Mirror the last few words of what someone just said

Repeat the final one to three words as a question — then stay silent.

Why it works

Verbal mirroring signals that you are tracking the speaker closely and creates a social pull for them to elaborate. The repetition is non-threatening — it confirms you heard, rather than redirecting or evaluating — which keeps the speaker in exploratory mode. Chris Voss popularized this as a core FBI hostage-negotiation tactic; the mechanism aligns with reflective listening and the information-elicitation function of active listening.

How to do it

1. Listen for the one to three words at the end of their sentence that carry the most weight.
2. Repeat them back with a gentle, curious, slightly upward inflection — as a question.
3. Stop talking. The silence creates a pull; let them fill it.

Evidence

Verbal mirroring is a core practice in FBI crisis negotiation; Voss reports consistent effectiveness across high-stakes contexts. The underlying mechanism — that reflective listening elicits elaboration — is supported by client-centered counseling research (Rogers’ tradition) and the OARS literature in motivational interviewing. (clinical)

Direct RCTs of verbal mirroring as an isolated technique in persuasion or negotiation contexts are limited; the evidence is practitioner-experience and mechanism-based rather than controlled-trial.

Common mistake

Mirroring immediately after the person finishes speaking with no pause — which reads as parroting rather than listening, and can feel mocking rather than engaged.