283. Ask Matt Anything: Authenticity, Anxiety, and Answering Well

Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

Think Fast Talk Smart

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

4.7 • 806 Ratings

🗓️ 23 April 2026

⏱️ 22 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Simple strategies to think faster, stay authentic, and communicate with confidence.

How do you stay genuine without sounding rehearsed? What helps when your thoughts are moving faster than your words? And how can you handle high-pressure moments with more ease?

Strong communication isn’t about having the right lines ready—it’s about being present enough to respond with clarity. In the moment, it’s easy to rush, overthink, or lose your structure. But with the right tools, you can slow down, connect, and communicate with intention.

In this Ask Matt Anything episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Matt Abrahams shares insights from a live session with the Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community. Through real audience questions, he outlines practical ways to manage nerves, adapt to different situations, and build communication habits that last.

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Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction
(02:21) - Email Small Talk
(04:58) - Slowing Down Your Thinking
(07:08) - Controlling Speaking Pace
(09:15) - Authenticity vs. Adapting
(13:33) - Scripted Talks
(16:25) - Handling No Questions
(20:00) - Conclusion

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi, Matt here. We have two days left before we close our listener viewer survey. A big thank
0:05.3	you to all of you who have already provided feedback. Please take a few minutes to share your input
0:10.0	on the show. We still have a few prizes left to give to lucky respondents. Go to faster
0:15.4	smarter.io slash survey to give us your input. That's faster smarter.io.com.com slash survey. And now a word from one of our
0:23.8	sponsors, their support allows us to bring you quality content free of charge. If you've ever thought,
0:31.8	I know I can do more, but something's holding me back. You're not alone. Whether you're navigating
0:36.9	career growth,
0:37.8	seeking better balance, or wanting to communicate with more confidence, coaching can help you
0:42.3	bridge the gap between intention and action. At strawberry.me, you'll get matched with a professional
0:48.5	coach who's trained to help you clarify your goals, build lasting confidence, and make
0:53.4	intentional choices professionally and personally.
0:57.5	This is not therapy, it's not consulting. It's a thought partnership designed to help you take
1:02.8	action with more clarity and purpose. I strongly believe in the value of coaching. All of us can
1:09.8	benefit from the help of a coach.
1:12.4	Visit strawberry.me slash smart to get matched up with your coach today. That's strawberry.
1:18.6	dot me slash smart and get 50% off your first coaching session. It's the most affordable time ever
1:25.0	to see if coaching is right for you.
1:33.8	Let's flip the script.
1:37.2	Instead of asking questions, today I'm going to answer some.
1:42.1	I'm Matt Abrams, and I teach strategic communication at Stanford Graduate School of Business.
1:48.9	Welcome to this Quick Thinks Ask Matt Anything episode of Think Fast Talk Smart, the podcast.
1:55.6	One of the many, many things I love about our Think Fast Talk Smart learning community is interacting with our members.
	...

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