PARAPHRASE THE SPEAKER’S WORDS
Reiterate what the person has just said and paraphrase it in your own words. This is the “acid test” of listening. This is where you demonstrate that you were really listening closely to what the other person was saying, rather than smiling politely while being preoccupied with your own thoughts.
You can say something like, “Let me make sure I understand exactly where you’re coming from. . . ,” and then go on to rephrase what the other person has just said. When the other person agrees that, yes, you really do understand what she was trying to say, you can then reply with your own comments or observations.
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