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Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

197. Prep or Perish: Mastering In-the-Moment Communication (1 of 3)

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

🗓️ 15 April 2025

⏱️ 25 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This three-part miniseries is all about keeping your cool when speaking on the spot.

Communicating effectively can be challenging enough, even with plenty of time to prepare what we want to say. But for most of our communication, there’s no time to plan, practice, or perfect — we have to respond in the moment.

Spontaneous communication is a part of our everyday lives, but few of us have been trained to handle these impromptu situations with confidence. What does it take to flow, not freeze, when put on the spot? This special three-part series turns to experts for guidance, from a sports commentator, FBI hostage negotiator, and UN translator to a game show host, NFL referee and Sotheby’s auctioneer.

Part 1: Preparation and Mindset

Discover how to prepare for the unpredictable, manage anxiety, and find the right headspace for success.

Part 2: Mastering the Moment

Learn to stay present, read the room, and use techniques like mirroring and pacing to connect with your audience.

Part 3: When Things Go Wrong

Find out how to recover from inevitable mishaps and keep moving forward with confidence, turning mistakes into gold.

In addition to insight-packed discussions, this Think Fast, Talk Smart miniseries offers practical exercises and homework assignments to help you implement what you've learned. Whether you draw blanks when put on the spot or simply want to articulate your thoughts more clearly in the moment, these episodes will transform how you think — and speak — on your feet.

Episode Reference Links:

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Chapters:

  • (00:00) - Introduction
  • (04:12) - Pressure and Preparation
  • (06:03) - Cognitive Load and Focus
  • (08:47) - Speaking with Clarity
  • (10:25) - Building Instinct Through Practice
  • (12:29) - Overthinking vs. Acting Fast
  • (14:09) - Staying Present Under Pressure
  • (14:49) - Make It About the Audience
  • (15:50) - Handling Public Scrutiny
  • (17:54) - Physical Rituals to Manage Nerves
  • (19:27) - Grounding Techniques Before Speaking
  • (22:01) - Listener Exercises for Better Speaking
  • (25:18) - Conclusion

 *****
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Transcript

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0:00.0

This episode was brought to you by Stanford University. Over the years, we've shared advice from

0:05.8

my Stanford colleagues on how to be more confident and compelling in your communication.

0:10.5

You might remember Kelly McGonigal sharing ways to harness your anxiety to help you feel empowered.

0:16.5

Stanford faculty contribute to the world in many other ways. I was really impressed by Stanford

0:21.8

Medicine's Michelle Mongey and Crystal McEl, who led a clinical trial that could revolutionize

0:26.9

the treatment of a lethal and incurable pediatric cancer that attacks children's brains and spinal cords.

0:33.7

Michelle and Crystal's team reprogram the sick kids' immune systems to fight the tumors.

0:39.0

This improved their symptoms and shrink the tumors for most patients.

0:43.0

Exciting breakthroughs like these seem to happen every day at Stanford.

0:47.3

To stay up to date on the next great discovery, sign up for Stanford report at connect.standford.edu.

0:57.6

You know, the overthinkers make mistakes at the same rate as the people that are quick

1:04.1

to pull a trigger.

1:05.5

It just takes them longer to make the mistakes because they're overthinking it.

1:09.0

I'm Matt Abrams, and I teach strategic communication at Stanford Graduate School of

1:14.4

Business.

1:15.2

Welcome to this spontaneous speaking, think fast, talk smart mini-series.

1:20.7

I want you to think back to the last time you were put on the spot.

1:24.7

Your boss asked you a question.

1:26.5

A friend wanted advice. You had to make small talk

1:29.2

or maybe just introduce yourself. How did it feel? If you're like most of us, it was awkward,

1:35.5

uncomfortable, and probably nerve-wracking. Planned communication, the presentations,

1:42.2

pitches, meetings with agendas, those are hard enough. But when we have to speak in the moment, on the spot, that can be even more difficult.

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