When Someone Says “I’ll Just Summarize It” at Work, Here’s What Might Actually Be Happening

Within the United States, in many places of work, it is very common for an employee or even the employer to suggest the possibility of summarizing the contents of a lengthy meeting or even a detailed document in order for everyone to be able to move ahead efficiently.

The common assumption about this practice may be seen as quite useful and efficient because it saves everyone the trouble of going over lengthy reports or even detailed meetings. However, this seemingly innocent practice may be seen as affecting the way in which information is interpreted because the person who offers the summary gets to determine the key points.

As per Psychology Today, the dynamics of the workplace, the sharing of information in the workplace is not just about the information itself but also about the way in which it is interpreted.

Why coworkers step in to summarize

Employees may want to assist and make teamwork easier by offering to summarize information. This may be related to social information processing, as employees may change their behavior based on their perceptions of what is expected or required of them.

According to research published in Current Psychology, social information can influence communication and taking initiative in a workplace. This may include taking on a role where information is simplified for other members of a team.

However, summarizing information can also be used as a way to increase a person’s influence in a team. This is because information control can subtly influence a group outcome. This means that while summarizing may not have negative intentions, there are still consequences.

The mental load behind summarizing

Summing up the information in a concise and clear manner is not an easy job because it needs great understanding, judgment, and concentration. It is the job of the person summing up the information to make judgments about what is important, what can be made easy, and what can be excluded within a certain period of time.

According to research done by iResearchNet on workplace stress, cognitive pressures have a great effect on workers, which can influence the way they communicate information.

This is because if the person summing up the information is tired, stressed, and does not have enough information about the topic, it might lead to some distortion in the information being communicated.

What happens when employees rely on summaries

If employees rely on such information in summary form and not on the original information, they might start to forget the context in which the information was presented to them. Eventually, they might end up processing information in a passive manner, where they just accept the information they receive without questioning or checking it.

As per Psychology Today, if employees rely on second-hand information, it might affect their decisions and problem-solving abilities. This is because they might be using incomplete information to solve a problem or make a decision.

They might end up getting confused later on when the information they did not receive in the summary form suddenly turns out to be important. This might also affect the employees’ confidence in dealing with the information on their own, thus affecting their motivation.

Risks of miscommunication and error

Even if the inaccuracies in the summary are minor, they can cause more significant misunderstandings in the team because the decisions being made are primarily based on the information being shared. When the summary becomes the focal point, inaccuracies in the summary can cause misunderstandings.

Current Psychology research shows the role of authority and perception in influencing communication in the workplace. This shows that team members may not necessarily dispute the information being shared if it is coming from someone they trust or who they think is knowledgeable in the matter.

This leads to a chain reaction where the inaccuracies in the assumption may affect the productivity of the team. Miscommunication may affect the relationship in the team.

The emotional and psychological impact

Depending on others for summaries can also influence how an employee views his or her role and ability, as it can create a feeling of losing control over one's own comprehension of work.

This can, in turn, create feelings of frustration, especially when work becomes unclear or when there is an unexpected change in work expectations. In an article from Psychology Today, discussing work well-being, it is explained how a lack of autonomy and clarity can create stress and dissatisfaction with work, especially when an individual does not feel connected to the big picture.

However, it is also possible for those who often take on the role of the summarizer to feel stress as well. The end result is a cycle of stress for both parties, even when it was intended to make work easier.

A small action with larger effects

While the process of summarizing the information provided may not be overly complicated, it has deeper implications in the way individuals communicate and share responsibility in the workplace.

The process may be helpful in terms of efficiency, but it has risks that may not be immediately apparent.

This can help teams become more cognizant of the way information is shared and work towards finding a balance between efficiency and clarity in order to avoid losing key information and to ensure the employees feel confident about the work they are doing.