Listen and check understanding · D3.12

Validate the understandable part

Someone is describing a difficult experience and you want to acknowledge it accurately.

Everyday practice

Try these steps

1. Listen for what happened and how they describe its effect.
2. Reflect the part you can understand using their words, without claiming you know exactly how they feel.
3. Ask whether you understood and what kind of response they want next.

An example

After making those plans, I can understand why the cancellation was disappointing. Have I got that right?

Reflect

Did they feel accurately understood, or did they correct something?

Next time

Use the correction rather than repeating a validation formula.