Paraphrasing. Repeating for understanding what the speaker is saying to confirm to the speaker that the listener is truly listening and that the message conveyed is the message received.
Paraphrasing a process of repetition of the essence of speaker’s feelings by the listener (coach) in the coach’s own words. Paraphrasing is a useful technique to evaluate understanding of what is being said, and is a restatement of the speaker’s message, and not just a repeating of the speaker’s words. If paraphrasing is done correctly, it will enhance the meaning and, in turn, contribute to the effectiveness of the communication. Both the speaker and the listener benefit from paraphrasing. The listener has the opportunity to gain a clearer understanding of the message, and avoid false assumptions, errors, and misinterpretations. The speaker also benefits because the listener is demonstrating interest in the topic and support of the speaker by caring enough to check the accuracy of perceptions.
