Save this before your next big pitch. 5 appeals that make people say yes, from Matt Abrahams: Logos, Pathos, Ethos, Mythos, Kairos. Great persuaders don't pick one, they blend all five. Learn to lead with influence in the full @Masterclass at https://bit.ly/4vHB8j3 #ThinkFastTalkSmart #Persuasion #MasterClass #CommunicationSkills
When someone resists your idea, your instinct is to talk more, talk faster, push harder. Matt Abrahams says do the opposite. His move for the moment of pushback - Pace, Space, Grace: Slow the pace. You're probably going too fast. Create space. Ask questions and let them talk. Offer grace.…
Save this for your next big conversation. 3 structures Matt Abrahams uses to communicate with impact: 1️⃣ Presenting a solution? Problem–Solution–Benefit 2️⃣ Conveying relevance? What? / So What? / Now What? 3️⃣ Informing or educating? Compare–Contrast–Choose Pick the structure that fits your goal, and your message practically organizes itself. Check…
Do you know how to present a pitch effectively? In this video, Matt Abrahams discusses the process, preparation, and structure of a perfect presentation with Guy Kawasaki, Chief Design Evangelist at Canva. Watch until the end for detailed insights into: • Storytelling Skills: How To Tell a Story in Conversation…
When it comes to crisis communication, the instinct is often to respond immediately. But effective crisis management requires a more disciplined approach. In this conversation with Kim Storin during the Think Fast, Talk Smart Podcast, hosted by Matt Abrahams, we explore how to handle crisis situations by balancing speed with…
Why is giving back to the community so important? For Kim Storin, it begins with a simple belief: service is a virtue, and we have a responsibility to treat others the way we hope to be treated ourselves. In this conversation, we explore why charity is important and why meaningful…
What can leaders, brands, and communicators learn from Taylor Swift? Far more than how to build a fanbase. Her success offers a powerful lesson in communication strategy, audience trust, and consumer-driven marketing strategy. In this conversation of the Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast, Kim Storin tells us why Taylor Swift's…
Zoom became a verb during the pandemic. And that turned into one of the biggest branding problems the company ever faced. In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Matt Abrahams sits down with Kim Storin, Chief Marketing Officer at Zoom. Kim oversees brand marketing and communications for one of…
Not everyone hears feedback the same way. David Rogier, founder and CEO of MasterClass learned this while working with 300+ world-class experts: creatives need high-level observations. Tell them, "My attention started to wane here," and let them solve it. But product and marketing folks? They need specifics. "This page isn't…
Verbal Communication danger zones are often overlooked when speaking about communication. Are your words sterile or accidentally negative? Using sterile words for communication can often lead a good conversation astray. Negative communication can weaken even the strongest message, often without us realizing it. In this conversation featuring Vanessa Van Edwards…
The greats don't coast. They obsess. David Rogier, founder and CEO of MasterClass spoke with 300 world-class instructors, and they all have one thing in common. Every single one kept asking how to get better, even after they'd already "made it." That's not the exception. That's why they're the best.…
The world's best don't reach the top and stop learning—they keep refining their craft. David Rogier, founder and CEO of MasterClass, has spent years sitting across from elite performers, athletes, artists, and entrepreneurs—and he’s discovered that excellence is less about talent than a relentless commitment to growth. In this episode…
"I was raised with the Golden Rule. And it got me in trouble." Vanessa Van Edwards on why "treat others as you'd want to be treated" can quietly keep you self-focused, especially at work, especially under pressure. Her fix: the Platinum Rule. Treat people as THEY want to be treated.…
Neural mapping plays a powerful role in communication because the words you choose can trigger existing mental associations in your audience. In this conversation featuring Vanessa Van Edwards on the Think Fast Talk Smart podcast hosted by Matt Abrahams, the discussion explores how communicators can intentionally activate neural mapping by…
The Platinum Rule is a powerful communication principle that encourages you to communicate the way others prefer to be communicated with, rather than treating everyone the way you would like to be treated. In this conversation featuring Vanessa Van Edwards on the Think Fast Talk Smart podcast hosted by Matt…
POV: you're about to present and your hands just... vanish into your pockets. That's under-signaling, and according to Vanessa Van Edwards, it's your brain's natural response to fear, not a personality flaw. The opposite extreme (over-nodding, over-gesturing) isn't the fix either. The real move? Purposeful movement. Are you an over-signaler…
Strategic communication goes far beyond the words you choose. Your body language often communicates just as much. In this conversation featuring Vanessa Van Edwards on the Think Fast Talk Smart podcast hosted by Matt Abrahams, the discussion explores the role of nonverbal communication, gestures, and body language, and the importance…
Everything about how you communicate - your hands, your word choices, even your calendar invites - is either building connection or quietly destroying it. In this episode of Think Fast Talk Smart podcast, host Matt Abrahams sits down with Vanessa Van Edwards - bestselling author, behavioral researcher, and expert on…
Here's something wild: when someone tells you a story, your brainwaves actually start to sync up with theirs. It's called cognitive entrainment, and in some studies, the neurological feedback is so close that researchers can't tell who was telling the story and who was listening. Humans are wired for story.…
That wave of nerves before you speak? It's not a problem. It's data. Matt Abrahams says the first step to managing speaking anxiety is naming it: this is normal, this is natural, and 85% of people feel it too. Once you acknowledge it, you get something back: agency. Space to…
Episode 300 isn't a milestone we're celebrating alone. It belongs to everyone who tuned in during a hard moment: the commute, the nerves before a big conversation, the realization that anxiety isn't something to fight, just energy to redirect. To everyone who sent a message, shared an episode, or simply…
In this special 300th episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, host Matt Abrahams celebrates a major milestone with a live Ask Matt Anything session featuring questions from listeners around the world—and a few from the team behind the show. He introduces a new communication framework, PREP (Point, Reason, Example, Point),…
In a crisis, you don't have to know everything. You just have to communicate. Farnaz Khadem's two non-negotiables for crisis communication: Truth and transparency, even when the truth is uncertain. And speed, because the window to get ahead of a narrative closes fast. Waiting until you have all the answers?…
Communication is never about how you speak. It’s about how it lands on your audience. In episode 299 of the Think Fast Talk Smart podcast, Matt Abrahams speaks to Farnaz Khadem. Farnaz is the Vice President of University Communications at Stanford University. She oversees Stanford’s global media relations, digital strategy,…