Matt takes live questions from his worldwide audience. Join Matt Abrahams engaging with his international audience and answering questions that touch upon some of today's most pressing communication challenges. Matt offers advice on everything from the nuances of crafting clear, impactful questions and navigating emotional dynamics in group settings to maintaining control during presentations and delivering difficult news. Additionally, listeners are treated to innovative strategies for creating memorable introductions and managing disruptive behaviors in group discussions. This episode, taken from a Think Fast Talk Smart live event, offers practical tips and strategies; its a value add for anyone looking to enhance their communication skills in personal and professional contexts. Think Fast, Talk Smart is a podcast produced by Stanford Graduate School of Business. Episode Links: Cross Cultural Communication with Michele J Gelfand - Ep 67, What Is Normal? How Culture Affects Communication Styles - Website / YouTube Constructive Feedback with with Kim Scott - Ep 105, Radical Candor: The Communication Shift That Can Transform Your Career - Website / YouTube Previous Ask Me Anything Live Episode - Ep 78, Three Guiding Principles for Successful Communication - Website / YouTube Connect: Email Questions & Feedback thinkfast@stanford.edu Episode Transcripts Think Fast Talk Smart Website Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning FasterSmarter.io Think Fast Talk Smart LinkedIn Page, Instagram, YouTube Matt Abrahams LinkedIn Stanford GSB LinkedIn & Twitter Chapters: (00:00:00) Introduction and Overview of Part Two (00:01:11) Formulating Relevant Questions Crafting relevant questions in high-pressure situations. Matt outlines a three-step process for developing concise questions that address the key issues, and provide the person answering with a hook. (00:03:14) Managing Emotional Discussions How to handle a group discussion that gets emotional reactions by acknowledging emotions and using paraphrasing to refocus the conversation. (00:05:32) Navigating An Audience Hijacking Your Presentation Set clear boundaries and expectations at the beginning of the presentation, along with effective paraphrasing. (00:08:25) Communication Structures for Delivering Difficult Messages How to employ the "What, So What, Now What" or the “Comparison, Contrast, Conclusion” structures when giving difficult news, or feedback. (00:10:25) Effective Cross-Cultural Communication When communicating effectively in a multinational company, Matt emphasizes empathy, repetition, and deep listening. (00:12:51) How to Get Creative With Our Introductions Matt suggests starting with a provocative statement and then your name, in order to set an expectation for who we are and what's important to us. (00:14:51) Handling a Difficult or Challenging Person in Groups Matt recommends constructive feedback and the strategic use of paraphrasing to manage disruptions. (00:17:13) Conclusion