Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques1 Juli 2025

213. Rethinks: Building Trusting Relationships Through Communication

How to turn doubt and suspicion into hopefulness and trust.

There’s a lot in the world to make us cynical about other people and their motives and intentions. But by “trusting loudly,” Professor Jamil Zaki believes we can renew our faith in one another.

Zaki is a professor of psychology at Stanford, director of the Stanford Social Neuroscience lab, and author of several books, including his most recent, Hope for Cynics: The Surprising Science of Human Goodness. While many people feel suspicious of others and are reluctant to trust them, Zaki finds that relying on other people is a necessary part of forming relationships.

“Acts of trust are the bedrock on which relationships are formed,” Zaki says. “The only way that strangers become friends and friends become best friends, the only way that we can build partnerships is through a willingness to count on one another.”

In this Rethinks episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Zaki joins host Matt Abrahams to discuss practical strategies for fostering trust and challenging our cynical assumptions, offering a hopeful perspective on human nature, backed by surprising scientific insights.

Episode Reference Links:

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
(03:06) - Defining Trust and Its Importance
(03:57) - Building Better Trust
(05:28) - Understanding Cynicism
(07:50) - The Cynicism Spectrum
(10:10) - Fostering Hopeful Skepticism
(12:24) - Challenges of Overcoming Cynicism
(14:16) - Positive Gossip and Positive Noticing
(17:14) - Self-Fulfilling Prophecies
(20:10) - The Final Three Questions
(28:11) - Conclusion

********
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.

Det här avsnittet är hämtat från ett öppet RSS-flöde och publiceras inte av Podme. Det kan innehålla reklam.

Avsnitt(298)

294. Ask & You Shall Receive: Questions For Better Negotiations

Do you really win the negotiation if it means losing the relationship?You might think that successful negotiation means getting what you want here and now. But Stan Christensen says this short-sighted...

4 Juni 26min

293. The Leadership Skills We’ll Need Most When Everything Is Changing: Me2We 2026

What it takes to lead as a communicator and communicate as a leader.Leadership isn’t just about making decisions — it’s about how you communicate them. As Matt Abrahams puts it, “Communication is oper...

1 Juni 35min

292. Headspace Habits: Lessons for Calm, Confident Communication

The hidden habits behind calm, confident communicators.What does it really take to become a more confident communicator? In this special collaboration between Think Fast, Talk Smart and Headspace, hos...

28 Maj 29min

291. Hello, Stranger: Why Curiosity Beats Charisma Every Time

What keeps us from being more social? Nick Epley calls it a “mind-reading mistake.”We all think about what others think, particularly what they think about us. The problem, says Nick Epley, is that we...

25 Maj 30min

290. Quick Thinks: How to Have Better Conversations About Aging

How can we approach aging with more joy, empathy, and meaningful connection?We often talk about lifespan, or how long we live, but Kerry Burnight believes the more important question is how fully we l...

21 Maj 20min

289. Better with Age: Why Joy Matters More Than Longevity

A full life isn’t about the quantity of time, but the quality.Our lifespan might describe how long we live, but it doesn’t say anything about how well we live. For that, Kerry Burnight says, we need a...

18 Maj 26min

288. Turn Your Audience into Co-Creators: Lessons from the Tiger Sisters

The Tiger Sisters share the keys to collaborative communication.Good marketing communication doesn’t just go one way. As the Tiger Sisters know, building a brand is about bringing your audience into t...

14 Maj 27min

287. Give It a Rest to Do Your Best: The Sleep Habits That Catalyze Your Communication

If you want to do your best, you’d better get your rest.The quality of your sleep fundamentally affects the quality of your communication. Communicating well, Dr. Cheri Mah says, starts with being wel...

11 Maj 25min