Do you want communication to be pleasant, bringing together and productive? Build your communication skills. For example, the “paraphrasing” skill will help you better understand your partner and maintain warm contact with him.
Rephrasing is the spelling in your own words of a message from your communication partner.
The “paraphrase” technique has several communication goals:
- To clarify the thought of a partner Thanks to the fact that you rephrased his words, he has a chance to correct you. After all, sometimes it happens that in communication we misunderstand each other, but we do not always have the opportunity and desire to correct the error.
- Show your partner that you understand and listen carefully and his words are not indifferent to you. To paraphrase, you show empathy and strengthen psychological contact between you.
- To help the partner focus on the essence of his story and develop his thoughts. With paraphrasing, you promote your partner in self-understanding.
To paraphrase should be brief and to the point. No need to try to completely retell everything that the partner in the communication told you. Limit yourself to the truly important for both of you. Paraphrasing will be more successful if you speak the language of the partner, that is, call things the same names as he.
A common mistake in paraphrasing is a mechanically accurate repetition of the words of a communication partner. When you repeat other people's words, rather than trying to say the same thing in your own words, then you negate the positive effect of using paraphrasing. There is a risk that it will become annoying for your partner and the relationship will deteriorate.
It will be difficult to rephrase at first. But constant training will allow you to quickly develop this useful communication skill.
Warn your partner that you want to train your communication skills in dealing with him. This will relieve the tension between you that may appear if you are not very skillfully paraphrasing.