Videos
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How to Speak Clearly & With Confidence | Matt Abrahams -
Think Fast, Talk Smart: Communication Techniques
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Matt Abrahams: Grand Keynote: How to Connect & Influence In-Person in the Age of AI | TiEcon 2025
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Speaking Up Without Freaking Out | Matt Abrahams | TEDxPaloAlto
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Think Fast. Talk Smart | Matt Abrahams | TEDxMontaVistaHighSchool
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How to speak better when put on the spot | Matt Abrahams | EDGE
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How to Think on Your Feet in High-Pressure Moments
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The #1 Mistake That Makes You Sound Insecure - Matt Abrahams
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The Science of Failing Well & Learn How to Talk Smarter | Amy Edmondson and Matt Abrahams
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Class Takeaways - Effective Facilitation
Learn More About Matt Abrahams
While strategic messaging comes with the territory of being a top leader, many still face spontaneous communication with much anxiety.
Award-winning Stanford Graduate School of Business lecturer Matt Abrahams has been a go-to communication authority and coach for Nobel Prize, TED and World Economic Forum presenters; and for corporate executives and government leaders for decades. Author of the bestselling book “Think Faster, Talk Smarter” (2023) – which has sold over 300,000 copies and has been translated into 20 languages – and host of its award-winning companion podcast, he provides tangible, actionable frameworks to help even the most self-conscious among us succeed when speaking spontaneously.
A cutting-edge practitioner, Abrahams has created an AI twin built off volumes of his work. “AI Coach Matt” has been trained on his books and hundreds of podcast episodes and is available 24/7 for anyone to interact with and learn from.
A consultant for the United Nations’ Secretary General’s Strategic Planning and Communication Office, Abrahams’ interactive workshop and keynotes teach that communication is “operationalized leadership grounded in connection, direction, attention and intention.” It’s no wonder he is a highly sought-after voice on impact-driven communication tactics in the modern age.
How to Think Fast and Talk Smart in Front of Any Audience
What if being unexpectedly singled out didn’t feel like an ordeal, but rather a chance to gain connection?
Abrahams’ techniques have helped people secure funding, pass oral exams, win over customers, impress bosses – and even get engaged. Corporate audiences such as Google, ServiceNow and Apple, as well as government institutions including the World Bank and the United Nations, benefit from the tools he teaches to improve communication, creating stronger relationships and a more enjoyable workplace experience. Notably, he was named to the 2025 Thinkers50 Radar list for his global work helping improve managerial communication and leadership skills.
Invigorating and refreshingly down-to-earth, Abrahams’ renowned online talks regularly garner millions of views, like this Stanford GSB presentation that has soared above the 50 million mark. In a time when communicating with others feels more fraught than ever, Matt Abrahams’ exceptionally accessible frameworks clear the way for effortlessly communicating with anyone – from the kitchen table to the most influential seats of power.
Matt Abrahams is available to advise your organization via virtual and in-person consulting meetings, interactive workshops and customized keynotes through the exclusive representation of Stern Speakers & Advisors, a division of Stern Strategy Group®.
Beyond the Prompt: Authenticity leads to impact
AI is transforming the way we communicate and that’s just the beginning. But the people getting the most out of it have also mastered a different kind of AI — Authenticity & Influence. The ability to connect, respond in the moment, and communicate with confidence are still the most powerful career skill you can build. AI amplifies your reach, but your human edge is what makes it land. The tools have never been better. Now let’s make sure you are too. This session will provide practical, tactical tools to help you communicate in a more confident, connected, and compelling manner. In this session, you will directly apply your learnings to an upcoming communication.
Think Fast. Talk Smart
Thriving in business and life requires clear, effective communication, especially in moments when there is little time to prepare. From media interviews to contributing in meetings or delivering critical feedback on the spot, professionals face constant pressure to respond thoughtfully and credibly. According to Stanford Graduate School of Business lecturer Matt Abrahams, the most communication we do is in the moment, and most of us don’t receive training on how to do that. In this dynamic, interactive presentation, Abrahams, author of “Think Faster, Talk Smarter,” shares practical strategies that help people organize their thoughts quickly, structure their spontaneity, manage anxiety, communicate with focus, and even strengthen business relationships. Attendees learn practical techniques and practice applying them to speak with greater confidence, clarity and impact in any situation.
Communicate Effectively in Times of Uncertainty and Crisis
When uncertainty arises and words matter most, leaders must have the skills to create messaging that is clear and confident. In this impactful presentation, Stanford Graduate School of Business lecturer and author of “Think Faster, Talk Smarter,” Matt Abrahams reveals strategies for consistent messaging when change and uncertainty are at the forefront. “Communication is operationalized leadership,” Abrahams explains to audiences of leaders, providing tactics for both representing their organization well and reassuring their teams, especially during crises. By building new communication skills and enhancing current ones, attendees leave with immediately applicable methods for communicating in engaging, influential and reassuring ways.
Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You're Put on the Spot
(Simon Element / Simon Acumen, September 2023)
Speaking Up Without Freaking Out: 50 Techniques for Confident and Compelling Presenting
(Kendall Hunt Publishing, January 2016)
Strategic Communication: Build Trust. Drive Decisions. Lead With Influence.
Most people think hard work leads to recognition. It doesn’t. The people who get ahead are the ones who can walk into a room, make their case clearly, and get others to act. Stanford GSB lecturer, award-winning podcast host and author Matt Abrahams helps people build that skill through a hands-on program that moves from foundations to real-world pitching. Participants choose an actual workplace decision they want to influence and build a Strategic Influence Playbook they can return to before any important meeting, pitch or conversation. The program covers:
- The Secret Power of Persuasion: Assess how you currently communicate, choose a real decision to influence, and learn how communication drives decisions.
- Strong Communication Under Pressure: Manage communication anxiety and stay focused in high-stakes moments, with a personal Anxiety Management Plan.
- Immediate Influence – Show Up Strong and Earn Trust: Command attention and earn trust in seconds using science-backed cues that make people lean in, listen and act.
- Strategic Storytelling: Learn the building blocks of business storytelling and craft a clear, compelling story that moves your audience to act.
- Clarity Through Structure: Use simple structures like What–So What–Now What and Problem–Solution–Benefit to make your message easy to follow and easy to say yes to.
- Empathy and Relevance – Communicating From the Other Side: Shift from what you want to say to what your audience needs, and build an alignment plan that moves decisions forward.
- Handling Hesitation: Spot hesitation, understand what’s driving it, and turn resistance and pushback into alignment.
- Persuasive Pitching: Craft a prepared yet flexible pitch that lets you command the room and earn the next step.
- The Long Game of Influence: Turn these skills into a repeatable system of preparation, rehearsal and follow-through that builds credibility over time.
Learn and Practice Techniques to Think Fast and Talk Smart
Whether you’re a leader aiming to get buy-in from employees or a rising star looking to impress your boss, communication can be what makes or breaks the opportunity. Stanford Graduate School of Business lecturer Matt Abrahams is renowned for helping anyone organize their thoughts quickly, structure their spontaneity, manage anxiety, communicate with focus, and even strengthen business relationships. The outcomes of learning from Abrahams are relevant to any industry and career-level: managers gain the self-assurance to speak up in meetings, startups learn influence techniques to secure funding, and students face exams with less trepidation. In this highly interactive workshop, Abrahams shares practical strategies that help people communicate effectively and concisely. Attendees learn accessible communication frameworks and practice applying them to speak with greater confidence, clarity and impact in any situation, especially those that require spontaneity.
