Enough With The ‘Does That Make Sense?’

What is it with this phrase? In the past couple of months I’ve heard it far too often. In one meeting, a client said it 18 times.

My perspective is that these types of questions (along with ‘do you know what I mean?’ amongst others) need to be removed from our vocabulary if our goal is to be impactful.

All it reveals is that we’re unsure and unconfident that our message has landed; and hence have developed this verbal habit to check that if what we suspect is true.

Instead, I suggest:

1. Think before speaking. Articulating our internal thought process is one reason we feel the need to check what’s landed.
   
2. Practise brevity using a narrative structure. This is the 3 section headings of our message which help organise the detail for relevance, logic and flow.
   
3. Read the room. Look at the audience; that will reveal whether indeed, you have made sense.

I’ll resist the very obvious sign off now.