In the military, communication is everything. Get instructions wrong, misunderstand what a leader wants done, and lives can be lost—whole units destroyed. Often leaders and subordinates communicate from great distances over electronic or radio means. Because of this, the military spends an inordinate amount of time practicing communication, mostly in peacetime, so when war comes, leaders and subordinates can communicate effectively.
Here are four communication strategies:
Brief Back
A synopsis of instructions received so that the sender can confirm the receiver understands the instructions as he or she meant them to be understood. Ex: “Play that back to me.”
