Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

Career success takes a status boost, not a power grab. How do you chart the career course you’ve always imagined? According to Alison Fragale [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/alison-fragale/], it’s about gaining influence through status, power, and ultimately, being “a likeable badass.” As a research psychologist, professor, speaker, and author, Fragale is on a mission to help women take control of their careers. In her book Likeable Badass: How Women Get the Success They Deserve [https://www.fastersmarter.io/likeable-badass], she argues that most people have it backwards when pursuing career advancement. "We have talked for a long time [about] getting more power," she explains. However, by focusing first on achieving status (how respected we are), power will often come as a natural byproduct. "If you pursue status before, or at least alongside power, everything is going to fall into place," she says. “Status makes power a lot easier to achieve, and it makes power a lot easier to use.” In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart [https://www.fastersmarter.io/], hosted by executive producer Jenny Luna [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/jenny-luna/], Fragale explores the communication strategies of a likeable badass, from building warmth and assertiveness to authentically connecting with colleagues. Whether you're building relationships in a new company or have been leading one for years, Fragale’s insights will help you command respect while communicating with kindness. To listen to the extended Deep Thinks version of this episode, please visit FasterSmarter.io/premium [https://www.fastersmarter.io/premium/] Episode Reference Links: * Alison Fragale [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/alison-fragale/] * Alison’s Book: Likeable Badass [https://www.fastersmarter.io/likeable-badass] * Jenny Luna [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/jenny-luna/] * Ep.12 It's Not What You Say, It’s How You Say It: How To Communicate Power [https://www.fastersmarter.io/12-its-not-what-you-say-its-how-you-say-it-how-to-communicate-power/] * Ep.15 The Art of Negotiation: How to Get More of What You Want [https://www.fastersmarter.io/15-the-art-of-negotiation-how-to-get-more-of-what-you-want/]   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/210-first-impression-to-lasting-impact-use-status-strategically/] * 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 * (02:21) - Defining Power and Status * (05:26) - Why Status Comes Before Power * (06:19) - Communication Techniques to Build Status * (09:27) - Evaluating Your Habits: Nonverbal and Verbal Cues * (11:21) - Mentorship in Developing Communication * (13:13) - Adapting to a New Work Culture * (18:41) - Representing Difference Without Distance * (19:49) - Overcoming Bad First Impressions * (21:47) - The Final Three Question * (25:32) - Conclusion    ***** This episode is brought to you by Babbel [https://get.babbel.com/eg_podcast_flags_ame_usa-en?bsc=podcast-thinkfast&btp=default&utm_campaign=podcast-thinkfast&utm_content=podcast..thinkfast..usa..internal&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=thinkfast&utm_term=generic_v1]. Think Fast Talk Smart listeners can get started on your language learning journey today- visit Babbel.com/Thinkfast [http://babbel.com/Thinkfast] and get up to 55% off your Babbel [https://get.babbel.com/eg_podcast_flags_ame_usa-en?bsc=podcast-thinkfast&btp=default&utm_campaign=podcast-thinkfast&utm_content=podcast..thinkfast..usa..internal&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=thinkfast&utm_term=generic_v1] subscription. Support Think Fast Talk Smart by joining TFTS Premium [https://www.fastersmarter.io/p/premium/].

How to turn curiosity, clarity, and AI into your most powerful job search tools. Job search isn’t just about landing your next role—it’s about understanding who you are and how you want to show up in the world. According to Andrew Seaman [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/andrew-seaman/], Senior Managing Editor for Jobs and Career Development at LinkedIn, that process begins with curiosity, not certainty. “People assume they need to apply to dozens of jobs with a perfect résumé,” he explains. “But the best applications are rooted in self-awareness and strategy—not spray-and-pray.” Instead of rushing to the next opportunity, Seaman encourages job seekers to slow down, ask better questions, and prioritize conversations over checklists. From informational interviews to profile updates, clarity is key—knowing what you want and telling a story that shows why you’re the right fit. With tools like LinkedIn’s Job Match and natural-language job search, candidates can now assess how they align with a role—and where they can grow. “It’s not just about being qualified,” Seaman says. “It’s about showing the value you bring.” In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart [https://www.fastersmarter.io/], Seaman joins host Matt Abrahams for our Catalyze Your Career miniseries to share how to job search with intention. Using Matt’s “Four I’s” framework—identifying, investigating, initiating contact, and interviewing—they explore how strategic storytelling, thoughtful networking, and AI tools can help you stand out in a crowded market. Episode Reference Links: * Andrew Seaman [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/andrew-seaman/] * Ep.184 Fit or Quit? Find the Job That is Right For You—Catalyze Your Career [https://www.fastersmarter.io/184-fit-or-quit-find-the-job-that-is-right-for-you-catalyze-your-career/] * Ep.187 Experimenting, Failing, and Finding Your Job Fit - Catalyze Your Career [https://www.fastersmarter.io/187-experimenting-failing-and-finding-your-job-fit-catalyze-your-career/]   * Ep.151 Get Hired: How the Right Communication Can Advance Your Career [https://www.fastersmarter.io/151-get-hired-how-the-right-communication-can-advance-your-career/]   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/209-find-your-fit-find-your-focus-catalyze-your-career/] * 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 * (02:05) - What’s Changing in Job Search * (03:49) - Identifying Roles with Curiosity * (06:49) - Investigating Companies & Roles * (08:13) - Initiating Contact Effectively * (11:29) - Crafting a Strong Narrative * (12:41) - How Job Match Can Help * (16:01) - Strategic vs. Shotgun Approach * (21:00) - Best Career Advice Received * (21:56) - Career Regrets & Lessons * (23:25) - Conclusion   ******** This episode is sponsored by LinkedIn. Dare to discover what’s next. Explore your job potential at LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/]. Become a Faster Smarter Supporter by joining TFTS Premium [https://www.fastersmarter.io/p/premium/].

Amidst constant change, clear communication is the key to navigating uncertainty. How do you communicate with others when you’re confused yourself? For Rob Siegel [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/robert-siegel/], leadership isn’t about avoiding uncertainty, it’s about embracing the clarity that ambiguity can bring. "What if ambiguity is the new normal?" asks Siegel, a venture investor and lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Business. From rapidly evolving AI to ratcheting geopolitical tensions, every day brings a “crisis du jour,” he says. “I may like it, I may not like it. That doesn't really matter, but I've gotta get my team through it." In his latest book, The Systems Leader: Mastering the Cross Pressures That Make or Break Today's Companies [https://www.fastersmarter.io/the-systems-leader/], Siegel explores how leaders today are “living in dualities,” caught between managing existing processes and adapting to emerging disruptions. “The sooner we get comfortable with [change] in the sense of ‘I don't have to like it, but I can deal with it,’ then [we can] lead our teams and give them the calm to know they can get through this.” In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart [https://www.fastersmarter.io/], Siegel and host Matt Abrahams explore how to communicate effectively amidst constant change. From preparation strategies for spontaneous speaking to building trust through candid conversations, Siegel offers practical tips for communicating with clarity when nothing is certain but change. To listen to the extended Deep Thinks version of this episode, please visit FasterSmarter.io/premium [https://www.fastersmarter.io/premium/] Episode Reference Links: * Robert Siegel [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/robert-siegel/] * Rob’s Book: The Systems Leader [https://www.fastersmarter.io/the-systems-leader/] * Ep.35 Leading From The Hot Seat: How To Communicate Under Pressure [https://www.fastersmarter.io/35-leading-from-the-hot-seat-how-to-communicate-under-pressure/] * Ep.37 Be Better: How Communication Catalyzes Business Transformation [https://www.fastersmarter.io/37-be-better-how-communication-catalyzes-business-transformation/]   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/208-ambiguity-to-action-tensions-and-trade-offs-of-leadership-and-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 * (01:49) - Adapting Leadership for Uncertainty * (03:18) - Systems Leadership and Cross Pressures * (04:40) - Communication and Context * (05:26) - Framing Complex Ideas * (06:21) - Innovation vs. Execution * (08:11) - Leading Through Ambiguity * (09:33) - Short-Term vs. Long-Term Focus * (12:44) - Balancing Strength and Empathy * (15:26) - Leadership with Humanity * (16:42) - Engaging Students Effectively * (20:00) - The Final Three Questions * (23:41) - Conclusion    ***** This Episode is sponsored by Stanford. Stay Informed on Stanford's world changing research by signing up for the Stanford Report [https://news.stanford.edu/connect/connect-2024?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=tfts&utm_id=TFTS] Support Think Fast Talk Smart by joining TFTS Premium [https://www.fastersmarter.io/p/premium/].

How victim, villain, and helpless stories sabotage our most important conversations. The hardest conversations aren’t just about what you say to the other person. According to Joseph Grenny [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/joseph-grenny/], critical conversations begin with the stories that you tell yourself. As a leading expert on business performance and communication, and a New York Times bestselling co-author of Crucial Conversations [https://www.fastersmarter.io/crucial-conversations], Grenny explains that navigating high-stakes communication starts by examining the internal narratives we bring into these situations. “You and I use three consistent types of stories in these moments that don't serve us well,” he says: Victim stories (emphasizing our innocence), villain stories (demonizing the other person), and helpless stories (justifying our poor responses). "Those three kinds of stories are what amp up our emotions and justify us in our unhealthy responses," he says. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart [https://www.fastersmarter.io/], Grenny joins Matt Abrahams to share practical strategies for mastering difficult conversations through what he calls "TLC" — truth, love, and competence. From recognizing your motives during conflict to accepting your role in creating it, he offers tools for staying focused on what you really want rather than getting hijacked by short-term emotional impulses. To listen to the extended Deep Thinks version of this episode, please visit FasterSmarter.io/premium [https://www.fastersmarter.io/premium/] Episode Reference Links: * Joseph Grenny [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/joseph-grenny/] * Joseph’s Book: Crucial Conversations [https://www.fastersmarter.io/crucial-conversations]   * Ep.105 Radical Candor: The Communication Shift That Can Transform Your Career [https://www.fastersmarter.io/105-radical-candor-the-communication-shift-that-can-transform-your-career/] * Ep.148 Conviction and Compassion: How to Have Hard Conversations [https://www.fastersmarter.io/148-conviction-and-compassion-how-to-have-hard-conversations/]   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/207-from-conflict-to-connection-having-crucial-conversations-that-count/] * 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 * (02:11) - Influence & Why It Matters * (04:10) - Truth & Love: The Foundation of Accountability * (06:30) - Showing You Care & Respect Others * (08:14) - Recognizing Motives in High-Stakes Moment * (14:08) - Managing Emotions in Crucial Conversations * (20:03) - The Final Three Questions * (25:19) - Conclusion    ******** This episode is sponsored by Grammarly. Let Grammarly take the busywork off your plate so you can focus on high-impact work. Download Grammarly for free today [https://www.grammarly.com/?utm_campaign=arm&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=podcast&utm_content=directpodcasts] Become a Faster Smarter Supporter by joining TFTS Premium [https://www.fastersmarter.io/p/premium/].

Great strategy starts with a question—and a story worth believing in. A good strategy isn’t just built—it’s told. For Martin Reeves [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/martin-reeves/], chairman of the BCG Henderson Institute and author of The Imagination Machine [https://www.fastersmarter.io/imagination-machine/] and Like: The Button That Changed the World [https://www.fastersmarter.io/like/], strategy and imagination are both deeply communicative processes, rooted in storytelling, curiosity, and the courage to reframe assumptions. “A strategy is really just a special kind of story,” Reeves explains. “It begins with the present and aspires to a different future—it’s fiction made actionable.” To bring that fiction to life, leaders must involve their teams in a co-creative journey and use thoughtful questions to shape not just ideas, but belief and action. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart [https://www.fastersmarter.io/], Reeves joins Matt Abrahams to explore how communication fuels strategic thinking, innovation, and organizational reinvention. He outlines his six-step framework for imagination—from embracing anomalies to codifying and continuing ideas—and underscores the role of reframing, deep listening, and even levity in solving complex problems. Together, they unpack how a single “like” button changed our digital behaviors—and what it teaches us about influence and attention today. Episode Reference Links: * Martin Reeves [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/martin-reeves/]  * Martin’s Books: Like [https://www.fastersmarter.io/like/] / The Imagination Machine [https://www.fastersmarter.io/imagination-machine/]  * Ep.71 Strategy Success: How to Communicate Your Gameplan [https://www.fastersmarter.io/71-strategy-success-how-to-communicate-your-gameplan/] 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/206-crafting-narratives-that-motivate-whats-your-strategy-story/] * 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 * (02:14) - Using Story in Strategy * (04:55) - Questions as a Communication Technology * (06:10) - The Six Steps to Harnessing Imagination * (10:31) - The “7 Cs” of Imagination and Communication * (12:03) - Reframing as a Creative Tool * (14:06) - The Like Button: Origin and Evolution * (16:09) - Brain Chemistry Behind Digital Liking * (18:07) - The Final Three Questions * (22:54) - Conclusion    ***** This episode is sponsored by Stanford. Groundbreaking research happens everyday at Stanford, sign up for Stanford Report here [https://news.stanford.edu/connect/connect-2024?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=tfts&utm_id=TFTS] to stay up to date. Support Think Fast Talk Smart by joining TFTS Premium [https://www.fastersmarter.io/p/premium/].