All Episodes
Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques — 315 episodes
309. Stretch, Don't Stress: How Great Communication Makes Better Leaders
308. Ask Matt Anything: From Nerves to Know-How in High-Stakes Moments
307. Accent-uate, Don't Compensate: Why Clarity Matters More Than Perfection
306. Trust the Process: How to Design Teams That Actually Work
305. The Humor Habit: Why Great Communicators Think Like Comedians
304. Rethinks: Craft Compelling Communication
303. On Point, On Brand: Why Honest Communication Always Lands
302. Master This: How to Learn Like the Experts Do
301. Trust at First Sight: Create More Meaningful Connections
300. Matt’s Answers for Better Speaking and Leadership
299. Choose The Right Channel: How Stanford Finds Its Voice
298. Quick Thinks: How to Look Confident, Composed, and Credible
297. Agency Over Anxiety: Communicating in Uncertain Times
296. AMA: Speaking Out, Staying Grounded, and Managing Up
295. Culture Club: Communicating Values That Scale
294. Ask & You Shall Receive: Questions For Better Negotiations
293. 5 Leadership Lessons From Stanford: Me2We 2026
292. Headspace Habits: Lessons for Calm, Confident Communication
291. Hello, Stranger: Why Curiosity Beats Charisma Every Time
290. Quick Thinks: How to Have Better Conversations About Aging
289. Better with Age: Why Joy Matters More Than Longevity
288. Turn Your Audience into Co-Creators: Lessons from the Tiger Sisters
287. Give It a Rest to Do Your Best: The Sleep Habits That Catalyze Your Communication
286. Driven to Succeed: Turn Doubt Into Your Competitive Advantage
285. Think Inside the Box: How Constraints Spark Creativity and Communication
How To Speak Up — When You Don’t Want To | From TED Business
284. Hear Me Out: How Understanding Accents—Ours & Others—Improves Communication
283. Ask Matt Anything: Authenticity, Anxiety, and Answering Well
282. The Language of Luck: Why Fortune Favors Those Who Pay Attention
281. Be Clear, Be Concise, Be Remembered: Masters of Scale
280. Stay Relevant: Future Proof Your Career in an AI World
279. Rethinks: How to Leverage What People Already Want
278. How Do You Mean? It’s Not What You Say, It’s How You Say It
277. How Small Choices Shape Better Communication
276. Dead End Goals: Are Your Ambitions Actually Leading You Toward Meaning?
275. Cracking the Code: Learn The Unspoken Rules of Workplace Success
274. Choose Connection Over Perfection: Why Happiness Starts with Better Communication
273. Quick Thinks: How to Create Messages People Remember
272. Say What Sticks: The Neuroscience of Memorable Communication
271. Rethinks: The Key to Lasting Behavior Change
270. Make Belief: The Mindset Shifts That Make Your Communication Stronger
269. Ask Matt Anything: Bring Clarity to Complicated Conversations
268. Going Viral: How To Balance Authenticity and Spectacle
267. Rethinks: Why Authenticity Leads to Better Communication
266. Your Brain Has Too Many Tabs Open: Managing the Voice in Your Head
265. Complexity to Connection: Humanizing High-Stakes Communication
264. Show Your Receipts: Communicating in a Post-Truth World
263. Smart Isn’t the Same as Clear: How to Sharpen Your Ideas
262. Own the Room: How Voice, Breath, and Body Work Together
261. Meetings With a Point: How to Design For Better Decisions
260. From Role To Soul: The Four Ingredients For Mastering Meaning
259. Quick Thinks: Task-Focused to People-Focused—A Smarter Way to Communicate
258. When Power Talks, People Walk: Why Leaders Don’t Hear What Matters Most
257. Move Your Audience: Lessons From MLK You Should Use
256. Be Kind: The Most Overlooked Driver of Success
255. How Leaders Sound Smart Without Saying Too Much
254. Start Fresh: How Framing, Timing, and Talk Can Improve Your Finances
253. Top 10: The Best Communication Tips from 2025
252. Rethinks: How to Make Complex Ideas Accessible
251. How to Stop Performing and Start Communicating with Presence
250. How to Navigate Conflict: Tools For Productive Communication
249. Quick Thinks: Rituals That Make Teamwork Work
248. Better Together: How to Supercharge Your Team’s Productivity
247. “Matt”er of Fact: Coaching on Feedback and Q&A
246. Shared Wisdom: How Communication Defines Culture and Builds Community
244. Community Creates Change: Build Relationships That Actually Matter
243. Rethinks: How Lessons from Neuroscience Can Help You Communicate Confidently
242. Tech Tools: The Power of Showing, Not Telling
241. Team Spirit: How to Make Group Work Work
240. Belief It or Not: How to Rewrite the Narratives That Hold You Back
239. Tech Tools: How Smarter Scheduling Leads to Stronger Communication
238. Ask Matt Anything: Why Listening Might Be Your Most Powerful Skill
237. Mistake It Till You Make It: Learn Faster and Fail Smarter
236. Tech Tools: Zeroing in on Your Email Communication
235. Refine, Reframe, Repeat: Make Your Communication a Slam Dunk
234. Need to Know: Lead With Transparency, Character, and Silence
233. Tech Tools: Write with Confidence and Impact
232. Pause, Don’t Panic: Finding Calm in High-Stakes Moments
231. Secret Signals: Why We Rarely Say Exactly What We Mean
230. Tech Tools: Use Visuals to Your Advantage
229. Rethinks: How to Speak Successfully When You’re Put on the Spot
228. Negotiate Your Way to Success: Empathy, Mirroring, and Labeling
227. Tech Tools: Move Your Audience By Moving Through Your Presentation
226. Reinvent Yourself: Turning Uncertainty Into Opportunity
225. Speaking Fluent Internet: How Algorithms Are Changing the Way We Speak
224. Make Your Messages Epic: The Evolution of Words and the Stories They Carry
223. Laughing Matters: Levity, Leadership, and Lasting Connection
222. Discussing Through Discomfort: Why the Conversations You Avoid Cost You the Most
221. Don’t Get Lost in Translation: Staying Cool When Every Word Counts
220. Prep Like a Pro: Communication Confidence, Clarity, and Comedy
219. Six Motivations, One Workplace: Who Are You at Work?
218. Teaching Truths & Tactics: Live Lessons From Stanford in Cape Town
217. Rethinks: How to Build Deep Connections
216. Wired for Words: A Neuroscientist’s Guide to Influence
215. The New Media Landscape: Trust, Transparency, and Transformation
214. From Crisis to Clarity: Simplicity, Feedback, and the Art of Being Heard
213. Rethinks: Building Trusting Relationships Through Communication
212. Break It to Make It: Disrupt Your Way to the Perfect Job Fit
211. Small Screens, Strong Signals: Mastering Modern Communication
210. First Impression to Lasting Impact: Use Status Strategically
209. Find Your Fit, Find Your Focus - Catalyze Your Career
208. Ambiguity to Action: Tensions and Trade-Offs of Leadership and Communication
207. From Conflict to Connection: Having Crucial Conversations that Count
206. Crafting Narratives That Motivate: What’s Your Strategy Story?
205. Say What Sucks: Catalyzing Organizational Change with AI
204. Tough Talks: Turn Tension Into Trust
203. No Script, No Problem: Final Secrets to Speaking Under Pressure (Bonus)
202. Own Your Brand: How to Communicate with Presence and Impact
201. Ballpark to the Boardroom: How Alex Rodriguez Hits a Communication Home Run
200. Four Keys for Focused Communication: Live Lessons from Our 200 Episodes
199. Blunder Pressure: Mastering In-the-Moment Communication (3 of 3)
198. Pause and Effect: Mastering In-the-Moment Communication (2 of 3)
197. Prep or Perish: Mastering In-the-Moment Communication (1 of 3)
196. Ditch the Dictionary: Communicate Confidently Through Connection
195. Q&A on Conflict, Confidence, and Connection: Me2We 2025 Part 2
194. Live Lessons in Levity and Leadership: Me2We 2025 Part 1
193. Conquer Questions: ADDing Value To Your Answers
192. Quick Thinks: How to Supersize Your Stories
191. Memorable Messages: Choose Words That Capture Attention and Stay Remembered
190. Motivation Matters: How to Leverage What People Already Want
189. Numbers Need Narrative: Use Data to Influence and Inspire
188. Mind Reading 101: To Know What Your Audience Thinks, Just Ask
187. Experimenting, Failing, and Finding Your Job Fit - Catalyze Your Career
186. Own Your Impact: How to Communicate Your Personal Power
185. Say Less, Mean More: Craft Compelling Communication
184. Fit or Quit? Find the Job That is Right For You—Catalyze Your Career
183. Rethinks: How Anxiety Can Fuel Better Communication
182. Stop Chasing Time and Start Owning It: Communication, Happiness & Wellbeing
181. Why Happiness is a Direction, Not a Destination: Communication, Happiness & Wellbeing
180. Unlocking Your Future Self: Communication, Happiness & Wellbeing
179. Finding Positive in Negative Emotions: Communication, Happiness & Wellbeing
178. Navigating Chaos and Uncertainty: The Power of Transparency and Empathy
177. Don’t Resolve, Evolve: Top 10 Lessons For 2025
176. From Stereotypes to Synergy: Communicating Across Generations
Ask Matt Anything (AMA) 1: Trust, Paraphrasing, and Nonverbal Cues
175. Mastering Toasts and Tributes: Making Your Words Count
174. Fix Meetings: Transform Gatherings Into Meaningful Moments
173. Rethinks: Surviving the Holidays
Between the Lines: In Storytelling, Simplify to Amplify - Premium Sampler
172. Bring Mindfulness to Your Communication
171. Advice from Nontraditional Storytellers Part 2
170. Advice from Nontraditional Storytellers Part 1
169. Don't Be a ZQ: Make Your Conversations Count
Launching: Think Fast Talk Smart Premium
168. How Story Can Change Everything in Your Career
167. Hollywood Lessons For Successful Communication
166. Why Relying on Talent Alone Will Fail You
165. Building Your Personal Brand Makes a Promise: Are You Keeping It?
164. Rethinks: Using "Pre-suasion" to Influence Others
163. Is Your Audience Ignoring You? How Authenticity Creates Connection
162. Unlock Career Opportunities: How to Make the Right Moves
Bonus: How to Manage Speaking Anxiety the Think Faster, Talk Smarter Way
161. Do Your Homework: Know What to Say by Knowing Who You’re Talking To
160. Rethinks: How to Communicate Your Gameplan
159. Earn Your Audience: You Can’t Lead If No One’s Listening
158. Hope for Cynics: Building Trusting Relationships through Communication
157. Communicating the Future: Defining Where We Want AI to Take Us
156. Creative Communication: How Our Design Choices Illustrate Our Values
155. Can We Be Candid? How to Communicate Clearly and Directly
154. Rethinks: Communicating Better as a Leader
153. Listen Up, Leaders: A Record-Setting Coach’s Guide to Communication
152. Fix Your Communication: Why It’s About Connection Over Perfection
151. Get Hired: How the Right Communication Can Advance Your Career
150. Communication Tips from the Classroom and Around the World
149. Rethinks: How to Take Risks in Your Communication, Relationships, and Career
148. Conviction and Compassion: How to Have Hard Conversations
147. Disrupt Yourself: How to Innovate Who You Are and Become Who You Can Be
146. Stress Resets: How to Change Your Internal Dialogue to Communicate Better
145. Rethinks: The Art of Negotiation, How to Get More of What You Want
144. Communicating Through Conflict: How to Get Along with Anyone
143. Adopt a VC Mindset: Achieve More by Thinking and Communicating Like a Venture Capitalist
142. Power and Persuasion: Live Insights from Stanford Experts
141. An Invitation for Innovation: Why Creativity Is Found, Not Forced
140. Rethinks: How to Handle a Skeptical Audience
139. Lose Yourself: The Secret to Finding Flow and Being Fully Present
138. Speak Your Truth: Why Authenticity Leads to Better Communication
137. When Words Aren’t Enough: How to Excel at Nonverbal Communication
136. The Art of Disagreeing Without Conflict: Navigating the Nuance
135. Rethinks: The Personal and Professional Power of Emotional Awareness
134. How to Chat with Bots: The Secrets to Getting the Information You Need from AI
133. From Good to Super: How Supercommunicators Unlock the Language of Connection
132. Lean Into Failure: How to Make Mistakes That Work
131. Friction Fixing: How to Use Obstacles to Your Advantage
130. Rethinks: How to Maintain a Powerful Presence in Your Communication
129. Connect Deeply: How to Communicate So People Feel Seen and Heard
128. Four Powerful Principles Pt. 2: Your Questions Answered
127. Four Principles of Powerful, Focused Communication Pt. 1
126. BONUS Making Meetings Meaningful: When Face-to-Face Meetings Matter
Think Fast, Talk Smart: The Podcast (A Sound Bite!)
125. Making Meetings Meaningful Pt. 2: Key Ingredients for Effective Meetings
124. Making Meetings Meaningful Pt. 1: How to Structure and Organize More Effective Gatherings
123. Rethinks: Why Curiosity Is Communication’s Secret Weapon
122. How To Be More Confident and Calm in Your Communication: Managing the "ABC’s" of Communication Anxiety
121. Building Trust and Connection: How to Lead with Vulnerability
120. A Few of Matt’s Favorite Things: 10 Communication Takeaways from 2023's TFTS Episodes
119. Rethinks: How to Embrace the Benefits of Stress
118. Maximizing your Personal Brand: Communicating Who You Are to Help Get What You Want
117. Say It, See It: How to Connect Through Conversation
116. Quick Thinks: Don't Sweat the Small Talk
115. Rethinks: How We Set and Achieve Goals
114. Communication Means Paying Attention: The Four Pillars of Active Listening
113. Missing Something? How to Kick FOMO with Conscious Decision-Making
112. From Mistakes to "Missed Takes"
111. Rethinks: How to Spark Creativity in Your Communication
110. Write It Well: How to Craft an Email to Capture Busy Readers
109. Simplify! How to Communicate Complex Ideas Simply and Effectively
108. All In: How Improv Helps You Show Up and Communicate Well
107. Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You're Put on the Spot
106. Rethinks: Using Skills From Improv to Master Your In-The-Moment Communication
105. Radical Candor: The Communication Shift That Can Transform Your Career
104. How to Change: Building Better Habits and Behaviors (And Getting Out of Your Own Way)
103. Simple Is a Superpower: How to Communicate Any Idea to Any Audience
102. Create a Presence: How to Communicate in a Way Others Can Feel
101. We Belong Together: How Communication Fuels Connection and Community
100. Shut Up! How to Communicate Better by Talking Less
99. Rethinks: How to Handle Challenging Conversations
98. Give It to Me Straight: How to Give Honest, Constructive Feedback
97. No Rules, No Trust: How Accountability Shapes Communication
96. Rock and Role: How Assigning Gender to Inanimate Objects Influences Us
95. The Power of No: How Boundaries Help Us Live More Empowered Lives
94. LEADing ideas: Research-Backed Tips and Tools from Four Stanford Professors
93. All the Feels: The Personal and Professional Power of Emotional Awareness
92. No Regrets: How to Take Risks in Your Communication, Relationships, and Career
91. Um, Like, So: How Filler Words Can Create More Connected, Effective Communication
90. Rethinks: Brains Love Stories – How Leveraging Neuroscience Can Capture People’s Emotions
89. Listen, Listen, Listen: How to Build Deep Connections
88. Rethinks: Leading From Home – How to Create the Right Environment for Communication
87. Know What You’re Saying: How Communicating Tests Our Understanding
86. Building Habits: The Key to Lasting Behavior Change
85. Rethinks: Don't Get Lost in Translation
84. Quick Thinks: How Others Define Us
83. You Need a Manifesto: How to Communicate Your Convictions
82. It’s Not About You: Why Effective Communicators Put Others First
81. Fact or Fiction? How to Communicate When We Hold Different Beliefs
80. Magic Words: Change What You Say to Inspire and Influence Others
79. Equity by Design: How Diversity Ignites Creativity
78. Three Guiding Principles for Successful Communication
77. Quick Thinks: AI Has Entered The Chat – A "Conversation" with ChatGPT
76. Change My Mind: Using “Pre-suasion” to Influence Others
75. Love & Money: How to Talk About Big Decisions Together
74. Rethinks: How Emotion Shapes Our Communication, Decisions, and Experiences
73. Listen Up: Why It’s Better to Be Interested Than Interesting
72. Quick Thinks: Talk It Out – How to Successfully Negotiate and Resolve Conflict
71. Strategy Success: How to Communicate Your Gameplan
70. Ideas Fuel Innovation: Why Your First Ideas Aren’t Always the Best
69. Feeling Nervous? How Anxiety Can Fuel Better Communication
68. Directive vs. Dialogue: Communicating Better as a Leader
67. What Is Normal? How Culture Affects Communication Styles
66. Rethinks: Lessons from Neuroscientist Andrew Huberman to Help You Hack your Speaking Anxiety
65. Ties That Bind: Why Remote and Hybrid Teams Need the Right Connection
64. Rethinks: Techniques for Managing Your Reputation
63. Cheap Talk: What Economics Has to Say About Communication
62. Rethinks: Summer Learning Series, How Humor Can Be a Secret Weapon in Communication
61. Courage, Ambiguity, Belonging and Data: How to Design Your Communication for Success
60. Communicating Uncertainty: How to Connect With Your Audience, Even When The Answers Aren’t Clear
59. From Dreaming to Doing: How We Set and Achieve Goals
58. Forgiveness: How the Right Communication Repairs Relationships
57. Are You Listening?: How to Stay Open and Curious to Other People’s Ideas
56. Lean Messaging: How Simple Messages Really Stick
55. Ideas & Empathy: How to Design and Communicate with Others in Mind
54. Leadership and Ethics: How to Communicate Your Core Values
53. Step Up and Stand Out: How to Create the Right Environment for Communication
52. Communicating Our Mistakes: How to Avoid Common Flaws and Make Better Decisions
51. We Asked, You Answered: Celebrating our 50th Episode with your Anxiety Management Plans
50. Telling Good Stories: How to Use the Elements of Narrative to Keep Listeners Engaged
49. Make Numbers Count: How to Communicate Data Effectively
48. Speaking Up Without Freaking Out: How to Tackle Communication Anxiety
47. Quick Thinks: How to Use Storytelling to Be a Better Founder
46. Stay Creative: How to Keep Your Ideas Fresh and Practical
45. Recipes From the “Communication Kitchen”: How to Handle Three Common Challenges This Holiday Season
44. Act Like a Leader: How Lessons From The Theater Can Help You Step into Power
43. Get Psyched: How Time and Situations Shape Our Communication
42. Space, Pace, and Grace: How to Handle Challenging Conversations
41. Speak like a Founder: How Successful Entrepreneurs Communicate to Their Teams
40. Mindset Matters: How to Embrace the Benefits of Stress
39. Brains Love Stories: How Leveraging Neuroscience Can Capture People's Emotions
38. The New Normal: How Hybrid Work Actually Works
37. Be Better: How Communication Catalyzes Business Transformation
36. Perfecting Teamwork: Building High-Performing Teams By Encouraging Learning
35. Leading From The Hot Seat: How To Communicate Under Pressure
34. How We Gain — Or Give Away — Authority While Speaking
33. Hacking your Speaking Anxiety: How Lessons from Neuroscience Can Help You Communicate Confidently.
32. Speech That Empowers: How to Encourage Growth and Resilience in a Younger Audience
31. Quick Thinks: How to Shine Online and Excel at Virtual Communication
30. Dissolve Disagreements: How Communication Impacts Conflict
29. Question Everything: Why Curiosity Is Communication’s Secret Weapon
28. Building Strong Relationships: How to Effectively Communicate in Your Professional and Personal Life
27. Psychology Trumps Technology: How to Be a Better Communicator on Social Media
26. Writing to Win: How to Quickly Capture Readers and Keep Them Engaged
25. Quick Thinks: All Effective Communication Must Start With This
24. Feelings First: How Emotion Shapes Our Communication, Decisions, and Experiences
23. Look Within: How to Lead with Self Awareness and Vulnerability
22. Under Pressure: How to Communicate Clearly and Timely During a Crisis
21. Words Matter: How to Make Your Communication Inclusive
20. Question Your Questions: How to Spark Creativity in Your Communication
19. Showing Your Smile From Behind a Mask: How Culture and Emotion Impact Communication
18. Managing in the Moment: How to Get Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable
17. Think Fast: You Asked, We Answered
16. Quick Thinks: How to Craft Your Body Language When Confronting Objections
15. The Art of Negotiation: How to Get More of What You Want
14. Be Better At Work: How to Communicate Better With Coworkers and Employees
13. Make ’Em Laugh: How to Use Humor as a Secret Weapon in Your Communication
12. It's Not What You Say, It’s How You Say It: How To Communicate Power
11. The Science of Influence: How to Persuade Others And Hold Their Attention
10. High-Stakes Communication: How to Manage Anxiety When Speaking in Front of Others
9. Quick Thinks: How Being Present-Oriented Improves Communication
8. Don't Get Lost in Translation: How Non-Native Speakers Can Communicate With Confidence
7. Quick Thinks: Use This Framework to Speak up in Virtual Meetings
6. Quick Thinks: Communicating and Leading Virtually
5. From Monologue to Dialogue: How to Handle a Skeptical Audience
4. The Journey to Mastery: How Self Reflection Can Improve Communication
3. When Knowing Too Much Can Hurt Your Communication: How to Make Complex Ideas Accessible
2. Communicating Our Multiple Selves: How to Effectively Manage Your Reputation
1. Speaking Without a Net: How to Master Impromptu Communication
Introducing Think Fast, Talk Smart: The Podcast