logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2020
14 m

3. When Knowing Too Much Can Hurt Your C...

Matt Abrahams, Think Fast Talk Smart
About this episode

As communicators, we often need to take complex information (e.g., financial, technical, or scientific) and make it more understandable for our audience – we’re experts and they likely aren’t. But having so much knowledge on the topics we discuss can often make the job more difficult: we dive in too quickly, forget about our audience's needs, or use jargon that goes over their heads. 

In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, strategic communications lecturers Matt Abrahams and Lauren Weinstein explore the “curse of knowledge” and offer specific techniques you can use to be more successful in getting your point across.

Connect:

Up next
Jul 10
215. The New Media Landscape: Trust, Transparency, and Transformation
For your communication to be credible, you can’t just say it — you have to do it.Want people to believe what you say? According to Richard Edelman, the words you choose only get you halfway there. To build real trust, he says, you have to practice what you preach.“Action builds t ... Show More
19m 40s
Jul 8
214. From Crisis to Clarity: Simplicity, Feedback, and the Art of Being Heard
How to communicate clearly in any context, from newsrooms to the world stage.All good communication, whether spoken or written, is built on the same foundation. In everything from police reporting for a newspaper to serving as spokesman for the Pope, Greg Burke has found the key: ... Show More
24m 51s
Jul 1
213. Rethinks: Building Trusting Relationships Through Communication
How to turn doubt and suspicion into hopefulness and trust.There’s a lot in the world to make us cynical about other people and their motives and intentions. But by “trusting loudly,” Professor Jamil Zaki believes we can renew our faith in one another.Zaki is a professor of psych ... Show More
30m 45s
Recommended Episodes
Dec 2023
How To Learn More In Record Time - Speed Reading, Concentration, & Memory with Jim Kwik
In this episode we discuss how our guest went from a childhood head injury to becoming an accelerated learning expert. We cover memory, speed reading, improving your focus, taking notes like an expert and go deep into tactics for accelerated learning. We talk about the importance ... Show More
1h 11m
Mar 2021
Faut-il réapprendre à communiquer, pour bien télétravailler ?
L’open space est devenu la norme en entreprise car il permet l’échange entre les collaborateurs : on se voit, on se parle, on s’explique, on tisse des liens. On pose des questions à voix haute, on s’entraide, on partage nos astuces, on règle un malentendu autour d’un café. Mais d ... Show More
10m 48s
Jul 2020
How to Understand Things
In this episode, we discuss Nabeel Qureshi's recent blog post "How to Understand Things". We go through the post's main points, and talk about our own experiences of learning and understanding things, from school to university to today. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/pri ... Show More
1h 27m
May 2024
3 Simple Tips to Talk Smarter According to a Stanford Professor
Stanford professor, author, and podcast host Matt Abrahams is back on the show to share simple tips that will help you think faster and talk smarter. You’ll learn:How to manage speaking anxiety symptomsSimple ways to structure your communication for the audienceHow to reframe the ... Show More
25m 30s
Jan 2024
Social Content Strategy: How to Build a Loyal and Profitable Audience
Want to improve your marketing content? Looking for a proven, data-driven content strategy model that’s simple to apply? To explore a social content strategy, I interview Allie Mason.Guest: Allie Mason | Show Notes: socialmediaexaminer.com/598Review our show on Apple Podcasts.See ... Show More
44m 54s
Dec 2023
Brain Scans Reveal The Powerful Memory Techniques of Memory Champions, Greek Philosophers, and SuperLearners with Jonathan Levi
In this episode we discuss becoming a SuperLearner. We dig into questions that I’ve pondered for a long time - does speed reading work? Can we actually speed read and increase our reading comprehension? Are there strategies you can use to improve your memory? And perhaps most imp ... Show More
1h 8m
Apr 2023
Why a Good Strategy Beats Operational Excellence
It’s an age-old dilemma — do I focus on what’s right in front of me, or do I step back and look at the larger picture? On this episode, Taylor and Richard make the argument that establishing the “why” is much more important than the “how” — especially in a world where AI is makin ... Show More
28m 3s
May 2024
Hacking the Human Mind With Applied Behavioral Marketing
Want your marketing to be more memorable? Looking for psychology-backed tactics that will improve your results? To discover how to put applied behavioral science to work in marketing, I interview Richard Shotton.Guest: Richard Shotton | Show Notes: socialmediaexaminer.com/617Revi ... Show More
43m 27s
Feb 2024
The Investment Bank Interview Playbook: Mastering Behaviour & Technical Questions
In this podcast episode, the team delves into the techniques and best practices for excelling in an investment bank interview. Topics covered include: **Crafting Compelling Responses:** Learn the art of structuring your answers for maximum impact. **Harnessing the Power of Non-Ve ... Show More
43m 8s
Mar 2024
3 Things Confident Communicators NEVER Do
Communication is a critical skill for success—and the truth is — the more confident you are at communicating your ideas, successes, and needs, the more you will be seen as a leader and as leadership material. Danielle Robay, a journalist and Pretty Smart podcast host will teach y ... Show More
31m 43s