 Utilizing the repeat-back strategy of communications is a time-tested tool used in manufacturing, the military, and other areas of work where safety is paramount. Ensuring a direction or an order is understood by having the receiver repeat back what was said is an effective way to ensure that the details in the directive were understood. In hearing the directive repeated back, the supervisor can then confirm or correct as needed. This technique can be equally as important when used as an everyday leadership tool and I suspect we've all seen effective leaders use this technique. A good way to go about this is to ask people, so what did you hear me say? What we find is that people often hear what they expect you to say based on experience or their own biases and don't actually hear what you said. More subtly but even more importantly, the meaning of more complex ideas and decisions can be literally lost in translation as they pass through our own filters and biases to the listener who is doing the same with different filters. How many times have we asked ourselves after such conversations, did I actually say that? Repeating back can reveal a great deal about the effectiveness of our communications as leaders. Lead well this week.