Close feedback by checking understanding, not agreement

Ask "What did you take from that?" rather than "Do you agree?"

Why it works

Closing feedback with "Does that make sense?" or "Do you agree?" invites compliance signaling: the recipient says yes to avoid extended conflict, and the feedback-giver walks away believing the message landed. Asking "What did you take from that?" or "What will you do differently?" checks whether the message was actually received and interpreted as intended — which is the only reliable measure of whether feedback worked. It also keeps the recipient active in the process rather than passive.

How to do it

1. After delivering feedback, pause and ask: "What did you take from that?"
2. Listen for the actual content of their response — agreement vs. understanding are different signals.
3. If their response shows they missed the point, gently restate: "I want to make sure the main thing I’m flagging is…"
4. End with a forward question: "What are you thinking about next?"

Evidence

Checking comprehension vs. agreement is a principle from the communication research on message comprehension and compliance. It aligns with motivational interviewing’s closing "ask" (elicit–provide–elicit), which checks how information was received rather than whether it was technically delivered. (mechanistic)

Mechanistic extrapolation from communication and MI research; this specific closing technique for feedback conversations has not been independently trialed.

Common mistake

Asking "Any questions?" rather than "What will you do with this?" — "Any questions?" is a closing formula that most recipients read as permission to leave, not as a genuine invitation.