

183. Rethinks: How Anxiety Can Fuel Better Communication
287 snips Feb 4, 2025
Kelly McGonigal, a Stanford GSB lecturer and best-selling author, discusses harnessing anxiety to enhance communication skills. She emphasizes reframing anxiety as a sign of care, which can deepen engagement during presentations. McGonigal shares how to channel nervous energy into confidence and connection, and the significance of empathy in tailoring messages. Her insights reveal how vulnerability can empower authentic communication, highlighting the essentials of curiosity, passion, and self-reflection for impactful dialogue.
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Leveraging Anxiety
- Reframe anxiety as a sign that you care deeply about the topic and your audience.
- Embrace the physiological responses as a source of energy for your communication.
Anxiety as Presence
- Anxiety can be a sign of presence, indicating focus and engagement with the situation.
- This presence is different from the traditional view of presence as calmness.
Effective Communication
- Use concrete details, examples, and visuals to explain your work clearly.
- Encourage audience engagement and questions to foster understanding and interesting thoughts.