How to think fast and talk smart (w/ Matt Abrahams)
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This is How to Be a Better Human. I'm your host, Chris Duffy. If I had to pick one skill that I think is the most important for romantic relationships, for friendships, for working, and honestly, for just being a good person overall, it would be how to communicate clearly. And I think that because I cannot tell you the amount of times that I have found myself frustrated and resentful and then realized it was because I didn't actually tell anyone else who was involved, the person or people, what I was hoping for, what my expectations were, what I was trying to do. And the people that I respect the most professionally, they're so often the ones who are able to articulate very clearly what they're going for and how they want to get there.
You know what I'm talking about? I really hope that you do because it's not lost on me that it would be incredibly ironic for the introduction to an episode about how to communicate clearly to be very unclear and poorly communicated. Now, regardless of how I'm doing, I can tell you, I know one person who does not ever have any problems with communication. And that is our guest today, Matt Abrahams. He is a lecturer on strategic communication at Stanford. He is the host of the Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast. And he is the author of the new book, Think Faster, Talk Smarter. How to speak successfully when you're put on the spot. Here's a clip from Matt's TED Talk.
Think back to the last time you were put on the spot. Somebody asked you a question. They requested feedback. You had to make small talk or maybe just introduce yourself. How did it feel? If you're like most people, it felt awkward, uncomfortable, and probably nerve-wracking.
Who is Matt Abrahams and why does his advice on on-the-spot communication matter?
Planned communication. Those presentations, the pitches, the meetings with agendas, those are hard enough. But when we have to speak in the moment, on the spot, that can be really tough. But the good news is, with a little preparation and practice, we can all get better. By changing the way we approach these situations, we can be more comfortable, more confident, and more compelling. Most of us, when we communicate, we want to do it right. We want to give the best answer, the most interesting feedback, the best small talk we can have. That pressure we put on ourselves can make it hard to do it well at all. To begin, there is no right way to communicate. There are better ways and worse ways, but there is no one right way.
So instead of looking for perfection, we need to focus elsewhere.
Okay, in just a moment, we are going to talk a lot more with Matt about exactly where you should be focusing. But first, we're going to take a quick detour to the elsewhere that is podcast ads. We will be right back. Don't go anywhere.
Support comes from Wise, the smart way to manage the currencies you need around the world. Your life is global. Your money should be too. Some providers promise no fees on overseas transfers. Don't be fooled. Extra costs often hide in bloated exchange rates. Choose Wise. You can send, spend, and receive money in over 40 currencies. Count on the exchange rates that you'd usually see on Google. That's how millions save billions on hidden fees. Be smart. Get Wise. Visit wise.com. Decencies apply.
And we are back. We're talking today with Matt Abrahams about how to communicate clearly.
Hi, I'm Matt Abrahams. I am passionate about communication. I teach it. I write about it in Think Faster, Talk Smarter. And I host a podcast, Think Fast, Talk Smart.
Matt, I'm so glad that you're on the show. I am a really big fan of your podcast and I loved your book.
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