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  • Think Faster, Talk Smarter

  • How to Speak Successfully When You're Put on the Spot
  • By: Matt Abrahams
  • Narrated by: Matt Abrahams
  • Length: 7 hrs and 11 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (13 ratings)

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Think Faster, Talk Smarter cover art

Think Faster, Talk Smarter

By: Matt Abrahams
Narrated by: Matt Abrahams
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Summary

Stanford lecturer and host of the #1 business podcast Think Fast, Talk Smart, Matt Abrahams, reveals the secrets to finding the right words when it counts.

Communication is crucial to success in life and business. However, it is not just big speeches that matter: it is also those critical, spur-of-the-moment situations for which we cannot prepare.

A prospective client asking unexpected questions during a sales pitch, a teacher singling you out for an answer during a class, a high-pressure meeting with senior executives at work, or even a heartwarming toast to deliver on the spot. All are fraught scenarios that might cause you to freeze up. The pandemic has only boosted this fear, by stripping the spontaneity from communication during lockdown, and then changing the communication landscape.

In this invaluable guide, Matt Abrahams – Stanford University lecturer and creator of the hit podcast, Think Fast, Talk Smart – provides a six-point methodology that will enable you to cut through the anxiety arising from these stressful, impromptu circumstances to create and deliver crisp, compelling and calm communication.

Think Faster, Talk Smarter is an energetic, engaging resource for anyone who wants to speak out, spread their ideas, and ultimately share their story.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2023 Matt Abrahams (P)2023 Simon and Schuster Audio

Critic reviews

Remarkably helpful and specific. I certainly plan to follow Abrahams' recommendations (Robert Cialdini, internationally bestselling author of Pre-Suasion)
Exceptional. His tools for thinking quickly and speaking clearly are indispensable. His easy-to-understand approach helps anyone to become a better 'in-the-moment' communicator (Tony Fadell, inventor of the iPod, co-creator of the iPhone, and internationally bestselling author of Build)
A gold standard for communication best practices. Matt’s six step approach to speaking confidently and clearly in spontaneous situations helps calm the nervous system so you can focus on what matters: creating connection with those around you and responding in the moment. (David Eagleman, neuroscientist and internationally bestselling author of The Brain)

Matt Abrahams delivers useful advice on how to think on one's feet with the relaxed polish of a seasoned voice professional. His voice and ideas sparkle with energy. The guide is intuitively organized and covers a wide range of speaking situations, such as interviews, Q&A sessions, unscripted remarks to an audience, and conversations between employees and bosses. His focus on the emotional dynamics of any speaking situation will help listeners feel more confident when faced with a speaking challenge. (Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2024)

What listeners say about Think Faster, Talk Smarter

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Packed with practical help!

I loved this both because the author narrated it, which is always so much more authentic, and because it’s jam packed with techniques I could lift and immediately use. Too many books are theoretical - this is a game changer for anyone who wants help with public and spontaneous speaking.

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Talk smarter with confidence

I came across this book recommended from Rita McGrath and I loved it! You will be equipped with an anxiety toolbox, understand t’it does matter to have a perfect speech and will learn some lifesaving techniques for an impromptu speak. Excellent. I recommended to my daughters. Friends. A must have.

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Best I've Found

A very helpful and practical book. I've already begun to build some of the tips into my communication with early promising signs.. The accompanying pdf with the salient points is handy since in a book of this nature it is impossible to remember most of it. I would however have preferred if it has been half the length and don't believe it would have been the poorer for it. But that said, it is the best I've found on the subject.

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Be obvious

Excellent audiobook; well narrated by the author, his passion for the subject comes through beautifully and his expertise is clear whilst avoiding the "expertise" trap eg. concepts explained simply enough for anyone to understand. Furthermore, the techniques are small and easy to implement whilst embedded in a wider framework from preventing speaking anxiety to reducing speaking anxiety in the moment. The title of this review is the sticking point in the book for me; I will make "be obvious" and "dare to be dull" my mantra and see where it takes me. Really enjoyed this audiobook!

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