Our hosts discuss Thinking, Fast and Slow, a 2011 popular science book by psychologist Daniel Kahneman.

It’s kind of wild that the name “John Marston” belongs to both the gunslinging protagonist of Red Dead Redemption and a sophomore at Harvard who participated in a happiness research study. Speaking of Harvard, I should mention—it’s my alma mater, which, as we all know, is Latin for “fertile young mother.”

In the final episode of the Supercommunicator Book Club, we’re tackling loneliness, high-bandwidth conversations, and the meaning of life. #Communication #Harvard

I love how little kids are masters of radical honesty. They’ll look you dead in the eyes and tell you that your Oakley sunglasses make your head look like a marshmallow—completely unfazed by the fact that you are their camp counselor, literally holding their lives in your hands.

Today’s episode dives into a cringe-worthy, not-so-Supercommunicator-level blunder from a legendary company that never quite grew out of its “marshmallow head” phase. We’re looking at you, Netflix! Let’s break down some guidelines for having tough conversations—and how Netflix managed to crawl out of the hole it dug itself into.

#netflix #communications #difficultconversations

We all learned long ago that our social identity is not our job title. I mean, I genuinely feel for all those doctors—of medicine, philosophy, juris, chiro, etc.—whose entire ego is wrapped up in their profession. Still, everyone has an identity of some kind, and sometimes just being aware of a negative stereotype about a group we belong to can mess with how we perform.

In grad school, I took to heart a quote about how our prosperity, freedoms, and civilization depend on the quality of our leaders and the courage to face facts and find solutions—whether in energy, the environment, the economy, or national security. This truth guided my early career. One day, the truth itself gets lost.

"⁠It is a tribute to the American people that our leaders perceived that they had to lie to us, it is not a tribute to us that we were so easily misled."

- Daniel Ellsberg⁠

Flame war time! In one corner, we’ve got your classic anonymous Reddit troll, armed with downvotes and way too much time. In the other corner, an anonymous Twitter tough guy, throwing hashtags like punches. Who will win in this in-person, Nickelodeon-style jello wrestling match to the death?

To state the obvious, we live in a polarized society where working with someone who has strong opinions is basically inevitable. In this Book Club episode, we break down how Supercommunicators navigate this battlefield. They understand the two layers of conflict and can get both sides talking without any jello involved. The secret? A little technique called “Looping” #difficultconversations #polarization

I grew up on Must-See-TV, with Seinfeld nights every Thursday on NBC. One of my life goals? Make a show about absolutely nothing. Picture this: some kid gets called to the front of the class to give a speech, but he’s got zero prep, no plan—just pure panic. Now imagine stretching that awkward moment into an entire show… about one single word. It’s basically procrastination in primetime.

Alright, you internet cyborgs, did you know that how you laugh can literally make or break a high-stakes job interview with an executive? And making friends at work? It’s no different than those late-night pow-wows freshman year when you stayed up until 5 AM bonding over questionable life choices.

Honestly, I debated posting this because, as a naturally-born Supercommunicator, explaining this stuff is like teaching someone how to walk or pop up on a surfboard. I barely think about it—it just happens, like some spontaneous magic trick. But, for those of you who aren’t telepathically blessed with instant social skills, here’s the breakdown: How to Make Friends—according to the Supercommunicators Book Club. #emotionalintelligence

As a child of the ‘90s, I was obsessed with Dream Teams. Maybe that’s why I’m now a full-blown OCD adult when it comes to working with A-players. (Seriously, if you can’t hang with the ’96 Bulls vibe, what are we even doing here?) Being a master trial lawyer isn’t just about throwing around logic and data—it’s about connecting with the jury on a human level.

In this episode, we dive into how Supercommunicators—aka conversation ninjas—instinctively know to ask, “What’s this really about?” during a convo. And how you can use that skill in everyday life, whether you’re trying to strike up a chat with a stranger, or drop some bad news on someone you care about… without getting side-eyed for the rest of eternity. #communication

In the 2001 classic Spy Game, a grizzled CIA lifer played by Robert Redford recruits a young-ish Brad Pitt to head to Lebanon and take pictures of Hezbollah… while rocking a San Diego Padres baseball cap. Seriously? That’s his idea of “blending in”?

In the 2024 book Supercommunicators, we meet an equally clueless CIA recruiter who teaches himself to become a better listener and conversationalist. We’ll dive deep into his transformation—and discuss the “3 Kinds of Conversation” in a way that would make even a Padres fan blend in…