[curiousllama]

Some of the biggest lessons I learned about communicating are to flip the interaction, which paraphrasing does well.

If I'm struggling to communicate something, the best approach is to listen carefully, paraphrase every point, and focus on what _they_ have to say first. I can't add to someone's knowledge if I don't know what's already there.

If I'm trying to understand something, it's often a good approach to take charge of the interaction, and actively 'assemble' the knowledge in my head. I can't add to my own knowledge without connecting it to what's already there.

I also find these things are nearly impossible to do well on the internet...