Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

Do you really win the negotiation if it means losing the relationship?
You might think that successful negotiation means getting what you want here and now. But Stan Christensen says this short-sighted view is selling many negotiators short.
Christensen is a professional negotiator, host of the All Things Negotiation podcast, and instructor of one of Stanford's most popular courses on the subject. His core insight: most negotiations happen with people you’ll see again — which means success isn’t about claiming victory, it’s about building long-term, mutually beneficial relationships. “Most people think of negotiation statically,” he says. “It's you and I. There's a fixed pie. We're trying to get more for ourself and less for the other party. In reality, 95% of negotiations are gonna be with people you see again, so I define success as contributing to the value of the long-term relationship.”
In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Christensen and host Matt Abrahams explore what it takes to negotiate well — from the power of listening and asking questions to managing emotions and communicating for collaboration. Whether you're negotiating a business deal or just deciding where to go to dinner, Christensen shows why every negotiation is an opportunity to strengthen the relationship.
Episode Reference Links:
Stan Christensen
Ep.15 The Art of Negotiation: How to Get More of What You Want
Ep.204 Tough Talks: Turn Tension Into Trust 

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Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn

 Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction

(02:11) - What Is Negotiation?

(02:50) - Negotiating Every Day

(03:52) - The Power of Listening

(05:25) - Asking Better Questions

(07:26) - Handling Emotions

(08:24) - Authentic Emotion

(09:22) - Body Language Matters

(10:13) - Collaboration in Negotiation

(11:51) - Framing Conversations

(13:16) - Setting the Agenda

(14:38) - Co-Creating Structure

(16:14) - A Common Negotiation Mistake

(16:53) - Why Start a Podcast

(17:57) - Learning from Guests

(18:54) - The Final Three Questions

(25:27) - Conclusion

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What it takes to lead as a communicator and communicate as a leader.
Leadership isn’t just about making decisions — it’s about how you communicate them. As Matt Abrahams puts it, “Communication is operationalized leadership.”
At a recent Me2We event, in connection with Stanford GSB's Executive Education LEAD program, Abrahams held a live discussion with four of the podcast’s most popular guests: Celine Teoh, facilitator of the GSB’s famous Interpersonal Dynamics course; Huggy Rao, organizational behavior professor and co-author of The Friction Project; legendary Stanford basketball coach Tara VanDerveer; and Dave Dodson, lecturer and author of The Manager's Handbook.
In this special live episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, the panel shares frameworks and lessons for leading and communicating more effectively. From Teoh’s five A’s for inviting dissent to Rao’s warning against “jargon monoxide,” from VanDerveer’s relationship-first approach to Dodson’s case for leading like a teacher, this conversation explores what it takes to communicate as a leader — and lead as a communicator.
Episode Reference Links:
Celine Teoh
Tara VanDerveer
Huggy Rao
Huggy’s Book: The Friction Project
David Dodson
David’s Book: The Manager’s Handbook
Ep.194 Live Lessons in Levity and Leadership: Me2We 2025 Part 1 

Connect:
Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium
Email Questions & Feedback >>> [email protected]
Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website
Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io
Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube
Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn

 Chapters:

The hidden habits behind calm, confident communicators.
What does it really take to become a more confident communicator? In this special collaboration between Think Fast, Talk Smart and Headspace, host Matt Abrahams shares practical, mindful strategies for speaking with clarity, managing anxiety, listening more deeply, and connecting more authentically with others.
Across five short lessons, Matt outlines how to calm speaking nerves, become a better listener, structure your ideas clearly, engage any audience, and strengthen your presence — whether you’re leading a meeting, giving a presentation, or navigating everyday conversations.
Whether you’re speaking to a crowd or having a one-on-one conversation, these tools can help you communicate with more confidence, calm, and connection.
Episode Reference Links:
Headspace 

Connect:
Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium
Email Questions & Feedback >>> [email protected]
Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website
Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io
Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube
Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn

Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction

(02:14) - Speaking Anxiety

(07:20) - Mindful Communication

(12:29) - Clarity & Structure

(16:06) - Creating Engagement

(22:48) - Building Presence

(27:50) - Conclusion

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Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be.

What keeps us from being more social? Nick Epley calls it a “mind-reading mistake.”
We all think about what others think, particularly what they think about us. The problem, says Nick Epley, is that we’re almost always wrong.
Epley is a professor of behavioral science at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and author of A Little More Social: How Small Choices Create Unexpected Happiness, Health, and Connection. What keeps people from engaging authentically, connecting deeply, and enjoying a meaningful social life? It comes down to an error of social cognition, “A mind-reading mistake,” Epley says. “If I don't think you want to talk to me, I won't try. And I'll never find out that I'm wrong about that.”
In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Epley and host Matt Abrahams explore why we hold ourselves back from meaningful conversation, and what happens when we don’t. From taking an interest in others to sharing more freely about ourselves, Epley shares strategies for being a little more social — and making your life considerably better as a result.
To listen to the extended Deep Thinks version of this episode, please visit FasterSmarter.io/premium.
Episode Reference Links:
Nick Epley
Nick’s Book: A Little More Social
Ep.133 From Good to Super: How Supercommunicators Unlock the Language of Connection

Connect:
Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium
Email Questions & Feedback >>> [email protected]
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Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube
Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn

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Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction

(01:31) - Problems with Body Language

(04:15) - Perspective Getting

(07:14) - Asking Better Questions

(08:41) - Moving Beyond Small Talk

(10:13) - Why We Hold Back

(11:33) - Advice For Introverts

(15:17) - A Little More Social

(18:34) - The Final Three Questions

(24:45) - Conclusion

How can we approach aging with more joy, empathy, and meaningful connection?
We often talk about lifespan, or how long we live, but Kerry Burnight believes the more important question is how fully we live along the way.
Burnight is a gerontologist, former professor of geriatric medicine, and author of Joyspan: The Art and Science of Thriving in Life's Second Half. Drawing from decades of experience working with older adults, she discusses why adopting a “growth aging mindset” can change the way we think about getting older, and why autonomy matters just as much as safety in conversations with aging loved ones. As she puts it, “it’s not just the big moments, it’s the little moments, too.”
In this Quick Thinks episode of Think Fast Talk Smart, Burnight and host Matt Abrahams explore the role of listening, storytelling, and empathy in effective communication across generations. Through memorable examples and actionable advice, Burnight offers a compassionate framework for talking about — and thinking about — aging differently.
Episode Reference Links:
Dr. Kerry Burnight
Kerry’s Book: Joyspan
Ep.176 From Stereotypes to Synergy: Communicating Across Generations 

Connect:
Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium
Email Questions & Feedback >>> [email protected]
Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website
Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io
Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube
Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn

Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction

(02:05) - Aging Mindsets

(04:33) - Give of the Day

(08:01) - Difficult Aging Conversations

(17:22) - Explaining Complex Ideas

(18:51) - Conclusion

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Thank you to our sponsors.  These partnerships support the ongoing production of the podcast, allowing us to bring it to you at no cost.
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Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be.