Matt Abrahams: Stanford MBA Public Speaking Research, Conquering Anxiety Biology & Gen Z vs. Millennial Attention Span - E334

In this discussion, Matt Abrahams, Stanford MBA Professor and author of Think Faster, Work Smarter, and Jeremy Au, talk about three main themes:

1. Journey to Mastering Public Speaking: Matt shared what inspired his journey to research public speaking. At his first-ever speech competition, he demonstrated a karate kick on stage and ripped his pants in front of the entire audience. This event catalyzed his deep dive into understanding and mastering the art of public speaking. He shared how this taught him the importance of staying composed under pressure and maintaining a sense of humor, even when things don’t go as planned. He also recounted a lesson he learned from his mother about how a person's communication style can influence others, shape their perceptions, or guide reactions in a desired direction.

2. Understanding Anxiety’s Biological Roots: Matt opened up about the inherent nature of anxiety, particularly when it comes to public speaking and establishing one's place in social hierarchies. He explained that feeling anxious in such situations is a natural biological response that has been a part of human evolution for centuries as our bodies are programmed to be alert and responsive to potential threats. With the modern world offering different speaking opportunities to larger, diverse audiences and the additional pressure brought by the permanency of video recordings, Matt highlighted the need to understand and adapt to the evolving challenges of public speaking anxiety.

3. Personalized Approach to Public Speaking: Matt stressed the essence of individuality in public speaking. He encourages people to learn from both successes and failures and integrate these lessons to develop a better approach suited to today’s world. He shared that Martin Luther King Jr. got a C- in Public Speaking in his early days, reminding everyone that even the most prolific orators faced challenges early on. He highlighted that people should set realistic and achievable expectations and understand that mastery is a continuous journey.

They also discussed the impact of cultural differences on communication styles, strategies for effective storytelling in presentations, how effective communication and public speaking are crucial for leaders in the tech industry, the value of observational learning, and the necessity of critical thinking and community support when seeking advice.



Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/matt-abrahams

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