Some leaders are humble and have a high level of tolerance, others stand out for their charisma and social skills and others are recognized for their great commitment and responsibility. But to be a great leader you have to be an effective communicator.  However, effective communication doesn't always require the exchange of words. Sometimes, it's best to simply be present, listen and try to establish a better connection. It takes a passionate leader to create that connection, which paves the way for learning and growth.  In this episode of Fifth Dimensional Leadership, I interview Matt Abrahams. Matt is a passionate, collaborative, and innovative educator and coach. He teaches Effective Virtual Communication and Essentials of Strategic Communication at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business. In our conversation, Matt talks about how communication creates connections that unlock opportunities to learn, grow, and be challenged.   Matt is also Founder and Principal at Think Fast Talk Smart LLC, a presentation and communication skills company based in Silicon Valley that helps people improve their presentation skills.    Matt is writing his second book, Think Fast Talk Smart: How to think and speak brilliantly in impromptu situations, and the third edition of his book Speaking Up Without Freaking Out, a book written to help the millions of people who want to present more confidently and convincingly. He also hosts the GSB podcast called Think Fast Talk Smart, and he curates the NoFreakingSpeaking.com website.   Matt received his undergraduate degree in psychology from Stanford University, his graduate degree in communication studies from the University of California at Davis, and his secondary education teaching credential from San Francisco State University. Things you will also learn in this episode: What the “Rule of Lung” is and how to manage anxiety  How to master “spontaneous speaking” Why “Yes/And” is a helpful framework and mindset How introverted leaders  can help organizations The impact of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion on communication. Why feedback is an invitation to problem solve Quotes   “We do need to have some level of judgment and evaluation, but we evaluate and judge so much that we actually inhibit ourselves from doing anything.” - Matt Abrahams   “‘Yes/And’ leads to building opportunity and collaboration; ‘No’ shuts that down.” - Matt Abrahams   “Our communication follows from our mindset. The mindset we have dictates the way we communicate.” - Matt Abrahams   “The things that we can do as coaches, mentors, and friends is focus on the effort and help people realize the improvement that they’re making.” - Matt Abrahams   “The most important thing you can do in communication is listen.” - Matt Abrahams “Find things in your life that are scary-fun! You get to decide how scary and how fun you want to have, but both of those are good guides.” - Matt Abrahams “Communication is more than just transactional exchange of information, there’s a human connection that has to happen.”- Matt Abrahams