Have you ever started a conversation with someone and they have a lost look on their face? It may be that they are not up to speed on the latest information about the topic that you are sharing. Being able to keep everyone in the loop can be a challenge, so you need to sometimes step back and review a bit.
I used to describe it to my team as “bringing everyone along on the journey.” Not everyone is with you every day and may be behind on what has happened since you last spoke. They also may not have read your status reports or attended the last meeting.
Doing this at the beginning of a conversation or meeting helps to ensure that everyone is aligned up to the point where you are starting. It helps to eliminate questions during your discussion that can cause you to have to go back and review which disrupts your conversation. It also helps everyone to be engaged and participating with what you want them to focus on now.
Although doing this review feels like you are rehashing things, it will help you have a more effective discussion and eliminate disruptions. Even if the others are up to speed it may help them understand it even better when they hear it for a second time. A brief detour will help you to an even better place on your journey.