169. Don't Be a ZQ: Make Your Conversations Count

Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

Think Fast Talk Smart

Communicating, Influence, Career Skills, Career, Business, Education, Leadership, Careers, Communication, Career Growth, Public Speaking, Language Learning, Improv

4.7 • 711 Ratings

🗓️ 19 November 2024

⏱️ 25 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

 What makes a great conversation?

“Many of us dread small talk,” says Harvard Business School professor and author Alison Wood Brooks. Yet she believes these everyday exchanges are the gateway to deeper connection and opportunity. An expert in the science of conversation, Wood Brooks, teaches a popular course titled Talk and has spent years researching what makes a great conversation. "Big things often start with small talk," she notes. "It’s not about avoiding it; it’s about knowing how to use it to uncover something meaningful."
In this LinkedIn Live episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Wood Brooks joins host Matt Abrahams to share a practical framework for mastering small talk and making it enjoyable, even for those who loathe it. Drawing from her "topic pyramid" approach, Wood Brooks breaks down how to elevate a conversation from mundane chitchat to something memorable. “Think of it as a treasure hunt,” she suggests. “Small talk is where you start looking for golden nuggets that can lead to deeper engagement.”

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Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction
(01:54) - What Makes a Good Conversation?
(04:13) - The Topic Pyramid
(06:54) - Preparation for Small Talk
(09:10) - Remembering Conversation Details
(10:48) - Asking Too Many Questions
(12:41) - Conversation Goals and Contexts
(16:35) - Virtual vs In-Person Conversations
(18:24) - The Importance of Listening
(22:18) - Think Fast Talk Smart Premium
(23:36) - Conclusion

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Transcript

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0:00.0	We know from research that success isn't just about effort. It's about strategy, accountability, and of course, communication. And yet, when it comes to job transitions, promotions and salary negotiations, most people go it alone. That's where today's sponsor, Strawberry.combeer career coaching, comes in. Kylie, on the Think Fast Talk Smart team met with a strawberry.
0:21.0	dot me coach and found it really helpful. Kylie, how is your coach helping you in terms of
0:26.1	your career growth and personal development? From the very beginning, the whole process has helped
0:30.7	me to really reflect on how I want to move forward and define my goals. And then my coach Rashmi
0:35.8	took my ideas, helped make them tangible,
0:38.8	and suddenly I'm moving forward with actionable steps that I can manage in my life.
0:43.7	Wow. Sounds like your coach was super helpful. Absolutely.
0:47.4	Everyone can take advantage of a career coach. I certainly have throughout my life.
0:51.9	Coaching has been really helpful. Go to strawberry.m.m.e slash
0:56.0	smart and claim your $50 credit. That's strawberry.m.m.m. Smart.
1:02.6	Many of us dread small talk, yet big things happen in chit-chat and our starter conversations.
1:10.2	Today in this episode, derived from a LinkedIn live event,
1:13.3	you'll learn essential tools to make your small talk a success. I'm Matt Abrams, and I teach
1:19.3	strategic communication at Stanford Graduate School of Business. Welcome to Think Fast, Talk Smart,
1:25.6	the podcast. I am super excited today to speak again with Allison Wood
1:30.5	Brooks. Allison joined me a while back for episode 73. Allison is the O'Brien Associate Professor
1:37.4	of Business Administration and Hellman Faculty Fellow at the Harvard Business School. Allison's
1:43.2	research focuses on the science of conversation and interaction, and she teaches
1:47.4	an award-winning course called Talk.
1:50.2	Without further ado, let's jump into our new LinkedIn Live.
1:55.0	Allison, as we start our conversation, I'm curious, what makes for a good conversation?
2:00.6	Oh, Matt, what a huge question.
	...

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