247. “Matt”er of Fact: Coaching on Feedback and Q&A
Episode
16 min
Read time
2 min
Topics
Productivity, Leadership, Artificial Intelligence
AI-Generated Summary
Key Takeaways
- ✓What So What Now What Framework: Structure constructive feedback in three parts: describe observations without judgment (what), explain significance to bigger goals (so what), and suggest collaborative solutions (now what). This approach keeps feedback focused on work rather than people, reducing defensiveness while maintaining directness.
- ✓Future-Focused Anxiety Management: Reframe high-stakes situations from tests requiring perfection into curious conversations with colleagues. Spend preparation time visualizing successful outcomes rather than predicting failures. This shifts mental energy toward productive preparation and helps manage anxiety about uncontrollable outcomes like technology performance or unexpected results.
- ✓Two-Minute Executive Proposal Structure: Address five core elements: state the big problem, narrow focus to your unique contribution, show the unsolved opportunity, present three to five concrete action steps, and paint the future success state. Start with an engaging hook like a provocative question or statistic to capture attention immediately.
- ✓Presence Techniques for Performance Anxiety: Use short-term interventions before high-stakes moments: take a brief walk, listen to music, or practice deep breathing. These activities help manage physical anxiety symptoms and shift focus from nerves to message delivery. Eighty-five percent of people experience presentation anxiety, making preparation essential.
What It Covers
Matt Abrahams demonstrates two AI coaching tools trained on his communication expertise: Coach Matt (voice-based) and Chat Matt (text-based). He receives coaching on managing anxiety, delivering feedback, and crafting concise executive proposals using structured frameworks.
Key Questions Answered
- •What So What Now What Framework: Structure constructive feedback in three parts: describe observations without judgment (what), explain significance to bigger goals (so what), and suggest collaborative solutions (now what). This approach keeps feedback focused on work rather than people, reducing defensiveness while maintaining directness.
- •Future-Focused Anxiety Management: Reframe high-stakes situations from tests requiring perfection into curious conversations with colleagues. Spend preparation time visualizing successful outcomes rather than predicting failures. This shifts mental energy toward productive preparation and helps manage anxiety about uncontrollable outcomes like technology performance or unexpected results.
- •Two-Minute Executive Proposal Structure: Address five core elements: state the big problem, narrow focus to your unique contribution, show the unsolved opportunity, present three to five concrete action steps, and paint the future success state. Start with an engaging hook like a provocative question or statistic to capture attention immediately.
- •Presence Techniques for Performance Anxiety: Use short-term interventions before high-stakes moments: take a brief walk, listen to music, or practice deep breathing. These activities help manage physical anxiety symptoms and shift focus from nerves to message delivery. Eighty-five percent of people experience presentation anxiety, making preparation essential.
Notable Moment
Abrahams tests his own AI creation by asking it to solve a complex scenario combining anxiety management with executive communication. The chatbot synthesizes multiple frameworks and provides layered advice, demonstrating how AI can integrate diverse communication concepts into practical guidance.
Episode Transcript
Hi. Matt here. Think back to a time when you knew exactly what you wanted to say, but couldn't quite find the right words. Maybe it was a tough conversation, a moment that really mattered, or something you didn't wanna mess up. Wouldn't it have been great to have a helpful communication coach right there with you? That's exactly why we built AI Coach Matt, a tool you can use to help you think through what you wanna say and how to say it. It's as if you were speaking directly to me as your communication coach, and I respond immediately. It's been available inside our learning community for a while, and now we're opening it up so you can try it for free. Go to fastersmarter.io/learning, and click on the AI coach map pop up in the bottom right corner. Give it a try at fastersmarter.io/learning, and let me know what you think in any of our social media platforms. Now a word from one of our sponsors. Their support allows us to bring you quality content free of charge. Hi. Matt here. How many times has a bad interaction with a sales or customer service rep changed how you see a company? Communication can be your team's biggest weakness or its greatest superpower. Virtual speech helps people build their skills through dynamic AI role plays, instant feedback, and one on one AI coaching. Practice public speaking for different conversations, sales pitches, and interviews, all in a judgment free space. I've often recommended my students use virtual speech to practice for my class. Available online and in virtual reality, virtual speech boosts skills by 20% and confidence by 30% in just twenty minutes. Visit virtualspeech.com to learn how AI powered learning can transform your team. At some point in our lives, most of us have benefited from the advice and guidance from a coach. Today, we're going to hear from two coaches I know quite well. My name is Matt Abrahams, and I teach strategic communication at Stanford Graduate School of Business. Welcome to this special quick thinks episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, the podcast. This episode is very different than any we have ever done. You'll have an opportunity to learn from three versions of me, and afterward, you'll be able to do the same. But before we get to that, on December 1, we're opening up our Think Fast, Talk Smart online learning community designed to help people around the world sharpen communication skills in a personalized, collaborative way. Our subscription based learning community is open to anyone and includes incredibly useful tools and features like asynchronous learning lessons, interactive learning plans and quests, book clubs, and not one, but two AI coaching tools. Like many of you, we at Think Fast Talk Smart have been experimenting with AI, and I'm thrilled to share the results. With the help of some very talented developers, we've cocreated two AI tools. One is a digital twin created by …
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by Matt Abrahams
“Matt Abrahams demonstrates two AI coaching tools trained on his communication expertise: Coach Matt (voice-based) and Chat Matt (text-based).”
“SPONSORS [Virtual Speech, Squarespace]”
by Matt Abrahams
“Matt Abrahams demonstrates two AI coaching tools trained on his communication expertise: Coach Matt (voice-based) and Chat Matt (text-based).”
“SPONSORS [Virtual Speech, Squarespace]”
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