Jesper SørensenEvery podcast appearance, updated as new ones drop

Real connection means understanding your audience, staying true to yourself, and creating space for others. How do you communicate who you are, what you stand for, and leave space for others to do the same? At the Stanford Seed Summit in Cape Town, South Africa, three GSB professors explored why real connection is built through authentic communication. For Jesper Sørensen , authentic organizational communication means talking about a business in ways customers or investors can understand, like using analogies to relate a new business model to one that people already know. For incoming GSB Dean Sarah Soule , authentic communication is about truth, not trends. Her research on "corporate confession" shows that companies build trust when they admit their shortcomings — but only if those admissions connect authentically to their core business. And for Christian Wheeler , authentic communication means suspending judgment of ourselves and others. “We have a tendency to rush to categorization, to assume that we understand things before we really do,” he says. “Get used to postponing judgment.” In this special live episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart , host Matt Abrahams and his panel of guests explore communication challenges for budding entrepreneurs. From the risks of comparing yourself to competitors to how your phone might undermine genuine connection, they reveal how authentic communication — whether organizational or personal — requires understanding your audience, staying true to your values, and creating space for others to be heard. Episode Reference Links: Jesper Sørensen Christian Wheeler Sarah Soule Ep.194 Live Lessons in Levity and Leadership: Me2We 2025 Part 1 Connect: Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium Email Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.io Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io Think Fast Talk Smart >>><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/co

Why organizational strategy can be both top-down and bottom-up. As Professor Jesper Sørensen sees it, a winning strategy is the result of conversations, not commands, and that strategy can be directed from the C-suite, but it doesn’t have to be. “Lots of great strategies are discovered,” he says, “they’re discovered because the leaders were able to listen to their frontline workers or their frontline managers.” A more iterative approach, says Sørensen, helps companies adapt their strategy to an ever-changing landscape. In the latest episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart , Sørensen joins host and lecturer Matt Abrahams to discuss how organizations can use better communication to craft better strategies. Episode Reference Links: Jesper B. Sørensen Sørensen’s Book: Making Great Strategy Original Episode: Ep.71 Strategy Success: How to Communicate Your Gameplan Ep.103 Simple is a Superpower: How to Communicate Any Idea to Any Audience Ep.41 Speak Like a Founder: How Successful Entrepreneurs Communicate to Their Teams Connect: Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium Email Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.io Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn , Instagram , YouTube Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn Chapters: (00:00) - Introduction (01:38) - Defining Strategy (03:21) - Common Misconceptions about Strategy (05:07) - The Concept of a Strategy Argument (07:04) - Strategy as a Communication Tool (10:53) - The Dynamic Nature of Strategy (12:2

Breaking new ground, Think Fast, Talk Smart steps into the world of live events, bringing together an eager audience of LEAD students from Stanford University and a top-notch panel of former podcast guests: Jesper B. Sørensen , Sarah Soule , Jonathan Levav ,and Szu-chi Huang . Topics include crafting strategy for successful leadership and tips on how to effectively lead a hybrid team. This episode also features an interactive audience segment, where various participants of the Stanford LEAD program answer the three questions traditionally posed to guests. Connect: Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium Email Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.io Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn , Instagram , YouTube Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn ******** Thank you to our sponsors. These partnerships support the ongoing production of the podcast, allowing us to bring it to you at no cost. Unleash your Superhuman potential with AI that meets you where you work. Learn more at superhuman.com Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be.

As Professor Jesper Sørensen sees it, a winning strategy is the result of conversations, not commands. Sørensen says strategy can be directed from the C-suite, but it doesn’t have to be. “Lots of great strategies are discovered,” he says, “they're discovered because the leaders were able to listen to their frontline workers or their frontline managers.” A more iterative approach, says Sørensen, helps companies adapt their strategy to an ever-changing landscape. In the latest episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart , Sørensen joins host and lecturer Matt Abrahams to discuss how organizations can use better communication to craft better strategies. Connect: Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium Email Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.io Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn , Instagram , YouTube Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn Episode Reference Links: Making Great Strategy: Arguing for Organizational Advantage , by Jesper B. Sørensen Glenn R. Carrol l Class Takeaways: Crafting and Leading Strategy : Five lessons in five minutes — Professor Jesper Sørenson teaches how to create and implement a successful business strategy. ******** Thank you to our sponsors. These partnerships support the ongoing production of the podcast, allowing us to bring it to you at no cost. Unleash your Superhuman potential with AI that meets you where you work. Learn more at superhuman.com Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be.