Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

249. Quick Thinks: Rituals That Make Teamwork Work

The right rituals—and the right conversations—can transform how your team collaborates. Strong collaboration starts with thoughtful practices and clear communication. As Molly Sands [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/molly-sands/], Head of the Teamwork Lab at Atlassian, emphasizes, the teams that thrive are the ones that regularly pause to align on what matters and how they’re progressing. “You want to know if you’re making progress,” she notes, “and you want ways to redirect early—before you’re scrambling at the end.” Through her research with teams across Atlassian and around the world, Sands has seen how small, consistent habits—monthly goal reviews, transparent updates, shared spaces for spontaneous interaction—build alignment, psychological safety, and momentum. And in hybrid and distributed environments, she highlights how “bursty” collaboration patterns and intentional meeting design help teams move faster without burning out. In this Quick Thinks episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart [https://www.fastersmarter.io/], Sands and host Matt Abrahams break down the rituals that make teamwork work, from OKR check-ins to collaboration hours to the rotating Chief Vibes Officer. No matter where your team sits, Sands shows how intentional communication unlocks connection, speed, and more satisfying ways of working together. Episode Reference Links: * Molly Sands [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/molly-sands/] * Ep.241 Team Spirit: How to Make Group Work Work [https://www.fastersmarter.io/241-team-spirit-how-to-make-group-work-work/] 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/249-quick-thinks-rituals-that-make-teamwork-work/] * 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 * (02:43) - Measuring Collaboration the Right Way * (05:35) - Training Leaders & Goal Rituals * (07:49) - Creating Space for Spontaneous Work * (11:20) - Making In-Person Time Count * (11:44) - Three High-Impact Team Gatherings * (14:00) - Supporting Diverse Communication Styles * (16:08) - 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. Go to Quince.com/ThinkFast [https://www.quince.com/women/best-sellers?utm_source=veritone&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=thinkfast] for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be. [https://learning.fastersmarter.io/?redirect_from=podpage]

248. Better Together: How to Supercharge Your Team’s Productivity

The secret to effective teamwork and collaboration. To collaborate, we have to communicate. As Molly Sands [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/molly-sands/] knows, “The more that we can get on the same page, the more effective we are.” Sands is a behavioral scientist and the head of the Teamwork Lab at Atlassian, where she researches how teams can collaborate more effectively and efficiently, especially in distributed and hybrid work environments. As she’s seen in her research and within her own team, “People can accomplish a lot more together when they work well together.” The key to unlocking that potential lies in communication that aligns people not just in their activity, but in their deeper goals and vision. “The best work happens when you start by asking why,” she says, “getting people to really understand: why is this a problem, why do we wanna solve it, and how are we uniquely positioned to do that? The more that we can map this out together, the more effective our teams tend to be.” In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart [https://www.fastersmarter.io/], Sands and host Matt Abrahams discuss strategies for effective collaboration, from “page-led” meetings and asynchronous video messages to using AI as a collaborator. Whether your team is working face-to-face or across time zones, Sands’ insights show how better communication is the key to better collaboration. Episode Reference Links: * Molly Sands [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/molly-sands/] * Ep.241 Team Spirit: How to Make Group Work Work [https://www.fastersmarter.io/241-team-spirit-how-to-make-group-work-work/]  On Apple:  * (21:15) 241. Team Spirit: How to Make Group Work Work [https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/241-team-spirit-how-to-make-group-work-work/id1494989268?i=1000735760045] 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/] * 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 * (02:29) - How the Teamwork Lab Works * (04:00) - Top Challenges for Teams * (04:34) - Clarifying Goals & Alignment * (07:16) - AI as a Collaborative Partner * (09:22) - Atlassian’s AI Onboarding Buddy * (12:46) - Rethinking Meetings * (15:55) - Three Types of Work Time * (17:14) - Replacing Meetings with Asynchronous Video * (19:59) - The Final Three Questions * (24:09) - 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] Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be. [https://learning.fastersmarter.io/?redirect_from=podpage]

247. “Matt”er of Fact: Coaching on Feedback and Q&A

Two new Think Fast Talk Smart AI tools put communication skills to the test in real time. Technology promises many things, but few experiments illustrate its potential more vividly than a coach in conversation with his own digital counterpart. In this episode, Matt Abrahams introduces two new AI-powered tools from the Think Fast Talk Smart Online Learning Community: Coach Matt and Chat Matt. Trained on years of Matt’s communication teachings and podcast insights, these digital counterparts offer a rare opportunity to watch human expertise meet machine-driven guidance in real time. Coach Matt begins by addressing a familiar tension: the surge of anxiety that surfaces before high-stakes speaking moments. His approach reframes that nervousness as a form of future-focused energy that can be redirected toward curiosity and clarity. He also introduces the “What–So What–Now What” framework, a simple but powerful method for giving feedback that remains constructive, direct, and grounded in shared purpose. Chat Matt then steps into the conversation, tackling the challenge of crafting a compelling proposal in just two minutes. Its responses reveal how AI can quickly synthesize communication principles while also highlighting the evolving space where human nuance and digital precision intersect. By pairing Matt Abrahams with his own digital counterparts, this episode of Think Fast Talk Smarts explores the future of communication learning—one where technology doesn’t replace the coach, but expands the possibilities for insight, clarity, and confident expression. 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/247-matter-of-fact-coaching-on-feedback-and-qa/] * 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 * (03:10) - Introducing Coach Matt and Chat Matt * (04:11) - Coach Matt: Speaking Anxiety * (06:11) - Reframing Nervousness * (07:11) - Constructive Feedback Framework * (08:30) - Testing Communication Advice * (10:04) - Chat Matt: High-Stakes Presenting * (14:00) - Strengthening a Two-Minute Proposal * (16:36) - 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. Go to Quince.com/ThinkFast [https://www.quince.com/women/best-sellers?utm_source=veritone&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=thinkfast] for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be. [https://learning.fastersmarter.io/?redirect_from=podpage]

246. Shared Wisdom: How Communication Defines Culture and Builds Community

Why good communication is the key to good communities. Community and communication go hand-in-hand. For Sandy Pentland [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/alex-sandy-pentland/], the culture and cohesion of any group “has to do with the stories [people] tell each other.” Pentland is a professor at MIT, where he helped create and direct the MIT Media Lab. As a pioneer in computational social science, he’s using data to map social networks and decode communication. In his latest book, Shared Wisdom: Cultural Evolution in the Age of AI, he explores the interplay between human culture, technological development, and societal change — arguing that communication is the tool that enables groups to achieve these advancements and to cohere throughout them. “Stories are the stuff of culture,” he says. “Sharing stories educates the community… defining the worldview and culture of that group.” In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart [https://www.fastersmarter.io/], Pentland and host Matt Abrahams explore what our communication patterns reveal about group dynamics and organizational health. From the “honest signals” in our interactions to strategies for strengthening remote work connections, Pentland shares how better communication can fuel more connected communities. Episode Reference Links: * Sandy Pentland [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/alex-sandy-pentland/] * Sandy’s Book: Shared Wisdom [https://fastersmarter.io/shared-wisdom] * Ep.137 When Words Aren’t Enough: How to Excel at Nonverbal Communication [https://www.fastersmarter.io/137-when-words-arent-enough-how-to-excel-at-nonverbal-communication/]  * Ep.65 Ties That Bind: Why Remote and Hybrid Teams Need the Right Connection [https://www.fastersmarter.io/65-ties-that-bind-why-remote-and-hybrid-teams-need-the-right-connection/]  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/246-shared-wisdom-how-communication-defines-culture-and-builds-community/] * 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 * (02:53) - Honest Signals & Human Behavior * (04:46) - The Sociometric Badge Research * (06:16) - Human Connection in Remote Work * (07:33) - Organizations as Networks * (10:05) - How Ideas Spread in Groups * (13:16) - Bringing the Right People Together * (14:44) - Stories as Cultural DNA * (17:27) - The Final Three Questions * (22:29) - 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. Go to Quince.com/ThinkFast [https://www.quince.com/women/best-sellers?utm_source=veritone&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=thinkfast] for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be. [https://learning.fastersmarter.io/?redirect_from=podpage]

245. Mindful Messages: Leveraging the Power of Presence

When you enter a conflict trying to win, Deepak Chopra says you’ve already lost. “We can resolve any conflict,” says Dr. Deepak Chopra [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/dr-deepak-chopra/]. All it takes is what he calls “conscious communication.” Chopra is a physician, a leading authority on integrative wellbeing, and the author of over 97 books. His “conscious communication” approach puts presence at the center of all meaningful interactions — bringing together attention, affection, appreciation, and acceptance. When applied to conflicts, his approach turns adversaries into collaborators, leading to what he calls "spiritual solutions" where diverse perspectives and problem-solving lead to better outcomes for all. “We can come up with a creative solution for any adversity,” he says. “All we want is the best outcome for everyone.” In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart [https://www.fastersmarter.io/], Chopra and host Matt Abrahams explore how presence transforms our interactions, why intentions enable us to accomplish more with less effort, and helpful questions to guide difficult conversations. Whether navigating conflict in our professional or personal lives, Chopra’s insights show why the best resolutions come when we stop trying to be right and start trying to understand. Episode Reference Links: * Deepak Chopra [https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/dr-deepak-chopra/] * Deepak Chopra AI [https://www.deepakchopra.ai/] * Ep.138 Speak Your Truth: Why Authenticity Leads to Better Communication [https://www.fastersmarter.io/138-speak-your-truth-why-authenticity-leads-to-better-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/245-mindful-messages-leveraging-the-power-of-presence/] * 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 * (03:03) - The Power of Presence * (04:49) - Reframing Conflict * (10:59) - The Role of Intention * (12:59) - DeepakChopra.ai Explained * (15:01) - The Final Three Question * (19:48) - 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. Go to Quince.com/ThinkFast [https://www.quince.com/women/best-sellers?utm_source=veritone&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=thinkfast] for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be. [https://learning.fastersmarter.io/?redirect_from=podpage]