Waiting for someone to say, “What did you say I didn’t understand you” is not a beneficial strategy for effective communication for a number of reasons.
- You have lost your audiences’ attention as they mentally flip through their language files to try to understand what has been said.
- It is possible to convey a message different from the one intended
- The confusion caused by the communication disruption can erode self-confidence
- People may perceive you as knowing less than you do or perceive you as being less intelligent.