- Evaluating
- Judging/evaluating – say what is right or wrong, good or bad, passes judgment
- “That was stupid!” “That’s right!”
- Advising/solving – shares advice/offers a solution
- “If I were you I would…” “Why don’t you…”
- Interpreting
- Analyze, explain or teach the sender about the cause
- “She probably did this because…”
- Supporting
- Reassure, pacify or comfort
- “If there is any way I can help…”
- Questioning
- Probes, clarifies, inquires or seeks more info
- “What makes you think that?” “Where were you?”
- Open questions – require more than a yes or no answer
- Closed questions – can be answered with yes or no
- Paraphrasing
- Summarizes, restates or reflects
- Restating in your own words what you think the speaker meant
- “So what you are saying is…” “You mean you’re feeling…”
Using Response Styles
- 80% of your feedback will use 1 of 5 styles
- Evaluating : Doesn’t help unless sender asks for advice
- Interpreting: Works best when your intention is to offer insight into the problem’s cause
- Supporting: Works best when the sender has determined the problem and needs encouragement
- Questioning: When your need for additional info is genuine
- Paraphrasing: This reveals a desire to understand the sender’s thoughts and feelings