Timeout for Leadership-your one-minute leadership idea

30 second time-out #6

Can you explain it to me like I am a four-year old?

I am a big fan of the movie Philadelphia (1993).  I would bet that you have seen this movie, but if not, I strongly suggest that you find it on one of your streaming services and watch it.  It is a powerful movie depicting the life of a dying person with Aids, unceremoniously terminated from his place of employment.  Both Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington star in this drama.  One of the lines that stays with me throughout the movie, which Washington uses several times is, “All right. Explain this to me like I’m a four-year-old, OK, because there’s an element to this thing that I just can’t get through my thick head.”   These words are first used by Miller (Denzel Washington), when he is approached by Beckett (Tom Hanks) asking him to defend him.

There is a lot to be said about these words.  Think about your workplace.  For me, that has always been a school.  We tend to take for granted other peoples’ prior knowledge and are so quick to explain things that it makes it almost impossible for that person to understand.  And then to top it all off, we get extremely frustrated when that person does not “get it.” We tend to make too many assumptions about the prior knowledge base of the individual that we are speaking with.  If you do not believe me, go ask a staff person in the younger generation to help you with some technology.  I bet that you will be met with impatience and yes, arrogance.

When we explain something to a four-year-old we use the language that that we assume this little person will know.  We do not overwhelm our listener with a crazy pace of our words.  When talking with a four-year-old, we make sure that our body language is inviting.  We tend to be encouraging.   We will repeat ourselves without showing annoyance and we will try different ways to make our points.  So why don’t we do this with adults?

We are probably just too busy, in too much of a rush and just make too many wrong assumptions about prior knowledge.

Also, does your school and district have a consistent language to describe teaching and learning?  It is essential that each person know the instructional language that you are speaking.  What is the language of your school?  And can everyone speak and understand that language? Otherwise, it might be like trying to communicate with a non-English speaker.

Think about:

• Speaking more slowly.
• Limit the use of jargon.
• Ensure that all parties understand the language.
• Work on using your body language effectively.
• Be encouraging and patient.
• Frequently check for understanding with the person that you are speaking with.

Try it, you just might like it.  And perhaps more importantly, the people on your team will like it and there will be a lot less aggravation.  And at the end of the day, everyone will be more productive.