Repeating Someone Else’s Words
A powerful inspirational story about how repeating someone else's words can transform arguments into real communication.
Repeating Someone Else’s Words
A successful business owner was excellent at managing hundreds of employees, yet he could never manage his own son.
One day, however, everything changed after he tried something very simple: repeating what his son had said.
Mr. Li owned an export processing factory in Taichung with five to six hundred employees. Because of his dedication and leadership, both his business operations and management were highly successful.
When running his company, he was decisive, confident, and powerful—like a general commanding thousands of soldiers.
Yet when it came to his own son, he felt completely helpless.
The generation gap between them seemed as wide as the Taiwan Strait. Every time they met, within just a few sentences they would begin arguing—banging tables, slamming doors, and turning the house into chaos.
One evening, another argument started because his son came home late.
While both sides were shouting angrily, the son suddenly stopped and calmly said:
“Dad, arguing like this won’t solve anything. Can I ask you to repeat the sentence I just said?”
Mr. Li was shocked.
“What?”
“You said… you said… that fathers who are too capable always look down on their sons.”
“That’s not what I said,” the son replied. “Think again. Did I really say that?”
Mr. Li became annoyed.
“If that’s not what you said, then what did you say? Why don’t you repeat it yourself?”
The son suddenly laughed.
“You see? You weren’t listening at all. Those words were your own interpretation, not mine.
If we want to communicate, then when I say something, you repeat it back to me. When it’s your turn to speak, I’ll repeat your words.”
“Who has that kind of time to keep repeating things back and forth?” Mr. Li complained. “Are you trying to drive me crazy?”
“Dad, let’s just try it. Otherwise we’ll keep arguing forever. Try again—what exactly did I say?”
Mr. Li thought for a moment and finally admitted:
“I really can’t remember. Say it again.”
The son repeated calmly:
“I said that my father is very capable. I admire him, but at the same time I worry that I might never catch up with him. That makes me feel pressure.”
Mr. Li paused.
When he listened carefully, the words actually made sense. He suddenly wondered why he had reacted so angrily earlier.
That evening, father and son ended up talking for two full hours without arguing.
Even though he slept less than usual, Mr. Li woke up the next morning feeling refreshed and in a good mood.
A Lesson at Work
That morning he had an important meeting at the company.
They needed to decide whether to purchase a set of machines worth ten million dollars from Japan or from the United States.
The purchasing department believed the Japanese machines were cheaper and still good quality.
However, the chief engineer recommended buying the American equipment.
During the meeting, Mr. Li asked the chief engineer to present his opinion.
Normally this was just a formality. The engineer knew that many bosses preferred to make decisions on their own. Everyone assumed the boss would choose the cheaper option.
So the engineer spoke briefly and finished in less than five minutes.
On most days, Mr. Li would then dominate the meeting and make the final decision himself.
But that day was different.
He said:
“Chief engineer, let me repeat your point to see if I understand correctly.
You believe the Japanese machines are cheaper and good quality. However, if something goes wrong in the future, after-sales service may become a problem.
Because of language barriers, their technicians may not communicate well with us. Translators may not fully understand the technical issues.
If the same problem occurs again, we would have to call their technicians back, which could delay production.
So in the long run, buying the American machines may actually be cheaper.”
As Mr. Li repeated the engineer’s thoughts, the engineer’s eyes suddenly lit up.
Encouraged, he began explaining more details.
Soon everyone joined the discussion. The meeting became lively, and meaningful ideas were exchanged.
If people want to argue, they only focus on attacking the other person.
But if people want to solve problems, they must sincerely try to understand each other.
Repeating what the other person says not only reassures them that they are being understood, but also gives you time to think about their meaning before responding.
At that moment, arguments often turn into real communication.
Moral of the Story
True communication begins with listening.
When we repeat and truly understand another person’s words, arguments can transform into meaningful dialogue and cooperation.
Why This Story Still Matters Today
In modern life, many conflicts happen because people focus on responding instead of listening.
This story highlights the power of active listening—one of the most effective communication skills in relationships, leadership, and teamwork.
By repeating and understanding what others say, we create trust, reduce misunderstanding, and turn conflict into productive conversation.
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