253. Top 10: The Best Communication Tips from 2025

Our 10 favorite communication insights from 2025.

The most transformative communication insights are the ones we actually remember to use. That’s why host Matt Abrahams is taking stock of his favorite communication tips from this year, so we can carry them into the next.

In this annual Think Fast, Talk Smart tradition, Abrahams shares his top 10 communication insights from guests over the past year, from facilitating connection through Gina Bianchini's "proactive serendipity” to Jenn Wynn’s use of dialogue as a gateway to synergy. Whether you're looking to build trust, boost productivity, or speak more spontaneously, this year’s top 10 insights offer a reminder of all we’ve learned this year — and a roadmap for better communication in the year ahead.

Episode Reference Links:

• Gina Bianchini: 244. Community Creates Change
• Muriel Wilkins: 240. Belief It or Not
• Jenn Wynn: 222. Discussing Through Discomfort
• Richard Edelman: 215. The New Media Landscape
• Alex Rodriguez: 201. Ballpark to the Boardroom
• Chris Voss / Peter Sagal: 197. Prep or Perish / 198. Pause and Effect / 199. Blunder Pressure / 203. No Script, No Problem 
• Ada Aka: 191. Memorable Messages 
• Matt Lieberman: 188. Mind Reading 101
• Arthur Brooks: 181. Why Happiness is a Direction, Not a Destination
• Laurie Santos: 179. Finding Positive in Negative Emotions
• Ep.177 Don’t Resolve, Evolve: Top 10 Lessons From 2024
• Ep.120 A Few of Matt’s Favorite Things: 10 Communication Takeaways from 2023's TFTS Episodes  

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• Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn

Chapters:

• (00:00) - Introduction
• (02:51) - Facilitation and Productive Serendipity
• (04:26) - Toxic vs. Healthy Productivity
• (06:49) - Dialogue as the Path to Synergy
• (09:21) - How Actions Build Trust
• (10:47) - Communication as an Unselfish Act
• (12:42) - Be Present and Prepare to Be Spontaneous
• (14:47) - Why Memorable Words Matter
• (17:58) - Persuasion and Identity
• (19:47) - Finding Meaning Through Purpose
• (21:42) - Listening to Negative Emotions
• (23:59) - Conclusion

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