195. Q&A on Conflict, Confidence, and Connection: Me2We 2025 Part 2

Stanford experts answer live questions on leadership, authenticity, and communication. What happens when four top Stanford thinkers take live questions from a room full of leaders? In Part 2 of this special Think Fast, Talk Smart https://www.fastersmarter.io/ series from the Stanford LEAD Me2We Conference, Matt Abrahams and his panel of expert GSB faculty—Allison Kluger https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/allison-kluger/, Naomi Bagdonas https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/naomi-bagdonas/, Christian Wheeler https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/christian-wheeler/, and Nir Halevy https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/nir-halevy/—answer questions from a live audience. They cover real-world challenges around leadership, authenticity, psychological safety, and managing your reputation in complex environments. With honest reflections and actionable advice, their answers offer a candid look at what it takes to lead with intention while staying true to yourself. Episode Reference Links: Allison Kluger https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/allison-kluger/ Book Allison Contributed to: Brand Up https://fastersmarter.io/brandup Naomi Bagdonas https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/naomi-bagdonas/ Nir Halevy https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/nir-halevy/ Christian Wheeler https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/christian-wheeler/ Ep.2 Communicating Our Multiple Selves: How to Effectively Manage Your Reputation https://www.fastersmarter.io/2-communicating-our-multiple-selves-how-to-effectively-manage-your-reputation/ Ep.13 Make ’Em Laugh: How to Use Humor as a Secret Weapon in Your Communication https://www.fastersmarter.io/13-make-em-laugh-how-to-use-humor-as-a-secret-weapon-in-your-communication/ Ep.30 Dissolve Disagreements: How Communication Impacts Conflict https://www.fastersmarter.io/30-dissolve-disagreements-how-communication-impacts-conflict/ Ep.18 Managing in the Moment: How to Get Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable https://www.fastersmarter.io/18-managing-in-the-moment-how-to-get-comfortable-with-being-uncomfortable/ Connect: Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium https://www.fastersmarter.io/premium/Email Questions & Feedback >>> [email protected] Transcripts >>>Think Fast Talk Smart Website https://www.fastersmarter.io/195-qa-on-conflict-confidence-and-connection-me2we-2025-part-2/Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>>FasterSmarter.io http://fastersmarter.io/Think Fast Talk Smart >>>LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/think-fast-talk-smart/,Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thinkfasttalksmart/, YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6caGRBUYZCmgDGM2RK6mxKB9jG_ccmm3Matt Abrahams >>>LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/maabrahams/ Chapters: (00:00) - Introduction (00:55) - Bridging Political Divides (04:08) - Navigating Confidence and Context (06:13) - Rethinking Leadership and Reputation (10:57) - 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. Learn more about how Notion https://www.notion.com/?utm_source=podcasts&utm_medium=thinkfast can support your business at notion.com/thinkfast. https://www.notion.com/?utm_source=podcasts&utm_medium=thinkfast Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be. https://learning.fastersmarter.io/?redirect_from=podpage

Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

• 0:00Matt Abrahams?

  In the moment, conflict is difficult for everyone. In our October newsletter, out now, you will learn ways to help yourself handle these challenges better. Not only do you get specific advice, we're also providing an infographic to help you remember. Find our newsletter on the Think Fast, Talk Smart LinkedIn page or at fastersmarter.io under Resources. What is better than getting advice and guidance on how to hone and develop your communication skills from one amazing knowledgeable guest? Getting that advice and guidance from four amazing guests. My name is Matt Abrahams, and I teach strategic communication at Stanford Graduate School of Business.

• 0:42Matt Abrahams?

  Welcome to Think Fast, Talk Smart, the podcast. In our first episode, I asked Naomi Bagdonas, Christian Wheeler, Nir Halevi, and Alison Kluger questions about their research, along with their thoughts on AI, and advice they had for all the leaders in the room. In this episode, you'll hear our panelists answer questions from our audience. So let's get started, and let's get learning. Well, you've heard from all of us answering questions that I came up with. I would love to hear us answer questions that you come up with.

• 1:16Speaker 01

  So hello, everyone. My name is Carlos Santos. I'm coming from Ecuador. My question is in regard to all of you, especially to Professor Wheeler, that talk about feeling uncomfortable. How can we be a bridge in these times of political polarization? And I think I really want your opinion on this.

• 1:34Matt Abrahams?

  So how can we embrace that discomfort and perhaps be a bridge to others while there's discomfort at play?

• 1:41Speaker 02

  Yeah, well, I think the key is, is to recognize that we as individuals are more than we as our group identities, first of all. You know, I feel there's a large tendency to dismiss or disqualify, or whatever the word is, individuals based on our assumptions about what they're like, based on some conclusions we've drawn about their identities. And what the research shows is that when we treat people as a group identity, we are often not receptive to them in the same way that we are if we treat them as individuals. And if you can bring that same level of curiosity that you do to other aspects of your life to this individual. Wonder why they feel that way. Ask them questions rather than try to persuade them.

• 2:26Speaker 02

  Engage with them with a goal of understanding rather than with a goal of changing them. To share your personal experiences rather than to share your political talking points. Research shows these are all behaviors that are associated with what researchers call receptiveness. This type of receptive dialogue makes people more receptive to us as well. And so it often begins with our approach towards engaging with that individual.

• 2:51Matt Abrahams?

  And I think to add to that, also acknowledging that this is uncomfortable is something that can be helpful, too.

• 2:57Speaker 02

  I feel like it's so easy for many of us. It is for me to, in my mind, hold caricatures of the other side, whatever that side may be. But yet, I love interacting with people from the other side as individuals when I encounter them. To be able to put those categories aside and just engage with that person. One of the things that we talk about in my class is letting go of things. We often think about things that we want to add. And this may be a context in which we think about things we might add to make that conversation go better. I would think of things that you can remove. And one of those things you can remove are your expectations about what this other person is going to be like. And these stories that you may have about why they are the way you, quote unquote, think that they are.

• 3:41Speaker 02

  And when you can put those expectations aside and engage with true curiosity, I think you're going to have a very different set of interactions.

• 3:47Matt Abrahams?

  Thank you. Nir, did you have something to add?

• 3:48Speaker 03

  Yeah, I would just add that in these conflict situations or potential conflict situations, it's important to rely on a diverse toolbox, right? So we can rely on our identities, our emotions, our relationships, our strategies, our ethics, right? And if we just focus on one bucket in this kind of five types of tools, then it's going to be quite challenging for us, right? And sometimes it's about building a relationship, right? So we're going with relationships. Sometimes it's about bringing fairness to the front, right? So ethics. Sometimes it's about planning ahead, right? That would be a strategy. Or regulating emotions. So if we have a diverse toolbox, I feel that we can rely on a lot of different tools to make it work. And that's important to keep in mind.

• 4:24Matt Abrahams?

  Very nice. Thank you. So rely on lots of different techniques. Excellent. Thank you. Other questions?

• 4:30Speaker 04

  Adrine Wyke, I'm currently living in Salt Lake City, Utah. I want to kind of focus on reputation or maybe perception and how you can help to differentiate when it's you or the room you're in. So, for example, it's taken me a long time to gain confidence and be direct and create this light that I don't necessarily want to dim. So how do you figure that out when it's me or the room I'm in?

• 5:00Speaker 05

  It's a great question. It's a different perspective than I'm used to. Usually, I just research before I go into any room because it's a higher stakes. My goal is always how am I going to serve my audience? Right? So it's not really about my light yet. What I really want to do is serve their needs and make sure they feel satisfied. So that will be research, asking about the demographic and even asking what are the expectations? I also will check in when I'm in a room speaking. I'll say, is that clear? Is there a question? And I love when I get pushed back on something that someone doesn't agree on or that they're confused. And in the moment, I'll be like, you know what? I don't know the answer to that, but I'm going to research and add it to my next presentation.

• 5:45Speaker 05

  So there's a bit of transparency. I think this also dovetails again into what Christian says. I don't go in hoping to be perfect. I go in hoping to make others feel better and enlighten them in some way, but also while being real. Because if I go in somewhere and think, oh, my reputation is riding on this and I better be perfect and I can't slip up, I'm not going to do a great job. I'm going to go in prepared. I'm going to go in knowing what I need to deliver and I'm just going to let it happen. So I think, don't overthink it, right? Know your worth. Know why you're going in to speak to somebody and think, instead of you, how can I serve others?

• 6:24Matt Abrahams?

  I like that question because it opens up reputation to not just be about something that you carry, but it's in the space that you are in as well. And that's an interesting way to look at it.

• 6:35Speaker 06

  My question is actually to Alison and Naomi, both of you, maybe. I have two questions probably on their combined. The first one is, you know, we all know of fearless leaders, but they're also the ones who are feared. So what I observed in my experience is, yes, reputation precedes you, but organizations are more or less just focused on outcomes and results. And as long as the leader is just delivering those, the reputation goes out of the window, to a certain extent, at least. So I want to know, is this assumption of mine right or wrong based on what I've heard both of you speak about? And the second question is, we also speak about authenticity and embracing our own authentic self, and it's okay to be the nail that sticks out, it's okay to be powerful,

• 7:20Speaker 06

  it's okay to express, you know, certain emotions the way you feel it. So sometimes I feel like where I'm rising up the ladder, there is a dichotomy to say, okay, which self do I really embrace? And then I understand the reputation, but then what is the definition of this reputation? Are we looking at good, bad? Because it can again be relative to what each one of us feels.

• 7:43Speaker 04

  I'd love to start with leaders who are fearless are feared. And the reason is, there's a lot of research that shows that leaders who create psychological safety, who make people feel safe and who don't cultivate a culture of fear are more effective. And especially in the domain of creating environments where joy and levity can flourish. So for example, research has shown that in a one-hour team meeting, if the leader sets a tone such that there is an instance of laughter, one instance of laughter in a one-hour meeting, that team is more likely to come up with more creative problem solving during that one hour. We also know that leaders with a sense of humor, by the way, any sense of humor, this is not my leader has a good sense of humor, this is my leader has a sense of humor, the bar is very low,

• 8:28Speaker 04

  which is very correlated with creating environments of psychological safety, are seen as more motivating and admired. Their teams are able to bounce back from setbacks more quickly, and they're able to diffuse tension in those moments as well. And so we often see, and again, this goes to this shift from, it used to be that leaders needed to be revered and even feared. And now we're finding that the ability for a leader to create environments that are safe, that cultivate creativity, that cultivate even joy and levity, are most effective.

• 9:02Speaker 05

  It's great. I agree with everything Naomi said. I'm going to address the quote, "Your reputation is like an echo that precedes you." Because the second part is, it's also what remains after you leave the room. And so, it's a two-parter. And I do think you can go in a room and just do a good job and be fine, and your reputation is fine. But I also believe that your reputation starts at the first point of contact. So if you're going into a room and you don't know a lot of people, they're going to make a judgment about you pretty quickly. And they're based on a few things, again, how you communicate, how you look, do you make them feel good? Are you smart? Are you delivering what they want? And it can lead to a fixed bias. And so you want that bias, whatever it is, to be positive.

• 9:46Speaker 05

  Now, people say, "Well, how do I know what lingers after I leave? Because I'm gone. I don't know what's there." But it will show up later in your life. Or even just at work, someone will say, "You know what? My friend went to that talk you gave, and they said you did such a great job. Here's my card. I would love to hire you for something else." So those murmurs that remain after you leave a room, they have weight, and they go to a secondary or tertiary audience. So I hope I'm answering your question correctly. Go in, be the best version of yourself. And the expectations that we all put on ourselves, well, we all want to do well. That's why we're all sitting here. But think about people reaching out to you after because they've heard good things about your work.

• 10:31Speaker 05

  And otherwise, I think, just go and do your best.

• 10:34Matt Abrahams?

  I think situational awareness is important behind this question. Different environments have put different value to different things that augment or detract from your reputation. And being aware of what those are, and then making conscious choices, as Allison is talking about, I think is what... You just have to see. If just being really good at closing deals, but alienating everybody else, maybe your reputation is good because you're closing deals, but the long-term effect of alienating everybody else might have a downside for you. So I think it's a calculus you have to do in that situation. We'll be right back to finish our conversation. But first, we're going to take a quick break for a word from our sponsors. Their support covers the cost of production, so we can bring you this show for free.

• 11:21Matt Abrahams?

  This podcast is sponsored by Squarespace. The best communicators don't just get their message across, they make it easy for people to know what to do next. Your website can do the same thing. With Squarespace, you can build a polished online presence that clearly shows people who you are, what you offer, and how they can work with you. If you offer coaching, consulting, classes, or other services, Squarespace lets you showcase those offerings, take payments, and use Acuity Scheduling so people can book time with you directly. And with built-in analytics, you can see how people are finding and engaging with your site, helping you make smarter decisions about where to focus. So your online presence doesn't just look professional, it helps people take action.

• 12:03Matt Abrahams?

  Go to Squarespace.com/thinkfast for a free trial. And when you're ready to launch, use offer code THINKFAST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. Hi, Matt here. Sometimes the biggest obstacle to getting something done isn't the idea, the plan, or even the budget. It's finding the right person to help you execute. And the longer that takes, the easier it is to lose momentum. That's where today's sponsor, Upwork, can help. Upwork gives businesses fast access to highly skilled freelance professionals across areas like marketing, design, software development, AI, and business operations. And with Business Plus, you can access the top 1% of talent on Upwork.

• 12:47Matt Abrahams?

  AI-powered shortlisting gives you a curated list of freelancers matched to your goals in under six hours. So you can spend less time searching for the right person and more time actually moving the work forward. Visit Upwork.com right now and post your job for free. That's Upwork.com to connect with top talent ready to help your business grow. That's U.P.W.O.R.K. com. Upwork.com. Let's say thank you to all of you for your time today. Thank you for your support. And thank you to these panelists for sharing their insight and their knowledge with us.

• 13:24Matt Abrahams?

  Thank you for joining us for this special Me2We live-recorded episode. Be sure to listen to both episodes for this event. To learn more, please listen to Allison Kluger in Episode 2, Naomi Bagdonas in Episode 13, Nir Halevi in Episode 30, Christian Wheeler in Episode 18. This episode was produced by Ryan Campos and me, Matt Abrahams. Our music is from Floyd Wonder. With special thanks to the Podium Podcast Company. Please find us on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts. Be sure to subscribe and rate us. Also, follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram. And check out FasterSmarter.io for deep-dive videos, English language learning content,

• 14:09Matt Abrahams?

  and our newsletter. Please consider our premium offering. You can find it at FasterSmarter.io/premium. Before we wrap up, I just want to say thank you for listening. It really means a lot to hear how people all over the world are using these ideas in their own lives. It inspires me and the whole team that brings you this show. If you want more episodes and resources, feel free to follow, subscribe, and explore past conversations. We're grateful for your support of Think Fast, Talk Smart.