Repeat Reword Say Why
OVERVIEW
Repeat, Reword, Say Why is a simple conversational improv game designed to improve listening skills, specifically useful when working on active listening in sales. This exercise is particularly well suited sales professionals but can be effectively used to address listening skills with professionals in any field.
Sales
Customer Service
Leadership/Management
Communication
Staying In The Moment
Public Speaking
REQUIREMENTS
Number of Participants:
Minimum: 2 participants / Maximum: 20 participants
Time Required:
Minimum: 25 minutes / Maximum: 40 minutes
Medium:
This exercise works equally well in person or online.
Materials Needed:
None.
EXERCISE INSTRUCTIONS
EXERCISE PREP
Prepare participants for this sales training exercise by having them pair up and find a comfortable area in the workshop room to work together. Online this can be done in breakout rooms. If you are working with an uneven number, it is okay to have one group of three.
This exercise has three stages.
STAGE ONE
In the first stage each participant takes a turn sharing a true opinion that they hold. It functions like a fun active listening quiz.
Once the first person has shared an opinion, the second person repeats that opinion as close to word for word as they can. Encourage participants to capture and repeat every nuance of the original statement. If person one says, “I have thought since childhood that golf isn’t really a sport,” then it is not enough to say, “Golf isn’t really a sport,” participant 2 needs to also capture that they “have thought” this “since childhood”.
STAGE TWO
In the second stage each participant takes a turn sharing a new opinion. Participant 2 will repeat the opinion, only now they will do so in their own words.
In this stage, “I have thought since childhood that golf isn’t really a sport,” may become “As far back as I can remember, golf has always seemed like something other than a sport to me.” Again, any words are fine, but all elements of the original statement need to be included in the reworded version
STAGE THREE
In the third stage each participant takes a turn sharing a new opinion. Now we switch from restating to supporting.
Participant 2 will agree with the initial statement by saying “Yes,” then restate the original statement, then say “Because” and finally conclude their participation by offering a reason in support of that statement.
So, in response to, “I have thought since childhood that golf isn’t really a sport,” Participant 2 might say something like, “Yes, you’ve always thought golf isn’t really a sport because other sports require much more physical activity, youthful vigor and conditioning.”
As an added challenge you might ask that the “because” be connected to a reason uncovered through empathetic listening.
INSTRUCTOR DISCUSSION POINTS / LEARNING TAKEAWAYS
STAGE ONE
We’re simply working on one’s ability to mechanically hear and repeat a sentence in this stage. You can be upfront about this being the shallowest version of listening. You might present this stage as an active listening game.
If someone is having a difficult time with this particular stage it may be due to nerves. Try mentioning the mantra, SLOW IS SMOOTH AND SMOOTH IS FAST.
STAGE TWO
In this stage we are exploring listening comprehension.
The instructor should feel free to note even tiny nuanced differences between the original statement and the reworded one. If the original statement is “Everyone should exercise daily,” then “Most people should take the time to exercise every day,” can be noted for communicating a slightly different message.
While the difference may be slight the meaning matters greatly. How impactful can a slight misunderstanding be when working in sales or customer service? What if you work in management and only slightly misunderstand an employee? What if you are delivering a presentation and an attendee asks a question? How important is it that you fully grasp the true meaning of that question?
STAGE THREE
Listening is not just understanding the technical meaning of words that have been spoken. In this stage we are looking to listen for what is behind the words. Participants should be instructed to add “Becauses” that they think are true. First they can work on logical “Becauses”.
For example, "Yes, everyone should exercise daily because it is good for their overall health."
Next, participants should try empathetic “Becauses”. What are the feelings underneath the stated belief?
For example,
"Yes, you think everyone should exercise daily because you are concerned for their health."