A Powerful Tool For Active Listening

𝗠𝘆 𝗙𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗧𝗶𝗽 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴

Paraphrasing followed by a close-ended question is my favorite tool for better listening because it forces us to actively listen and ensures that we actually heard what the speaker was intending for us to hear.
 
𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗮 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲-𝗘𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

Effective paraphrasing clarifies understanding before moving forward with the conversation. Start paraphrasing from the “I” perspective so that your conversation partner knows you own your perception of what they said. Your perception could be different than what the speaker said or intended to say.

Close-ended questions typically lead to “yes” or “no” answers, which will either confirm alignment or uncover misunderstanding. I prefer to use negative poll questions that invite the person to update my perspective. Below are a couple of examples:
• What did I misunderstand?
• Is there anything that I missed?
• Do I understand this correctly?

This practice shows transparency, builds trust, and allows for adjustment of your assumptions if needed. People interacting with someone who Paraphrases and Asks Close-Ended Questions tend to feel heard, respected, and valued.