by Communication can be challenging. We can say what we want clearly, yet the other person may still not get it. Have you ever given directions to turn left, and the person turns right? Sometimes we just get ideas stuck in our head, and we are not receptive to what the other person is saying. People can have “preconceived notions” which interfere with receiving new information. Adults save time by “skipping to the end.” We’ve heard it before (so we think) and we don’t tune in to what is being said.
One of the best strategies to mitigate this is the check for understanding by repeating back the message. Either you repeat back what was told to you, or you ask the other person to repeat back what they heard.