Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

218. Teaching Truths & Tactics: Live Lessons From Stanford in Cape Town

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Jul 24, 2025

Join Sarah Soule, the incoming Dean of Stanford Graduate School of Business, Jesper Sørensen, a strategy expert, and Christian Wheeler, a professor of spontaneous management, as they delve into the essence of authentic communication. They discuss the impact of 'corporate confessions' on building trust, the strategic use of analogies for clarity, and the importance of suspending judgment to foster genuine connections. Together, they tackle challenges in communication for entrepreneurs, emphasizing truth over trends in today's fast-paced world.

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INSIGHT

Vertical Logic in Analogies

Using analogies helps explain unfamiliar business models by linking them to known ones.
The power lies in understanding the underlying logic, not just surface features.

INSIGHT

Power and Pitfalls of Corporate Confession

Corporate confessions of shortcomings build trust only if aligned with core business values.
Hypocritical or surprising admissions lead to skepticism and loss of perceived responsibility.

ADVICE

Be Present and Suspend Judgment

Postpone judgment to stay curious and make more accurate assessments.
Eliminate phone distractions to be fully present and improve interaction quality and cognitive ability.

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Real connection means understanding your audience, staying true to yourself, and creating space for others.

How do you communicate who you are, what you stand for, and leave space for others to do the same? At the Stanford Seed Summit in Cape Town, South Africa, three GSB professors explored why real connection is built through authentic communication.

For Jesper Sørensen, authentic organizational communication means talking about a business in ways customers or investors can understand, like using analogies to relate a new business model to one that people already know. For incoming GSB Dean Sarah Soule, authentic communication is about truth, not trends. Her research on "corporate confession" shows that companies build trust when they admit their shortcomings — but only if those admissions connect authentically to their core business. And for Christian Wheeler, authentic communication means suspending judgment of ourselves and others. “We have a tendency to rush to categorization, to assume that we understand things before we really do,” he says. “Get used to postponing judgment.”

In this special live episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, host Matt Abrahams and his panel of guests explore communication challenges for budding entrepreneurs. From the risks of comparing yourself to competitors to how your phone might undermine genuine connection, they reveal how authentic communication — whether organizational or personal — requires understanding your audience, staying true to your values, and creating space for others to be heard.

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Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction
(01:28) - Jesper Sørensen on Strategic Analogies
(04:09) - Sarah Soule on Corporate Confessions
(08:49) - Christian Wheeler on Spontaneity & Presence
(12:09) - Panel Discussion: AI’s Role in Research, Teaching, & Life
(17:55) - Professors Share Current Projects
(22:58) - Live Audience Q&A
(33:34) - Conclusion

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