RK6mxKB9jG_ccmm3] * Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/maabrahams/] Chapters: * (00:00) - Introduction * (02:25) - Email Small Talk * (05:02) - Slowing Down Your Thinking * (07:12) - Controlling Speaking Pace * (09:19) - Authenticity vs. Adapting * (13:49) - Scripted Talks * (16:41) - Handling No Questions * (20:16) - Conclusion ******** Thank you to our sponsors.  These partnerships support the ongoing production of the podcast, allowing us to bring it to you at no cost. Unleash your Superhuman potential with AI that meets you where you work. Learn more at superhuman.com [https://superhuman.com/] Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be.  [https://learning.fastersmarter.io/?redirect_from=podpage]

282. The Language of Luck: Why Fortune Favors Those Who Pay Attention

If you can make conversation, you can make your own luck. Good communication isn’t passive. And good luck, says Tina Seelig [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/tina-seelig/], is the same. There’s “what the world gives us,” and then there’s “how we respond to it.” Seelig is executive director of the Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program at Stanford University and author of What I Wish I Knew About Luck [https://www.fastersmarter.io/what-i-wish-i-knew-about-luck]. For her, good fortune doesn’t find us, we find it. “Opportunities for lucky things to happen are ubiquitous. But they're invisible and most people don't see them,” she says. In the same way that communication requires active listening, making our own luck requires presence to the people and possibilities that come our way. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart [https://www.fastersmarter.io/], Seelig and host Matt Abrahams explore how communication creates luck. From curious listening to resolving the conflicts that block opportunity, Seelig offers practical ways to respond to what life offers — and turn everyday interactions into the foundation for good fortune. To listen to the extended Deep Thinks version of this episode, please visit FasterSmarter.io/premium [https://www.fastersmarter.io/premium/]. Episode Reference Links: * Tina Seelig [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/tina-seelig/] * Tina’s Book: What I Wish I Knew About Luck [https://www.fastersmarter.io/what-i-wish-i-knew-about-luck] * Ep.111 Rethinks: How to Spark Creativity in Your Communication [https://www.fastersmarter.io/111-best-of-how-to-spark-creativity-in-your-communication/] * Ep.159 Earn Your Audience: You Can’t Lead If No One’s Listening [https://www.fastersmarter.io/159-earn-your-audience-you-cant-lead-if-no-ones-listening/]  Connect: * Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium [https://www.fastersmarter.io/premium/] * Email Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.io * Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website [https://www.fastersmarter.io/language-of-luck/] * Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io [http://fastersmarter.io/] * Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/think-fast-talk-smart/], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thinkfasttalksmart/], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6caGRBUYZCmgDGM2RK6mxKB9jG_ccmm3] * Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/maabrahams/] Chapters: * (00:00) - Introduction * (02:32) - Luck vs. Fortune * (03:41) - The Idea of Making Luck * (04:26) - Building Your Luck Framework * (05:35) - Listening Creates Opportunity * (06:42) - Focus on Others * (09:43) - Staying Connected to Others * (10:55) - Appreciation as a Habit * (11:50) - How Conflict Blocks Luck * (13:21) - Apologies Create Opportunity * (14:19) - Ask, Don’t Assume * (16:12) - Communicating for Your Audience * (17:59) - Prepare Your Stories * (21:00) - The Final Three Questions * (25:30) - Conclusion ******** Thank you to our sponsors.  These partnerships support the ongoing production of the podcast, allowing us to bring it to you at no cost. Unleash your Superhuman potential with AI that meets you where you work. Learn more at superhuman.com [https://superhuman.com/] Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be.  [https://learning.fastersmarter.io/?redirect_from=podpage]

281. Be Clear, Be Concise, Be Remembered: Masters of Scale

Great communication isn’t about saying more—it’s about making what you say matter. If we want to communicate more effectively, we need to treat communication less like a habit—and more like a series of intentional choices. In this special feed drop, we’re featuring a conversation from the ⁠Masters of Scale⁠ [https://mastersofscale.com/] podcast, where host ⁠Jeff Berman⁠ [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/jeff-berman/] sits down with Stanford lecturer and ⁠Think Fast, Talk Smart ⁠ [https://www.fastersmarter.io/]host Matt Abrahams to explore what it really takes to communicate with intention. Most of us default to what feels natural—long-winded openings, generic pitches, or focusing on what we want to say. But as Matt explains, effective communication starts with the audience. Get to the point quickly. Focus on what’s relevant. “Tell the time, don’t build the clock.” From high-stakes presentations to job interviews and everyday interactions, Matt shares practical, science-backed strategies for showing up with clarity and confidence. Communication is something we all do every day—but doing it well, especially when it counts, takes intention. As this conversation makes clear, small shifts in how we prepare, structure, and deliver our message can make all the difference. Episode Reference Links: * Jeff Berman [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/jeff-berman/] * Masters of Scale [https://mastersofscale.com/] Connect: * Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium [https://www.fastersmarter.io/premium/] * Email Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.io * Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website [https://www.fastersmarter.io/clear-concise-communication/] * Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io [http://fastersmarter.io/] * Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/think-fast-talk-smart/], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thinkfasttalksmart/], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6caGRBUYZCmgDGM2RK6mxKB9jG_ccmm3] * Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/maabrahams/] Chapters: * (00:00) - Introduction * (04:03) - Communication as a Skill * (04:33) - The Impact of Communication * (05:11) - Prevalence of Speaking Anxiety * (07:12) - Techniques for Reducing Anxiety * (09:47) - Core Principles: Repetition, Reflection, Feedback * (10:54) - Communication in Education * (12:04) - Opportunities to Improve Communication * (14:27) - Presenting & Pitching Ideas * (16:42) - Setting Clear Expectations * (19:59) - Characteristics of Productive Meetings * (23:43) - The Role of Repetition in Leadership * (24:33) - Structured Preparation for Interviews * (25:59) - The ADD Framework for Responses * (27:27) - Asking Insightful Questions * (28:47) - Defining Communication Objectives * (31:53) - Adapting Messages to Different Formats * (33:08) - Building Confidence in New Mediums * (34:18) - Recovering from Cognitive Lapses * (35:44) - The Pace, Space, Grace Framework * (37:39) - Navigating Differing Perspectives * (39:31) - Conclusion ******** Thank you to our sponsors.  These partnerships support the ongoing production of the podcast, allowing us to bring it to you at no cost. Unleash your Superhuman potential with AI that meets you where you work. Learn more at superhuman.com [https://superhuman.com/] Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be.  [https://learning.fastersmarter.io/?redirect_from=podpage]