Bring it into practice

Choose one explanation you regularly give. On paper, write the misunderstanding a client might reasonably take away. Then write an open question that would reveal it. Avoid a question that includes the correct answer or makes a hesitant client feel they are being examined. For example, ask the client to talk through a consequence in their own terms.

Now design a small practice check using a fictional or appropriately anonymised example. Ask a colleague to play the client, explain the point once and listen to their interpretation. What surprised you? Change one aspect of the explanation and try again. The purpose is to improve the explanation, not to label the colleague as a good or bad learner.

For your own CPD reflection, identify what you would change, where you would use it and how you would know it helped. If you set a follow-up, make it observable: review a small sample of your own communication notes after using the new question. Do not enter client names or confidential case details into this learning platform.