How to speak more confidently and persuasively | Matt Abrahams (professor, podcast host, author, speaker)

Matt Abrahams is a renowned communication expert, with decades of teaching, coaching, and consulting experience. At Stanford University, he teaches a business school class on strategic communication. Beyond academia, he’s a sought-after keynote speaker and consultant, guiding presenters from IPO road shows to prestigious platforms like TED, the World Economic Forum, and the United Nations. His acclaimed podcast, Think Fast, Talk Smart, garners millions of listeners, and his book, Think Faster, Talk Smarter, equips speakers with practical skills for impromptu success. With a previous bestseller, Speaking Up Without Freaking Out, Matt has empowered countless individuals to speak confidently and authentically. In our conversation, we discuss:• The concept of “daring to be dull”• The power of visualization to desensitize oneself to speaking situations• Managing negative self-talk• The WHAT structure for delivering toasts (why we are here, how you are connected, anecdote, thanks)• The ADD structure for Q&As (answer, detailed example, describe relevance)• Breathing techniques to reduce anxiety, such as the double exhale• Concrete speaking structures like What? So What? Now What? and the Four I’s (information, impact, invitation, implications)• Much more—Brought to you by:• Sprig—Build a product people love• Dovetail—Bring your customer into every decision• Coda—Meet the evolution of docs—Find the transcript and references at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-speak-more-confidently-and—Where to find Matt Abrahams:• X: https://twitter.com/tftsthepod• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maabrahams/• Website: https://mattabrahams.com/• Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6ll0MwobDt1JW9gYaOONEo—Where to find Lenny:• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com• X: https://twitter.com/lennysan• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/—In this episode, we cover:(00:00) Matt’s background(04:50) Techniques for managing anxiety in public speaking(10:57) D