Shadowing Practice: Want To Make Your Ideas Stick? Make It Into A Meme! - Learn English Speaking with Video
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This Tech Tools miniseries is brought to you by Prezi, the presentation tool that makes your ideas easy to follow, hard to forget, and faster than ever to create with Prezi AI.
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The best investment is in the tools of one's own trade.
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At Think Fast Talk Smart, we're taking this quote by Benjamin Franklin, the famous U .S inventor and founding father, very seriously.
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As you know, our show strives to share tips and techniques to help you hone and improve your communication and careers.
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These practices and approaches can be augmented with tools and technology.
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I'm Matt Abrahams.
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I teach strategic communication at Stanford Graduate School of Business.
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Welcome to this Tech Tools miniseries of Think Fast, Talk Smart, the podcast.
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In this multi -part miniseries, we'll introduce you to tools we use at Think Fast, Talk Smart to help us be better at our spoken and written communication.
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And you'll learn best practices from the founders who created them.
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Taken together, we hope these communication tools will help you find new ways to think fast and talk smart.
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I am super excited today to speak with Yuki Yamashita, who is Figma's chief product officer.
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Yuki, welcome.
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Thanks for joining me.
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Thank you for having me.
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Some of our listeners might not know what Figma is.
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Can you share what your product is using the elevator pitch structure I teach my students?
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What if you could?
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So that, for example, and that's not all.
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Do you want to give that a try?
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So what if you could visualize any idea you have in your head
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and immediately collaborate on it in real time with others so that you and your team, if you have one, can make digital experiences like apps and websites together end -to -end?
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For example, you can brainstorm an idea on a digital whiteboard, bring it into a design infinite canvas,
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present that vision in a deck and actually get it built end -to -end.
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And that's not all.
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People have found other creative ways to use Figma, like stirring a visual resume or planning a trip or wedding, or even arranging an apartment floor plane.
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That was a great use of that structure.
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You get an A+.
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I'm curious, Yuki, what led you to join Figma?
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There's the practical reason and kind of the philosophical reason.
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So the practical reason was I was working at Uber before my time at Figma.
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I happened to be on a team that experimentally brought Figma into the company.
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And this is a time
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when we were trying to de -silo all the product work that's going on
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and get the rest of the company knowing what's happening inside of the product world.
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So it was a perfect fit for that.
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They got to see firsthand how it spread virally, got everyone involved, but maybe even more importantly, it embodied a philosophy that I always had around design,
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which is that design shouldn't be just designer's consideration.
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I was a product manager for most of my career
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and oftentimes had to dig through Dropbox files to find that right PNG.
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And then if I wanted to edit it, I needed to gain access to some other application or just, you know, go to Photoshop and make some edits.
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Figma took the point of view that I had, which is that over time, these boundaries between functions that should be blurred or artificial,
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design is something that everyone should be participating in.
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I saw Figma champion that worldview early on, and I was really excited by it.
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Great.
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So it was a practical experience that lined up with your philosophical approach that led you to join.
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You and Figma have thought a lot about visualizing and communicating ideas.
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What are some of the best practices you've identified for visualization and communicating effectively?
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I think the first thing that comes to mind is the idea
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that people usually have only a couple takeaways that they can bring home or bring to other people.
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For example, if it's a pitch deck, there's that one slide that people remember or
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that one framework to describe what your product is about or maybe what problem you're solving.
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And so I spend a disproportionate amount of time trying to distill
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that discussion or the thesis into something visual that people can remember.
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And sometimes I describe it almost as a meme, you know, like people have such short attention spans.
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They're often multitasking when they're consuming information.
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So there's just this one meme that they can take away.
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And maybe that's a really well articulated insight.
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Maybe it's a very provocative problem.
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Maybe it's a visual that you want to keep using over and over again.
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But those are the things that I think about most when I think about storytelling and visual storytelling.
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It almost sounds like there's an emotional connection to the image.
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Is that something you think a lot about as you think about leveraging images to help people focus and remember?
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I think so.
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Because oftentimes, for example, I remember maybe when I was back at Uber, I was responsible for the Rider app.
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And the Rider app had a lot of issues.
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When you're getting into a car, there's all things that can go wrong.
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And it's very easy for people to just bring up the thousands of different issues
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that they want my team to fix, for example.
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But if you can distill it down to actually...
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There are four stages to a pickup.
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You need to do this and then that.
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Then all of a sudden, you've given everyone a vocabulary, right?
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And then that is the very same visual framework that people might use in their own teams to slot in, oh, here are my problems and goals.
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And all of a sudden, you've kind of discretized this ambiguous space into something.
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It's really just language.
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And it just happens to be that we've given it something visual or given it words that are memorable.
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Often people call it a framework, but that's really essentially what it is.
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I'm a huge fan of frameworks when it comes to communication.
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I think it really helps.
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In fact, you leverage the pitch framework that I like to teach.
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But I like this idea of distilling processes down into their core components
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and then thinking about what's the best way to visually represent this information.
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In essence, what you said is it gives you a different vocabulary beyond just words.
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It gives you a visual vocabulary, and I like that a lot.
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Now we're going to take a quick break.
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Thanks for supporting the partners who help us share smart communication with the world.
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Here's a quick message.
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The hardest part of presenting isn't knowing what to say.
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It's keeping people with you so they leave convinced.
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That's why I've been a longtime Prezi user and love it.
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It's my favorite tool for giving memorable talks, and it can help you do the same.
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Prezi is a presentation tool that makes your ideas easy to follow and hard to forget, not just slide after slide.
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With Prezi AI, you can turn any idea into a presentation that's clear, engaging, and ready to share with no design skills needed,
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so you can focus on delivering it with confidence.
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Try it now with 25 % off exclusively at prezi .com slash thinkfast.
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That's prezi .com slash thinkfast, or check the link in the show notes while the offer lasts.
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Before we end, I'd like to ask you the same two questions that I'm asking everyone who's part of this miniseries.
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Who is a communicator that you admire and why?
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One communicator who comes to mind is actually my first professor of computer science.
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His name is David Millen.
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He runs his introductory to computer science course that's also available online for anyone to take.
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And I admire him for two reasons.
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One is he never says, um, it's always just so fluid, even while navigating some of the most complex topics.
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And it comes from a lot of practice, but it's just really impressive.
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And the second is really able to make the most complicated things relatable
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and is actually managed to make computer science theatrical almost.
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It's really fun to watch and inspiring, especially from the perspective of a student who, based on that, may or may not pick up the skill.
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One, I love that you picked a professor.
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I think our profession can use all the help we can get.
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I appreciate that anybody can now go check out that course.
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When you said that one thing that stood out to you is that he made things relatable and engaging, were there particular techniques he used?
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You said theatrical.
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What does that mean?
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I'm just curious.
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I'm always interested in how does somebody take something which is rather complex, like coding, and make it engaging and accessible?
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For example, he was teaching the idea of binary search.
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He would pick up a dictionary and say, hey, let's talk about linear versus binary search.
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Linear search means that you're going, and maybe it was a phone directory, and I could tell you, hey, go find John Smith, but start from the beginning and just flip through every page.
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That's linear search.
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Conversely, I could tell you to do binary search, and he took a directory, he ripped it in half, looked at the name, discarded half, kept ripping in half, and he could get to John Smith much faster.
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And that's such a visual and evocative way to understand what binary search is really about.
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Yeah.
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So he showed you, used an analogy.
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I love that.
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That's great.
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He must've been very strong to be ripping phone books in half.
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All right.
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Question number two, beyond your tool, what is one communication hack tool or shortcut that you use to help yourself be more effective?
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I think it's going to come back to the idea of forming a meme.
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It sounds like a very trivializing thing to do, but I've just kind of realized that even as leaders in a company, you find that people start repeating things,
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phrases that they've heard, that they've picked up that make them maybe sound smart or is a little bit counterintuitive or evocative, and therefore you want to spread it more.
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I mentioned spending a disproportionate amount of time honing in on what is a way to express this insight
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that makes people want to repeat it?
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Or what is the way to visualize it so that they would want to reuse it over and over again?
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I really spend 80 % of the time kind of coming it down to like, what is that one thing that's going to spread virally?
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I think that's actually really cool. To me, memifying something based on what you've said is really about finding what is most relevant
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and what is most likely to be reused.
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And if you use those two ideas, relevance and reuse as a guide, it can really help you focus.
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Yuki, this has been really insightful.
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I really appreciate not just you sharing what your tool does, which is very helpful for collaboration and visualization,
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but also your approach and the way you think about these challenges
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and how people can be more creative and make better decision -making.
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Thanks for joining us.
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Thank you for having me.
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Thank you for joining us for one of our Communication Tools episodes of Think Fast, Talk Smart, the podcast.
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Please be sure to listen to all of the episodes in this mini -series.
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We appreciate Prezi's sponsorship of these episodes.
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This episode was produced by Catherine Reed, Ryan Campos, and me, Matt Abrahams.
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Our music is from Floyd Wonder, with special thanks to Podium Podcast Company.
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Please find us on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.
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Be sure to subscribe and rate us.
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Follow us on LinkedIn, TikTok, and Instagram.
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And check out Fastersmarter .io for deep dive videos, English language learning content, and our newsletter.
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Please consider our premium offering for extended Deep Thinks episodes, Ask Matt Anythings, and much more at fastersmarter .io slash premium.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “Want To Make Your Ideas Stick? Make It Into A Meme!”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: tool, Figma, visual, communication. This video has 155 sentences and 2043 words to shadow. The speech runs for 11:24. The speaker talks at a natural 179 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 82% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| framework noun | /ˈfɹeɪm.wɜːk/ | A support structure comprising joined parts or conglomerated particles and intervening open spaces of similar or larger size. |
| podcast noun | /ˈpɑdˌkæst/ | A program, especially an audio program, produced on a regular basis, delivered over the Internet in a compressed digital format and designed for playback on… |
| binary adjective | /ˈbaɪ.nə.ɹi/ | Being in one of two mutually exclusive states. |
| practical adjective | /ˈpɹæk.tɪ.kəl/ | Relating to, or based on, practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis. |
| pitch noun | /pɪt͡ʃ/ | A throw; a toss; a cast, as of something from the hand. |
| engage verb | /ɪnˈɡeɪd͡ʒ/ | To engross or hold the attention of; to keep busy or occupied. |
| presentation noun | /ˌpɹɛzn̩ˈteɪʃn̩/ | The act of presenting, or something presented. |
| slide noun | /ˈslaɪ̯d/ | An item of play equipment that children can climb up and then slide down again. |
| rip verb | /ɹɪp/ | To divide or separate the parts of (especially something flimsy, such as paper or fabric), by cutting or tearing; to tear off or out by violence. |
| linear adjective | /ˈlɪn.i.əɹ/ | Having the form of a line; straight or roughly straight; following a direct course. |
| meme noun | /miːm/ | Any unit of (originally cultural) information, such as a practice or idea, that is transmitted verbally or by repeated action from one mind to another in a… |
| vocabulary noun | /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/ | A usually alphabetized and explained collection of words e.g. of a particular field, or prepared for a specific purpose, often for learning. |
| technique noun | /tɛkˈniːk/ | The practical aspects of a given art, occupation etc.; formal requirements. |
| curious adjective | /ˈkjʊɹ.i.əs/ | Tending to ask questions, or to want to explore or investigate; inquisitive; (with a negative connotation) nosy, prying. |
| deck noun | /ˈdɛk/ | Any raised flat surface that can be walked on: a balcony; a porch; a raised patio; a flat rooftop. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| pick up verb | To lift; to grasp and raise. | |
| check out verb | To record the departure or withdrawal of someone or something (such as guests, employees, books, etc.). | |
| bring up verb | To mention. | |
| flip through verb | Synonym of thumb (“to turn the pages of (a book) in order to read it cursorily”). | |
| take away verb | /ˌteɪk əˈweɪ/ | To remove something and put it in a different place. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- What if you could?
- Do you want to give that a try?
- It's keeping people with you so they leave convinced.
- Who is a communicator that you admire and why?
- I think that's actually really cool.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | have found · have thought · you've identified |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is brought · can be augmented · should be blurred |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | had, which is · something which is · does, which is |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 28 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, you've, you're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: theatrical /θiˈætɹɪkəl/, thesis /ˈθisɪs/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: presentation /ˌpɹɛzn̩ˈteɪʃn̩/, essentially /ɪˈsɛnʃəli/, collaboration /kəˌlæbəˈɹeɪʃən/, consideration /kənˌsɪd.əˈɹeɪ.ʃən/, artificial /ˌɑː.tɪˈfɪʃ.əl/
- Long words — get the stress right: vocabulary /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/, communicate /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/, philosophical /ˌfɪl.əˈsɑ.fɪ.kl̩/, directory /dɪˈɹɛktəɹi/, theatrical /θiˈætɹɪkəl/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like framework, podcast, binary.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.