For me the secret is better listening. Coupled with understanding well what the person already believes.
As an explainer my job is to take you from where you are at, to where I'm at. That's not one step, it's a number of steps.
In some cases we first have to undo something you already absolutely positively know to be true, that is no longer true. Because nothing stops you learning like a false premise that collides with the new information -especially- if the truth is so ingrained its subliminal.
For example;
We have 5 senses. This is a truth we learn very early. Sight, hearing, taste, smell, touch. You absolutely positively know this to be true. If I say we have 6 senses then you jump to an implication of paranormal.
I need you first to acknowledge that you know that fact to be true. Once you do I can lead you further.
Senses are just "input to the brain". (All those 5 are). The brain receives input via specialised nerves. (Again check against the 5.) Now ask yourself, are there more specialised nerve types?
Turns out, there are. And once you know that it's easy to tell you we have more senses.
Pain. Balance. Temperature. Kinesthesis. And more.
Because I understand where you are, I can explain the new information -from your point of view- , not -my- point of view.
Explaining is a journey, not a destination, and it helps if we start from the same place.
Now, did I do a good job of explaining that? :)
[and as a bonus I've let you explore further on your own, I bet you're off to Google Kinesthesis]
An easy way to see how well you are listening is to try and have conversations where you speak less than 50% of the total time.
You don't have to time yourself with a stopwatch (although that would be more accurate), but you can look back on conversations and easily see where you said far more than you heard.
I will point out that there's a -very- fine line between good explaining and patronising. Its hard to tread that line in written work, and easier to manage in a verbal context.
And I prefer to use the phrase "that is not completely accurate" over "you are wrong" as it gets less of a defensive reaction.
As an explainer my job is to take you from where you are at, to where I'm at. That's not one step, it's a number of steps.
In some cases we first have to undo something you already absolutely positively know to be true, that is no longer true. Because nothing stops you learning like a false premise that collides with the new information -especially- if the truth is so ingrained its subliminal.
For example; We have 5 senses. This is a truth we learn very early. Sight, hearing, taste, smell, touch. You absolutely positively know this to be true. If I say we have 6 senses then you jump to an implication of paranormal.
I need you first to acknowledge that you know that fact to be true. Once you do I can lead you further.
Senses are just "input to the brain". (All those 5 are). The brain receives input via specialised nerves. (Again check against the 5.) Now ask yourself, are there more specialised nerve types?
Turns out, there are. And once you know that it's easy to tell you we have more senses.
Pain. Balance. Temperature. Kinesthesis. And more.
Because I understand where you are, I can explain the new information -from your point of view- , not -my- point of view.
Explaining is a journey, not a destination, and it helps if we start from the same place.
Now, did I do a good job of explaining that? :)
[and as a bonus I've let you explore further on your own, I bet you're off to Google Kinesthesis]