The Leader Lab. Tania Luna

      In both versions, Mia has good intentions. But while taking breaks and vacation days are lovely things to do (and we highly recommend them), this advice does little to solve the underlying problem that Olivia faces: figuring how to start that project. So, what is it about Playbacks that makes them so useful?

Playbacks Help Managers Make a Positive Impact Faster in Three Ways

      1. Playbacks Create Clarity Faster

       When someone comes to you with a problem, their thoughts are often a tangled web. This is especially the case when they are tinged with strong emotions. Using a Playback is a quick way to ensure you understand their problem. What's more, when people hear their words played back to them, it helps them simplify the complexity of their thoughts. Research has long shown that the mere act of talking out loud leads to faster problem-solving (Gagné and Smith Jr. 1962; Lupyan and Swingley 2011). Why? It's likely thanks to a neuropsychology hack called “spreading activation”: as we start talking, our thoughts spread to different associations, drawing on more of our neural resources faster. Yes, fellow introverts, this even applies to us.

      2. Playbacks Catch Misunderstandings Faster

      Playbacks are also an efficient way to prevent misunderstandings. Hear an incorrect Playback? This is your chance to fix it before it becomes a problem. As a chilling example: a manager we interviewed told us about a $500,000 loss her company sustained within 24 hours because no one confirmed their understanding of the plan. One person assumed it was obvious they had to submit signed paperwork to their client, while the rest of the team assumed a verbal agreement was sufficient. (In case you're wondering, the paperwork was not optional.) “When I worked in carpentry, we always said, ‘Measure twice, cut once,’” the manager told us. “After seeing a bunch of people almost lose their jobs over a miscommunication, I'll never forget that Playbacks are my ‘measure twice’ mechanism.”

      3. Playbacks Build Trust Faster

       Playbacks provide instant confirmation of understanding. For us humans, being truly understood is one of the sweetest (and sadly, also rarest) psychological sensations. Understanding leads to faster trust-building, which results in people being more willing to share their thoughts and feelings with each other.

      If the benefits of Playbacks sound soft and/or squishy, think of the hours of your life you've already lost to rambling conversations, unproductive conflict, team members avoiding tough conversations, and plain old misunderstandings. Life is too short to go another day without Playbacks. (Yep, that's how passionate we are about this BU.) So, how do you do a Playback? Here are a few different Playback types to try out:

PLAYBACK TYPES
Content Playback	Play back the key information you heard. Example: It sounds like you said _____. Did I get that right?
Split-track	Play back and separate points when speakers bring up multiple topics. Example: I think I heard two things: _____ and _____. Is that right? Which of those should we talk about first?
Feelings Playback	Play back the feelings you sense the speaker is experiencing. Example: Sounds like you're feeling _____. (excited, energized, motivated, hopeful, proud, connected, unsure, hurt, angry, left out, disappointed, sad, worried, insecure, stuck)
Needs Playback	Play back the underlying need the speaker seems to have. Example: So, it seems like what you're needing is more _____. (reassurance, connection, clarity, meaning, security, respect, recognition, trust, understanding, spontaneity, growth, freedom)
Playback pull	Ask someone to play back what you said to ensure understanding. Example: I know I just said a lot. Would you mind playing back what we discussed to make sure we're seeing it the same way?

      Practice Station

       To get some practice, try doing at least three different types of Playbacks with this message:

      “I don't think this salary is right given the amount of experience I bring to the team. It's not like I'm just starting out in this role. I've been doing this work for many years. By now, I was hoping my title would demonstrate the leadership responsibilities I have on the team. It just doesn't seem fair.”

      Come up with your own responses before reading the samples below.

      Sample Playbacks:

       Split-track: Sounds like three things: the salary, the title, and the fairness of the situation.

       Feelings: Sounds like you're feeling overlooked.

       Needs: Sounds like you're needing a sense of respect and recognition.

While it may seem like using Playbacks will make conversations longer, they tend to lead to more efficient conversations in the short term and the long term. Take a look at the following interaction between Mia and Luca. No matter how hard Mia tries to ask questions, it doesn't quell Luca's frustration. The topic starts all over as though they are stuck in a conflict time warp. Try to spot where Playbacks could have helped move them forward:

      Version 1

Luca:	No one asked me for my perspective. Everyone's just rushing to do their own part.
Mia:	What don't you like about how the project turned out?
Luca:	The work ended up okay. Though if someone checked in with me, I would have told them this client prefers to see all the raw data, not the summary.
Mia:	Okay, we can definitely send them the raw data. Thank you.
Luca:	But in general, what's so hard about getting input early? I always involve others in client presentations. It's not hard.

      Once the conversation finally ends, Mia realizes Luca wasn't ready for problem-solving. He needed to be heard first. She presses her Do-Over Button and tries again: