Unlocking the Power of Effective Communication with Matt Abrahams

Communication is a vital skill we all use, but do we truly understand its profound impact on our lives? Join Kurt and Tim as they engage in a captivating conversation with communication expert Matt Abrahams. Matt, an accomplished author, educator, and co-host of "Think Fast, Talk Smart," takes us on a journey into the heart of effective communication.

Discover the secrets to spontaneous speaking and hone your communication skills with practical insights and actionable steps. From connecting with your audience to creating the best toasts at parties, this episode is a masterclass in the art of communication. Matt reveals the magic of active listening and the importance of paraphrasing to strengthen your relationships.

Make anxiety your ally as you prepare for public speaking and various communication scenarios. With a wealth of global experience, Matt guides us through negotiation, persuasion, and even the role of creativity in communication. 

During their Grooving Session, Kurt and Tim talk about their own personal experiences with public speaking and communication, sharing anecdotes and advice from their own victories and defeats. Whether you’re delivering a keynote presentation or sharing a story with friends, this episode will offer you vital tips towards unlocking your full communication potential! 

David Creswell PhD has studied how our performance is actually affected by sleep. He has even found a predictive correlation between student’s college GPA scores and their sleep duration. 

David Creswell is a professor of psychology at Carnegie Mellon University and has published numerous studies on mindfulness-based interventions and their impact on well-being. He is a prominent researcher specializing in health psychology, mindfulness meditation, and stress management. 

Earlier this year David co-authored a paper in Psychological and Cognitive Sciences called, “Nightly sleep duration predicts grade point average in the first year of college” which caught our attention. The research measures performance metrics among students who wore Fitbits while sleeping. The findings suggest getting less than 6 hours of sleep may be a threshold where sleep shifts from helpful to harmful. 

To wrap up the conversation, hosts Kurt and Tim discuss the topic of sleep in their Grooving Session. They discuss their very different sleep patterns and what Kurt has done to help improve his insomnia.

© 2023 Behavioral Grooves

(2:39) Welcome and speed round questions

(6:24) Matt’s Book and the fear of public speaking

(9:51) Overcoming the fear of public speaking and roadblocks

(15:05) Maximizing Mediocrity?

(18:50) Giving better toasts

(23:53) The M&M’s of Public Speaking

(30:24) Matt’s Podcast

(37:20) Chopin, Jazz, and off-the-cuff conversation

(42:43) Dessert Island Music

(46:17) Grooving Session with Kurt and Tim on Public Speaking

© 2023 Behavioral Grooves

We all know we need a good night’s sleep but sleep researcher, David Creswell PhD has studied how our performance is actually affected by sleep. He has even found a predictive correlation between student’s college GPA scores and their sleep duration. 

David Creswell is a professor of psychology at Carnegie Mellon University and has published numerous studies on mindfulness-based interventions and their impact on well-being. He is a prominent researcher specializing in health psychology, mindfulness meditation, and stress management. 

Earlier this year David co-authored a paper in Psychological and Cognitive Sciences called, “Nightly sleep duration predicts grade point average in the first year of college” which caught our attention. The research measures performance metrics among students who wore Fitbits while sleeping. The findings suggest getting less than 6 hours of sleep may be a threshold where sleep shifts from helpful to harmful. 

To wrap up the conversation, hosts Kurt and Tim discuss the topic of sleep in their Grooving Session. They discuss their very different sleep patterns and what Kurt has done to help improve his insomnia.

© 2023 Behavioral Grooves

(4:22) Welcome and speed round questions.

(5:50) David’s research on sleep.

(12:14) What about daytime napping?

(15:42) The difference between sleeping more or less than 6 hours per night.

(17:16) Sleep duration and academic success in college students.

(22:16) How to avoid false positives in research.

(30:09) Does David listen to music while he sleeps?

(33:34) Grooving Session with Kurt and Tim on sleep.

© 2023 Behavioral Grooves

Matt Abrahams: https://mattabrahams.com/ 

Think Faster, Talk Smarter: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Think-Faster-Talk-Smarter/Matt-Abrahams/9781668010303 

Think Fast, Talk Smart: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-fast-talk-smart-communication-techniques/id1494989268 

Matt Abrahams and Alia Crum: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/mindset-matters-how-embrace-benefits-stress 

Speaking Up Without Freaking Out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIXvKKEQQJo 

Rodrigo y Gabriela "Hanuman": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENBX_v1Po1Y 

Lynyrd Skynyrd "Free Bird": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LwcvjNJTuM 

ACDC "Thunderstruck": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2AC41dglnM