Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

Matt’s wide variety of guests, all sharing their brilliant insights into the many forms of communication, always produces a nugget or two for me. Topics even include design choices in a room, and how that impacts how we interact. It’s a top 4 Pod for me .

Matt Abraham’s work particularly on small talk has been life changing for me. He breaks down communication in a way I’ve never seen before. 5 stars!!

I’ve been a big fan of your podcast for a while and always found your insights on communication incredibly valuable. One of the concepts that stood out to me was the “What, So What, Now What” framework. Recently, I applied it in a way I didn’t expect—to reflect on some personal challenges—and I wanted to share the impact it had. For a long time, I struggled with perfectionism, fear of vulnerability, and communication—particularly in interpersonal dynamics. I would often stay quiet in meetings or avoid social/leadership role as a result, despite being a high performer (technical skills). Over the past month, I’ve been journaling and reflecting on patterns like perfectionism, fear of vulnerability, but my thoughts felt scattered. When I used your framework, everything finally clicked. What: Root causes driving patterns, like how early success made me tie self-worth to objective outcomes. So What: Behaviors and outcomes resulting from those causes (e.g., avoid step out of comfort zone, reluctance to collaborate etc.) Now What: Steps to overcome these behaviors (e.g., intention setting, practicing vulnerability) Since that realization, I’ve experienced a real breakthrough—I feel more open, talkative, and comfortable engaging with others. Conversations/meetings that used to feel stressful now feel like opportunities, and I’ve started enjoying connection in ways I never expected. Thank you for all you do.

Very effective communication for listeners to quickly identify how to utilize the ideas and concepts discussed in each episode. I’m impressed and this speaks to so many genres in our lives; at home, work, and social interactions. Thank you!