Getting Ahead Professionally: Reading It Back
The biggest thing that will propel you forward in the professional world is your ability to communicate and work with others. Today, I’m going to share with you one of the tricks I use to get ahead in the professional world with my communication: Reading It Back.
Before I tell you exactly what I mean when I say, “reading it back”, some context is important. I have a terrible memory at times; many days I forget what I ate for breakfast (if I had anything). On top of this, I can get distracted easily, which presents an even bigger challenge when I need to remember something in the heat of conversation with my coworkers and clients. Everyone has this problem to some degree and it’s important for you to know that even if you or someone else requests something in a conversation, it can get lost in the communication. I noticed this to be an issue with myself at times as well as with my clients on occasion. So, I implemented this “reading it back” strategy to ensure that key requests do not slip through the cracks.
What Does It Mean?
Reading It Back is what I call my personal strategy of reading, writing, and repeating requests during a conversation to make sure everyone is on the same page at the end. Depending on the situation, this could involve:
Repeating the request out loud as it is said aloud (for my memory).
Keeping a checklist of talking points and notes during the conversation as everything is going on.
Reading that list out loud at the end of the conversation (comparing notes as necessary) and giving everyone else a chance to confirm, amend, or add any requests.
Undertaking these steps develops a cycle of repetition that allows me to better understand what I am asking for while ensuring nothing gets overlooked by the end. One benefit that I noticed is that allowing a recap where both parties get to clarify any requests creates a more friendly environment for requesting small details that can get glossed over in the initial conversation. There have been many times where I forget to mention a specific detail that I need from a certain report in my original request that happened during a conversation 5 minutes ago. Having that talk at the end of the conversation allows me to say “For this schedule, could we also be sure to add ________” without any fear that the detail was lost in the middle of the conversation, or forgotten by one party entirely.
With 100% of my work being remote now because of COVID, I spend a lot of time on the phone to facilitate communication and getting things done. By consciously reading it back at the end of my important phone calls, I have dramatically increased my efficiency in communications and my team’s overall productivity as a result. I challenge you to do the same!