133. From Good to Super: How Supercommunicators Unlock the Language of Connection

The ways supercommunicators operate and how to emulate their techniques.

Across more than 130 episodes, Think Fast, Talk Smart has touched a lot on what it takes to be a good communicator. But what about reaching that next level? What about being a “supercommunicator”? Supercommunicator is a term used by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and author Charles Duhigg in his latest book, Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection. 

In this podcast episode, Abrahams and Duhigg explore the precise techniques that distinguish a good communicator from a “supercommunicator:” traits such as active listening; looping for understanding to demonstrate genuine engagement; and identifying what someone is truly feeling, underneath what they actually say.

Episode Reference Links:

• Charles Duhigg: Website
• Charles Duhigg: Books
• Duhigg’s New Yorker article
• Thalia Wheatley’s research study: The Repurposed Social Brain 
• Nicholas Epley’s research paper: Overly Shallow?: Miscalibrated Expectations Create a Barrier to Deeper Conversation
• Alison Wood Brooks’ research paper: The Conversational Circumplex: Identifying, Prioritizing, and Pursuing Informational and Relational Motives in Conversation
• Michael Yeomans’ research paper: It Helps to Ask: The Cumulative Benefits of Asking Follow-Up Questions
• Sheila Heen’s research project: Harvard Negotiation Project
• Ep.92 - No Regrets: How to Take Risks: YouTube / Website 
• Ep.82 - It’s Not About You: Why Effective Communicators Put Others First: YouTube / Website 
• Ep.103 - Simple is a Superpower: How to Communicate Any Idea to an Audience: YouTube / Website

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