logo
episode-header-image
Aug 25
1h 19m

The Science of Conversation: How To Say ...

10% Happier
About this episode

You talk all day. Here’s how to do it better, according to a professor from Harvard Business School.

Alison Wood Brooks comes from the Harvard Business School, where she teaches a course called “TALK: How to Talk Gooder in Business and Life,” which she has now turned into a book, called TALK: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves.

In this episode we talk about:

  • The evolution of conversation 
  • Why conversation is a skill — not just a natural talent 
  • How to develop conversational skills, including common conversational pitfalls to avoid
  • Granular, tactical pieces of advice on how to have a conversation
  • The science behind conversation that may surprise you
  • Listening tips 
  • Conversational repair strategies 
  • How kindness can go pear shaped 
  • How to handle difficult moments in conversation 
  • The difference between focusing on other people and people pleasing 
  • How to integrate these incredible learnings into your life 
  • How soft skills are becoming increasingly more valuable with the rise of AI 

Join Dan’s online community here

Follow Dan on social: Instagram, TikTok

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

Additional Resources: 

 

On Sunday, September 21st from 1-5pm ET, join Dan and Leslie Booker at the New York Insight Meditation Center in NYC as they lead a workshop titled, "Heavily Meditated – The Dharma of Depression + Anxiety." This event is both in-person and online. Sign up here

 

Get ready for another Meditation Party at Omega Institute! This in-person workshop brings together Dan with his friends and meditation teachers, Sebene Selassie, Jeff Warren, and for the first time, Ofosu Jones-Quartey. The event runs October 24th-26th. Sign up and learn more at eomega.org/workshops/meditation-party-2025.



To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris

Sponsors: 

Function Health: Learn more and join using our link. Visit www.functionhealth.com/HAPPIER to own your health.

Factor Meals: Eat smart at FactorMeals.com/TENPERCENT50OFF and use code TENPERCENT50OFF to get 50% off your first box, plus free breakfast for 1 year.

AT&T: Staying connected matters. That's why AT&T has connectivity you can depend on, or they will proactively make it right. Visit att.com/guarantee for details.

Up next
Yesterday
Three Strategies for Getting Over Yourself | Joseph Goldstein
Every year, Joseph Goldstein does a three month silent meditation retreat by himself at his home in Massachusetts. In this conversation you're about to hear, Joseph had just emerged from one such retreat with a bunch of thoughts on what are called the three proliferating tendenci ... Show More
1h 16m
Oct 8
How To Find Calm in a World on Fire | Pico Iyer
The antidote to a noisy, chaotic world. Pico Iyer is the acclaimed and bestselling author of more than a dozen books translated into twenty-three languages, most recently the nationally bestselling Aflame: Learning from Silence. In this episode we talk about: Why and how Pico fou ... Show More
1h 9m
Oct 6
Are You a Grudge Holder or a Revenge Seeker? Here’s How It’s Hurting You – And How To Get Over It | James Kimmel, Jr.
The psychology and neuroscience of revenge. James Kimmel, Jr. is a lecturer in psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine, an expert on revenge, a lawyer, and the founder and co-director of the Yale Collaborative for Motive Control Studies. He is the creator of The Nonjustice Syst ... Show More
1h 11m
Recommended Episodes
Aug 25
The 4 Keys to Better Conversations (Even When They're Messy) | Alison Wood Brooks
Harvard professor Alison Wood Brooks reveals why those perfectly polished conversations we see in movies and TV are actually making it harder for us to connect in real life.In her new book Talk: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves, she shares the surprising ... Show More
59m 3s
Jul 2024
Ep 74: It’s Not What You Say, It’s How You Say It - The Psychology Behind How We Speak and Communicate with Bill McGowan, Founder and CEO of Clarity Media Group
In this fascinating episode, Melissa sits down with Bill McGowan, Founder and CEO of Clarity Media Group, to explore the art of communication. Bill breaks down how the way we speak in everyday situations profoundly impacts those we interact with. He highlights that public speakin ... Show More
1h 2m
Dec 2024
SPECIAL: How Two Hard-Charging Busy Entrepreneurs Turn Off Their Brains, Meditate, De-Stress, Relax & Raise Kids: Anxiety Hacks & More With Katie Krimitsos
Today I have something a little different for you that I think you’ll love. It’s an interview I did with the incredible Ben Greenfield and I’m sharing it with you here because our conversation was so pure and full of insights on how to navigate the holidays - and your whole life ... Show More
1 h
Dec 2024
SPECIAL: How Two Hard-Charging Busy Entrepreneurs Turn Off Their Brains, Meditate, De-Stress, Relax & Raise Kids: Anxiety Hacks & More With Katie Krimitsos
Today I have something a little different for you that I think you’ll love. It’s an interview I did with the incredible Ben Greenfield and I’m sharing it with you here because our conversation was so pure and full of insights on how to navigate the holidays - and your whole life ... Show More
1 h
Dec 2024
SPECIAL: How Two Hard-Charging Busy Entrepreneurs Turn Off Their Brains, Meditate, De-Stress, Relax & Raise Kids: Anxiety Hacks & More With Katie Krimitsos
Today I have something a little different for you that I think you’ll love. It’s an interview I did with the incredible Ben Greenfield and I’m sharing it with you here because our conversation was so pure and full of insights on how to navigate the holidays - and your whole life ... Show More
59m 52s
Aug 2024
A 12-Minute Meditation for Noticing What’s Present and What Isn’t with Chris Willard and Olivia Weisser
This week, Christopher Willard and Olivia Weisser bring us a mediation inspired by the Japanese concept of ma, which refers to “the spaces between everything.” This practice invites us to take the opportunity to explore the empty spaces that exist all around us and inside us.  Fo ... Show More
14m 31s
Feb 2025
Why We’re Wired to Imitate Others & How to Have a Great Conversation
You probably think raw vegetables are healthier than cooked vegetables. Sometimes they are. But some common veggies get a nutrient boost from the right kind of heat. This episode begins with several of those vegetables and an explanation of how cooking makes them better for you. ... Show More
51m 22s
Sep 2024
714. The Secret To Connecting With Anyone and Getting What You Want
In this episode, Lindsey sits down with Charles Duhigg, New York Times bestselling author of The Power of Habit, Smarter Faster Better, and his newest book, Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection. Communication takes center stage as Charles breaks dow ... Show More
1h 24m
Jan 2025
520: A Harvard Expert’s Guide to Mastering Conversations
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 520, an interview with the author of TALK: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves, Alison Wood Brooks.   In this episode, Alison shares how her experiences at Harvard shaped her understanding of one of the most critical skill ... Show More
51m 22s
Apr 2025
An Interbeing Meditation for Connection and Understanding
If you’ve faced challenging or polarizing conversations lately, you likely know how difficult it can be to connect and cooperate with the person on the other side of that interaction. In today’s guided practice, Dr. Shalini Bahl invites us to explore our innate interconnectedness ... Show More
18m 46s