TED Business

What if kindness isn’t a soft skill — but a strategic one?

In this special episode from Think Fast, Talk Smart, host Matt Abrahams talks with management professor Bonnie Hayden Cheng about the business case for kindness. Her research on the “return on kindness” suggests that organizations grounded in compassion, candor, and trust often see stronger performance, deeper engagement, and healthier workplace cultures. Together, they explore how thoughtful communication shapes both relationships and results, and how small shifts can make a meaningful impact at work.

Think Fast, Talk Smart focuses on one of the most essential professional skills: communication. The podcast features conversations with leading researchers, authors, and practitioners who share practical, research-backed strategies you can use right away. Tune in twice a week for clear, actionable communication advice for virtually any professional situation.

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In 1999, a NASA mission to Mars failed ... not from a technical glitch, but because people weren't talking to each other. Psychology professor Tessa West explores how assumptions, overlooked details and "hidden languages" can quietly sabotage even the smartest teams — and explores the small shifts in communication that can make a big difference in how information lands. After the talk, Modupe urges you to be brave and ask for clarification and how it can help you feel more empowered in the workplace.
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What does it take to fly a plane? For TED Fellow Refilwe Ledwaba, it took perseverance and drive — and an instructor who took the time to teach to her learning style. Today, as founder of Girls Fly Africa, Ledwaba is empowering the next generation of pilots, particularly young women, with the engineering skills, professional networks and hands-on experience they need to take flight into a sky-high career.

After the talk, Modupe shares tips on how you can go the extra step as a mentor.
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Women's sports are surging in popularity around the world, with record-breaking viewership, attendance and revenue growth. And yet, social media algorithms still skew towards covering men's sports. Olympic rower Kate Johnson, who now leads global marketing strategy for sports and entertainment at Google, unpacks why this is still happening — and what it will take to level the playing field for women’s sports. Later, Modupe makes the case for why you should watch more women sports.
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Dr. BJ Miller was a college sophomore when a sudden electrical accident nearly took his life. After months in a hospital burn unit and multiple amputations, he emerged into a world that saw him — and treated him — differently. But that experience became the foundation for everything that followed.

Now a palliative care physician and one of the most compassionate voices in medicine, BJ is redefining what it means to live fully after loss and change. He challenges the very idea of “normal,” reminding us that disability isn’t a flaw to fix, but part of the human spectrum. His work invites us to expand our imagination of what it means to be alive, to belong, and to be whole.
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After the interview, Shoshana features a TED talk from Meghan Hussey on 4 Ways To Design a Disability-Friendly Future.

Join @beforewegopodcast on Instagram for more stories, behind-the-scenes moments, and reflections on living and dying.
Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast
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