The Nobel Explorers Ask Clarifying Questions

How often have you been talking to someone who just nods back, saying “Uh-huh, ok,” whereas to you it appears as if they may not have really understood your point?

When we work in a team it is crucial that everybody in the team operates with the same information and understands each other. Communicating clearly is something that sounds easy, but it can actually be tricky to put into practice. How can we make sure we communicate clearly? This gets even more important as the problems we solve grow in their complexity.

The solution is easy. Whenever someone is explaining a complex topic, we should stop them every time we don’t understand in order to double-check if our understanding is correct. This can be done simply by asking for further clarification or trying to summarize what was just said but in your own words. If you can’t do that, you can always ask for clarification.

Our Explorers are supported to practice the skill of asking clarifying questions on a daily basis during our Mini Project.

This can look as simple as “Can you please clarify your last point?”, or “I’m not sure I’m following now. Can you please explain that last point one more time?”. You can take it to the next level by summarizing main points in your own words, practicing real comprehension rather than recognition.

Asking questions like that will earn you your #AskClarifyingQuestions badge and will help your team progress faster.
We encourage you to practice this skill in your daily lives. Reach out if you have any questions and we will make sure to clarify them for you! If you need any clarification about your Explorer’s journey and growth, book a free session with me, Daria.