138: Think Fast, Talk Smart | Matt Abrahams

Matt Abrahams is the host of the globally ranked Podcast 'Think Fast, Talk Smart' and lecturer at the world famous Stanford University Graduate School of Business in California.  Matt is passionate about helping people hone and develop their communication skills.  Think Fast, Talk Smart started many years ago where Matt began helping students at Stanford to be able to deal with questions from faculty and it has since grown into a global powerhouse of learning fuelled by the rise of podcast consumption during the pandemic.
As fellow podcasters we investigate how the process of humble enquiry and listening has allowed us both to create very real, powerful and intimate connections with our guests.
Public speaking is a ubiquitous fear for many as we risk our status being eroded in a social hierarchy by a poor performance.  However the importance of a leaders ability to communicate effectively is clear and we all need to invest the time and effort to practice and hone our communication style for maximum impact.
Matt is full of top tips including helping people deal with the anxiety associated with public speaking using his two pronged approach to managing 'Sources' and 'Symptoms'.  Sources are what generate, initiate and exacerbate our anxiety and symptoms  are the things we experience. The basis for many nerves if our fear of a potential negative outcome in the future so by being more present and in the moment we can mitigate that fear.
We also discuss how leaders can prepare to speak 'off the cuff' and deal with questions and interventions.   Matt's methodology is (1) get out of your own way, don't judge and evaluate yourself all the time. What we need to do is utilise the improvisation technique of 'Dare to be Dull'. As Matt explains, just get it done as opposed to heaping pressure on yourself. This will actually reduce the cognitive load by striving for mediocrity so you can achieve greatness. (2) Structure your content (approach) so you can simply slot your answer or response into a pre determined structure. A good structure to deal with questions Matt uses is A.D.D. as opposed to discovering the answer as you ramble! 
Answer the question
Detailed and concrete example must then be provided
Describe relevance or value
Think Fast, Talk Smart is available on all major podcast platforms 
www.nofreakingspeaking.com

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