Getting your team to talk openly and ask questions is a common challenge, even in internal meetings. Silence doesn’t mean understanding; it often means confusion or hesitancy.

Here’s a crisp action plan to encourage better dialogue and clarify scope:

1. Assume Nothing Is Clear

Start with the fundamental belief that nothing is crystal clear to your audience. This mindset shifts the burden of clarity onto the presenter and encourages proactive communication strategies. Keep repeating yourself, not just the content, but the importance of asking questions.

2. Build in Time for Clarity

Don’t rush to the end. Scope clarification is an active process:

• Proactive Gaps: When a knowledge gap is obvious or a complex topic is introduced, don’t wait for questions. Proactively ask people to respond and share their interpretations or confusions.
• The Power of Repetition: If you notice consistent gaps, keep repeating key points in different ways.

3. End with a Feedback Loop

The conclusion is your most valuable opportunity for forcing clarity. Dedicate ample time to this, whether synchronously or asynchronously:

• The Summary Challenge: At the end, instead of just asking “Any questions?”, try a summary-based approach:
  • Delegate: Ask someone else to summarize the key decisions and next steps.
  • Rate It: If you summarize, ask the team to rate the clarity. A simple thumbs up/down can quickly signal where gaps still exist without requiring someone to formulate a question.

By prioritizing assumption of confusion, building in time for active checks, and using a structured feedback loop, you’ll make it easier for your team to identify and articulate the unspoken questions that clarify scope for everyone.

What’s one clarity technique you’ll try in your next meeting?