11. The Science of Influence: How to Persuade Others And Hold Their Attention

We’re constantly bombarded with competing bids for our attention, so as communicators, it’s important to be familiar with the research behind what engages people to ensure our messages get heard.
In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Matt Abrahams speaks with Stanford GSB Professor Zakary Tormala about the subtle ways you can structure your speech to get people to pay attention. “It’s not really about tricking people into doing what you want,” Professor Tormala says. “It’s more about understanding the factors that actually engage people or open them up to your idea and maybe get them to see something a little bit differently.”
Think Fast, Talk Smart is a podcast produced by Stanford Graduate School of Business and hosted by Matt Abrahams. Each episode provides concrete, easy-to-implement tools and techniques to help you hone and enhance your communication.