I’m not sure if this is an ADHD related thing so I want some feedback.
For the longest time whenever I try to communicate an idea, a process, a plan, a piece of information … I’m oftentimes either not taken serious or people misunderstand me.
I know for myself that I sometimes skip steps in my explanation because I feel they’re too obvious to bother explaining. But sometimes it’s ridiculous to the point where I feel like people are out to dismiss me not on the basis of the information I’m providing.
Does this resonate with anyone?
Edit: thanks for all the feedback! This has given me some material to work with.
You must log in or # to comment.
Communicating effectively is a skill that requires feedback and practice to hone. Try to find a couple of people which you trust to give you honest constructive criticism.
Additional advice: before starting, think carefully about what is the assumed knowledge of the audience (what are you sure they know already, what you m should you double check on).
For training, explaining something simple to someone that doesn’t know about it is a great first step. Encourage feedback and questions.
“Stop talking down to me.” - willfully ignorant person.
Seriously though, that is great advice and involves continual practice.
I have ADHD and love explaining things and it took years of practice to get an idea of what level of detail to get into depending on the audience. The main thing is to always approach it as sharing knowledge, not telling someone else to think. The difference isn’t obvious, but at a basic level asking if they have thought of something a certain way just lands better than telling them something as if it was a fact even when it is a fact. In a group setting sprinkling in words like ‘maybe we should’ and ‘what if we did’ make being listened to more likely. I think it is stupid because it is working around people’s default rejection of finding out they don’t know or are wrong about something, but apparently it is necessary for most people.
Also making sure to keep a slow pacing helps immensely. I tend to speed up as I go and sometimes have soneone I trust give me hints I’m going too fast so I can slow back down again.
Now I get asked to explain technical things to non-technical people, which is fun most of the time.