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MAKING CERTAIN THE MESSAGE STICKS
CHAPTER 11
CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING
The focus of this book has been on the active process of communicating—
speaking, writing, delivering, and planning. However, while it is true that
communications is an active process, it is also true that much of communica-
tions involves the leader’s pausing to check for understanding. Leadership
communications is a two-way process, and leaders must listen to what their
people are saying. It is not enough to deliver the message; it is also important
to determine how people are receiving it. Furthermore, communications
involves retaining the message, with the implication that something is done
with the information received.
Two groups that have had some success in demonstrating how leaders can
be more attentive are the military and the medical community. The U.S. Army
has a tradition of the brief-back, asking a subordinate to put in his or her own
words what the commander has just said. This is a simple method that has
enormous implications. Asking the soldier to put the orders into his or her
own words accomplishes two things: One, it confirms the soldier’s under-
standing of the original order, and two, it affirms what the soldier will do as a
result of the order, specifically how he or she will execute the order. The brief-
back can work in situations large and small. For example, a master sergeant
who is responsible for maintenance on an Apache helicopter can give the
orders of the day regarding what the crew is to do in the way of maintaining
and repairing the chopper. To ensure that everyone understands, the master
sergeant may ask one or two of the crew members to repeat what was said.
Likewise, during a live-fire training exercise, a junior officer may be asked by
the colonel to interpret the orders and say what the platoon will do. In both
instances, the communications are critical; mistakes in helicopter mainte-
nance or a live-fire exercise can be fatal. Both situations require absolute clar-
ity, and it is up to the leaders, those giving the orders, to ensure that everyone
understands her or his role.
Physicians, likewise, check their patient’s understanding when they do a
patient history or begin a diagnosis. They ask questions of the patient to make
certain they understand what the patient is experiencing, e.g., pain when,
where, and for how long? Likewise, after they have made a diagnosis and pre-
scribed either a therapy or a pharmaceutical or both, doctors explain the
implications and lay out the course of action. Once upon a time doctors
skimped on the explanation of the therapy because their options may have
been limited and the nurse would always fill in the details. Today many physi-
cians adopt a consultative approach, not only involving the patient in the deci-
sion making about available therapies, but also answering the patient’s
questions. They also ensure that they or their nurses can follow up on the
details when questions arise.