Short YouTube advice from Roger Sitkins (May 30, 2024) recommending the three-word prompt “Help me understand” as a conversational technique. The phrase is presented as a way for leaders and client-facing professionals to invite assistance, reduce defensiveness, gain clarity about unmet commitments, and surface underlying needs or frustrations.
Chapters
Hey, leaders, whether agency leaders leading your clients, there are three really powerful words that you can use to help gain clarity and understanding and impact in conversations. Ready for the three words? Help me understand? Help me understand. Certainly in working with team members in terms of accountability, these are three very powerful words. Why? Well, most people, when you hear the words help me are willing to help. Secondly, understand, which means I want to first understand the situation versus jump down your throat and tell you what you should do. Okay. So when you're leading people and you have conversations, you say, you know, we've talked so much about this particular thing that we thought you were going to do. Help me understand what's going on here. Help me understand why you're not doing the things you said you're going to do. Now, again, depends on the situation. But you can also use this with your clients. Help me understand why you're frustrated with this. Help me understand what you truly want in this situation. But these three words are super powerful in communication. Use them to gain clarity, understanding, and impact in your conversations. Have a good one.