What Matt Abrahams has said about Public speaking

5 quotes · 1 episode · Oct 25, 2026

Matt Abrahams, Lecturer in strategic communication at Stanford Graduate School of Business, author of Think Faster, Talk Smarter and host of the Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast, has been quoted on Public speaking 5 times in 1 episode of The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk, most recently on October 25, 2026. Each quote below is verbatim and links to the moment it was said.

In their words

Abrahams argues that attention is the most precious commodity today and that talks should not begin with a slow roll.
“To my mind, attention is the most precious commodity we have in the world today. Our attention is constantly being scattered”
The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk: 712: Matt Abrahams - How to Become a Better Communicator: Speaking With Confidence, Structuring Your Message, and Thinking Fast on Your Feet (Oct 25, 2026) · Listen from 14:49
Abrahams recommends structuring and ending communication around what the audience should know, feel, and do.
“Know, feel, do. What do you want people to know? How do you want them to feel? What do you want them to do?”
The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk: 712: Matt Abrahams - How to Become a Better Communicator: Speaking With Confidence, Structuring Your Message, and Thinking Fast on Your Feet (Oct 25, 2026) · Listen from 16:33
Abrahams advises nervous speakers not to pre-apologize because it primes audiences to look for signs of nervousness.
“All we are doing is priming you to pay attention to everything I do that confirms I'm nervous”
The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk: 712: Matt Abrahams - How to Become a Better Communicator: Speaking With Confidence, Structuring Your Message, and Thinking Fast on Your Feet (Oct 25, 2026) · Listen from 20:50
Abrahams opposes memorizing speeches because comparing delivery to a script consumes cognitive bandwidth needed for connection.
“So I tell my students all the time, it's about connection, not perfection”
The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk: 712: Matt Abrahams - How to Become a Better Communicator: Speaking With Confidence, Structuring Your Message, and Thinking Fast on Your Feet (Oct 25, 2026) · Listen from 22:43
Abrahams urges presenters to start like an action movie with a story, question, poll, or statistic before introducing themselves.
“start your communication like an action movie. How does an action movie start? With action”
The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk: 712: Matt Abrahams - How to Become a Better Communicator: Speaking With Confidence, Structuring Your Message, and Thinking Fast on Your Feet (Oct 25, 2026) · Listen from 25:55

Episodes

712: Matt Abrahams - How to Become a Better Communicator: Speaking With Confidence, Structuring Your Message, and Thinking Fast on Your Feet
The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk · Oct 25, 2026 · 55 min
Ryan Hawk talks with Stanford lecturer Matt Abrahams about interviewing, opening and closing talks, small talk, filler words, reflection journaling, and communication structures.

Others on Public speaking

Andy Frisella · 1 quote

In their words

Episodes

Others on Public speaking

Matt Abrahams on other topics