When using clarification follow these guidelines to help aid communication and understanding.
- Admit if you are unsure about what the speaker means.
- Ask for repetition.
- State what the speaker has said as you understand it, and check whether this is what they really said.
- Ask for specific examples.
How do you politely ask someone to clarify?
Tips for asking for clarification
- Admit you need clarification. Admitting you need more information makes the next step much easier for the person you ask.
- Don’t blame the other person. Own your confusion.
- Summarize.
- Be specific.
What are clarification techniques?
When using clarification, the counselor has the client clarify vague or ambiguous thoughts, feelings or behaviors by asking the client to restate what s/he has just said or by stating to the client what the counselor has understood the client to have said.
What is asking for clarification?
When you ask someone for clarification, you are asking them to say something in a different way or provide more information so that you understand them better. This is different from asking a person to repeat something. Or maybe you think you know what the person means but want to make sure that you are correct.
Can you please clarify meaning?
To “clarify” something that you said means to make it clear. When you’ve said something that might be confusing or was misunderstood, you “clarify” your statement by saying it again in a new way and adding more details.
Why is seeking clarification important?
Seeking clarification. Being an assertive communicator will help ensure that you fully understand what is required, which will help resolve miscommunication between the people involved in a meeting, project, or scope of work. Clarification helps boost communication, team effectiveness, and organisational culture.
When to ask for clarification from someone else?
Sometimes we need clarification when we want to get a better handle on where others are coming from. Asking clarifying questions shows that you’re actively listening and want to understand. The best questions are open-ended. They allow the person to expand on the topic rather than giving a simple yes or no response.
What’s the purpose of asking a clarifying question?
The goal of asking a clarifying question is to get additional information so that we fully understand the sender’s intended message – what they meant to say, which is not always just what they actually said. Also, these types of clarifying questions should be “heart-based” questions.
What do you need to know about clarification skills?
See our pages: Questioning and Types of Question for more information. Clarification is the skill we use to ensure that we have understood the message of the speaker in an interpersonal exchange. When using clarification follow these guidelines to help aid communication and understanding. Admit if you are unsure about what the speaker means.
How does clarification help the speaker and the listener?
Through clarification it is possible for the speaker and the listener to make sense of these often confused and complex issues. Clarifying involves genuineness on the listener’s part and it shows speakers that the listener is interested in them and in what they have to say.
