Use silence after the paraphrase
Use intentional silence after a paraphrase to invite correction and deeper meaning.
The check only works if you leave room for the answer. A paraphrase is a hypothesis. The silence after it is the test window. When you fill that window with explanation, you reduce the speaker's chance to correct you and you train the room to treat checks as decoration. What to do Use a compact sequence: paraphrase, check, pause. Keep your eyes on the speaker. Do not rescue the silence with your own solution. If the speaker says "yes," move forward. If they repair the summary, thank them and restate the corrected version. Why silence is skilled Silence feels slow…
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