The Power of Paraphrasing

1. When you paraphrase what the other person says, they know you are listening to them.

2. When you are paraphrasing you are checking that you heard the other person correctly.

3. If you have not heard the person correctly, they can correct you.

4. When you paraphrase the other person becomes a better listener, because people like to listen to their own point of view.

5. When you paraphrase you are working on creating empathy with the other person. The other person believes you are sincerely trying to understand them.

6. People often think they have said something because they heard themselves say it in their mind. Paraphrasing lets the other person know what you believe they said, and if they believe you heard incorrectly, they will correct you.

7. People listening in on the conversation also have a clear understanding of what the other person is thinking or trying to convey.

8. People will usually treat us the same way we treat them. So the benefits of paraphrasing, as listed above, can lead the other person to de-escalate, and they will then give you time to explain or discuss your perspective with them.

9. Paraphrasing etches the facts of the discussion in your mind.

These are some examples of the power of “Paraphrasing,” taking from the book

“Verbal Judo” by George J. Thompson, PH.D, and Jerry B. Jenkins.