201. Ballpark to the Boardroom: How Alex Rodriguez Hits a Communication Home Run

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

🗓️ 6 May 2025

⏱️ 26 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Alex Rodriguez shares why in sports and business, striking out is just a part of the game.

From the baseball field to the boardroom, great communication is critical for success. But as Alex Rodriguez knows, we don’t always hit it out of the park. For this sports superstar turned entrepreneur, striking out is never the end of the story.

“I'm fifth all-time in the history of strikeouts,” says Rodriguez. “That means there's only four people in the history of mankind that have failed more than me.” For the 14-time Major League Baseball All-Star and World Series champion, failures aren’t endings, but opportunities to learn and grow. "The key is how you get back up with the same energy and enthusiasm," explains Rodriguez, who is now chairman and CEO of A-Rod Corp, leading a team of experts in building high-growth businesses.

In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, co-hosted by Matt Abrahams and Stanford GSB colleague Jeffrey Pfeffer, Rodriguez shares lessons on resilience, authenticity, and effective communication. From maintaining a "slow heartbeat" in high-pressure moments to his approach of "intentional listening," he offers insights on leadership, giving feedback, and viewing communication as "an unselfish act." Whether you're stepping up to the plate or stepping up to present, these strategies can help you turn strikeouts into home runs.

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Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction
(02:53) - Teaching at Stanford: Strategic Pivoting
(04:28) - Preparing for Life After Baseball
(06:51) - Performing Under Pressure
(08:16) - Finding Balance Post-Pandemic
(09:14) - Building a Media Presence
(11:05) - Creating Great Teams
(12:15) - The Role of Ego and Intentional Listening
(14:26) - Giving and Receiving Feedback
(17:06) - Setbacks, Resilience, and Redemption
(20:09) - Developing Authenticity
(21:39) - The Final Three Questions
(25:31) - Conclusion

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Transcript

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0:00.0	I have always been amazed by and a bit jealous of my friends, colleagues, and students who can speak multiple languages.
0:08.0	I regret that I did not keep up my foreign language that I learned in school.
0:12.0	I'm happy to say that I am now working on this.
0:15.0	To help me, I use the Babel app.
0:18.0	Babel provides me with quick lessons just 10 to 15 minutes per day, and since
0:22.2	Babel is built with science-back cognitive tools that fit with all learning styles, it helps
0:27.3	me stay motivated with real-time feedback, handy visualizations, and progress trackers.
0:32.7	I'm learning and having fun. Babel is offering a special deal for Think Fast Talk Smart listeners so you can get
0:39.4	started right now. Visit babble.com slash think fast and get up to 55% off your Babel subscription.
0:47.2	That's babble.com slash think fast to start your language learning today.
1:01.1	In many ways, communication is like baseball.
1:06.2	You take some swings, sometimes you hit it out of the park, and sometimes you strike out.
1:09.7	But regardless, you learn something from that experience.
1:10.8	My name's Matt Abrahams, and I teach strategic communication at Stanford Graduate School of
1:15.6	Business. Welcome to Think Fast, Talk Smart, the podcast. Today we're doing something a little
1:21.6	different. I'm partnering with my Stanford GSB colleague, Jeffrey Feffer, to interview the athlete-turn
1:27.3	entrepreneur, Alex Rodriguez, Arod.
1:30.8	Jeff was a guest on Think Fast Talk Smart in episode 34.
1:34.0	He teaches the super popular course, The Paths to Power.
1:38.2	And he's the author of many books, including his latest, which is called Seven Rules of Power.
1:43.2	Today we'll be taking turns interviewing Alex, and you'll get to learn about him and from him
1:48.5	from our two perspectives.
	...

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