Communicating Well: A Fundamental Toolkit

Precision and Brevity.

A team member misses a deadline for the third time. communicating well: a fundamental toolkit

Giving instructions, making requests, or explaining a decision. Precision and Brevity

| Trap | Fix | | :--- | :--- | | | “I know they don’t like me.” → Ask: “How did my proposal land with you?” | | Filtering | Only hearing what you want to hear. → Paraphrase back what was said. | | Defensiveness | Responding to criticism with counter-criticism. → Use “I hear you” before “Here is my view.” | | The “Curse of Knowledge” | Assuming others know what you know. → Explain as if to a beginner. | | Trap | Fix | | :--- |

The Loop-back. Never assume you have been understood. Establish a habit of checking the circuit.

Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply. We are often simply waiting for the other person to stop talking so we can hit the "play" button on our own pre-recorded response.