How To Communicate Effectively - Interview With Matt Abrahams

3 min read
Vlad Kovalskiy
April 21, 2015
Last updated: July 10, 2019
How To Communicate Effectively  - Interview With Matt Abrahams
Matt Abrahams is a passionate, collaborative and innovative educator and coach who teaches Strategic Communication for Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business and Presentation Skills for Stanford’s Continuing Studies Program, and De Anza College. He has published research articles on cognitive planning, persuasion, and interpersonal communication. Matt is also Co-Founder of Bold Echo Communication Solutions, which is an industry leading communication coaching consulting practice. Matt recently published Speaking Up Without Freaking Out, a book written to help the millions of people who suffer from anxiety around speaking in public.

039048ed9570af23e2d1dc5f68f463b2.jpeg

What is the number one problem for communications inside companies in your experience?

MA: The number one communication problem within companies is the sheer volume of it. There are so many channels of communication (phone, text, email, conference calls, chats, etc) that people are inundated with messages. Prioritizing and acting on this communication is hectic, sporadic, and at the worst, chaotic.

What is the number one problem for communications between companies and their clients?

MA: The number one issue between clients and companies is making the message stand out to get the client's attention. Clients have so many different internal and external messages coming at them, it is challenging to get the audience to pay attention.

How is the advent of digital workplace changing communications? What important trends do you see coming in, say, the next 5-10 years?

MA: Clearly digital communication has provided the opportunity for communication to be more timely, inclusive, and precise. The challenge is the amount of the communication and the noise. New tools in the next 5-10 years will help us prioritize and manage this communication more effectively. We are already seeing calendars that allow chat and collaborative messaging tools.

What are your favourite communication tools right now? Are there any that you feel are really underused or under appreciated?

MA: I appreciate tools that integrate multiple business functions. I highly leverage a calendaring tool that allows me to text, call and pull in emails.

Which communications skills do you believe aren’t affected by any upcoming changes in technology and therefore should be learned by any communication professional?

MA: Regardless of technological advancements, communicators need to learn to adapt their messages to the needs of their audience and context. Further, they need to learn how to structure messages to be relevant, compelling, and concise.

Which resources (blogs, books, videos, podcasts) do you recommend to our readers who want to learn to communicate effectively?

MA: Books, blogs, videos, podcasts, classes and Toastmasters are all very effective ways to learn and hone communication skills. Please check out my book and blog.

Thank you for the interview.

Most Popular
Inside Teamexpansion's Transformation: The Role of Bitrix24's Innovation Commitment
Beyond the Click: How Bitrix24 and Google Docs Integration Enhances Team Collaboration
Staying Ahead: Transforming Customer Relationships With Proactive CRM
Managing Leads with Mobile CRM: A Guide to Staying Connected
Bitrix24 Spring 2024 Live Webinars
You may also like
articles
webinars
glossary

Free. Unlimited. Online.

Bitrix24 is a place where everyone can communicate, collaborate on tasks and projects, manage clients and do much more.

Start for free
You may also like
Product Properties In Deals
Bitrix24 tips and updates
Product Properties In Deals
1 min read
Bitrix24 Wins Gold Badge at SoftwareReviews Knowledge Management
Bitrix24 Wins Gold Badge at SoftwareReviews Knowledge Management
2 min read
Partner Webinars This January
Partner Webinars This January
1 min read