Southwest Airlines Professional Communications Certification Practice Exam

Asking "Could you give me an example of what you mean?" demonstrates which active listening skill?

1. Summarizing

2. Asking open-ended questions

3. Asking clarifying questions

4. Rephrasing

The correct answer is: Asking clarifying questions

The skill demonstrated by asking "Could you give me an example of what you mean?" is asking clarifying questions. This technique is essential in active listening as it seeks to gain deeper understanding and clear up any ambiguity regarding the speaker's message. By inquiring for an example, the listener encourages the speaker to elaborate and provide specific details, which can lead to a richer exchange of information. This approach shows attentiveness and a genuine interest in comprehending the discussion thoroughly, ensuring that there are no misunderstandings about the concepts being shared. Other skills, such as summarizing or rephrasing, involve reflecting back what the other person has said or providing a condensed version of the information, while asking open-ended questions invites broader responses rather than seeking clarification. Each of these skills serves a valuable purpose, but in this case, the intention behind the question is specifically to seek clearer insight into the speaker's ideas.