Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques
73. Listen Up: Why It’s Better to Be Interested Than Interesting
Dec 6, 2022
Alison Wood Brooks, a Harvard Business School professor and expert in conversation science, shares insights on the art of effective communication. She emphasizes that listening is as crucial as speaking and offers strategies to turn anxiety into excitement in discussions. The conversation also explores the importance of small talk, providing tools to manage topics and deepen connections. Wood Brooks illustrates how genuine interest in others, paired with practical listening techniques like asking questions, can transform interactions and foster meaningful relationships.
25:39
Episode guests
AI Summary
Highlights
AI Chapters
Episode notes
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
- Reframe anxiety as excitement to enhance performance and manage stress.
- Active listening is crucial for effective communication, demonstrating care and understanding in conversations.
Deep dives
The Power of Reframing Anxiety as Excitement
Alison Wood Brooks discusses a coping strategy to manage anxiety by reframing it as excitement. Instead of trying to forcibly calm down, reframing anxiety as excitement allows individuals to stay in a high arousal zone without having to combat physiological signs of anxiety. By shifting the negative valence of anxiety to a positive one, this simple technique helps individuals approach situations with a sense of excitement rather than nervousness.
