Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

106. Rethinks: Using Skills From Improv to Master Your In-The-Moment Communication

Sep 12, 2023

Adam Tobin and Dan Klein, Stanford lecturers and improvisation mentors, share their insights on mastering spontaneous communication. They discuss the importance of being present and engaged in unpredictable interactions. Emphasizing authenticity, they explore overcoming pressure through self-awareness and the acceptance of imperfection. The duo also highlights reframing challenging audience questions as collaborative opportunities. With personal anecdotes and interactive games, they illustrate how to foster trust and connection for more effective communication.

23:13

Creator website

Episode guests

Dan Klein

Adam Tobin

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Quick takeaways

Spontaneous communication in professional settings, such as impromptu feedback and answering questions, requires a mindset shift to navigate these situations more comfortably and authentically.

Embracing average and shedding the need for perfection allows for more ease and authenticity in spontaneous communication, leading to greater self-expression and connection with others.

Deep dives

Importance of Spontaneous Communication

Spontaneous communication is often overlooked but vital in professional settings. It encompasses impromptu feedback, answering questions, and introductions. These moments can be as crucial as planned presentations. However, many people find them challenging due to self-consciousness and a fear of not performing well. It's important to embrace a mindset shift and be open to offers and obvious solutions. By reframing these situations as opportunities for discovery and being present-oriented, individuals can navigate them more comfortably and authentically.

People's tendency to shut down or talk too much

01:03

Ask Clarifying Questions and Consider their perspective when facing challenging questions

01:24

Intro

2min

Embracing Imperfection in Communication

10min

Embracing Challenges in Audience Engagement

3min

Embracing Presence in Communication

5min

Mastering Spontaneous Speaking: Strategies for Engaging Communication

2min

In January of 2020 we launched Think Fast Talk Smart with the goal of helping people improve their communication skills. Now, with more than 100 episodes and an engaged audience tuning in from more than 200 countries, we're proud to take you back to the very first episode, where the magic began.

As we've discussed multiple times on the show, most professional communication is spontaneous in nature. It’s providing feedback in the moment, answering questions, introducing people. On this inaugural episode, Strategic Communication lecturer Matt Abrahams speaks with Stanford lecturers Adam Tobin and Dan Klein on how to become more comfortable and confident in in-the-moment speaking situations.

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