--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Okay, rule number one: if you do not…" description: "\"“Okay, rule number one: if you do not understand something, you need to stop me and tell me you don’t understand. If I ask if you’ve got it and you say..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/334/jeff-erno-26881_rule_okay-rule-number-one-if-you-do-not-under_2747317.jpg" --- # Okay, rule number one: if you do not understand something… ![“Okay, rule number one: if you do not understand something, you need to stop me and tell me you don’t understand. If I ask if you’ve got it and you say you’ve got it but you don’t really have it, then it’s not my fault that you haven’t got it. Got it?” quote by Jeff Erno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/334/jeff-erno-26881_rule_okay-rule-number-one-if-you-do-not-under_2747317.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/334/jeff-erno-26881_rule_okay-rule-number-one-if-you-do-not-under_2747317.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/334/jeff-erno-26881_rule_okay-rule-number-one-if-you-do-not-under_2747317.jpg) > ““Okay, rule number one: if you do not understand something, you need to stop me and tell me you don’t understand. If I ask if you’ve got it and you say you’ve got it but you don’t really have it, then it’s not my fault that you haven’t got it. Got it?”” [Jeff Erno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-erno/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding requires active clarification; pretending comprehension shifts responsibility away from the explainer. **In simple terms:** Ask for clarification when confused. Key Takeaway Encourage honest dialogue. Themes communication learning responsibility Mood supportive direct Type educational practical When to use this quote - classroom teaching - team meetings - mentoring sessions Key Concepts metacognition feedback loops Questions to Reflect On - How can you ask without sounding confrontational? - What signals indicate true understanding? A Different Perspective May create tension if overused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Don Understand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-understand/) [Okay Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/okay-rule-3072210/) [Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rule/) [Stop Tell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stop-tell-407144/) [Understand Ask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand-ask-2404510/) ## Related quotes > [If you don't understand then ask me, I may answer. If you don't agree then ask me. I may be missing something. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-don-t-understand-then-ask-me-i-may-answer-if-you-don-t-agree/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you don't understand someone, ask questions. If you don't agree with them, tell them. 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Research; demonstrate an unquenchable desire to know everything about your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-couch/if-you-don-t-know-or-didn-t-understand-ask-it-s-your-responsibility/) [Dick Couch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-couch/) > [What provokes your risibility, Sir? Have I said anything that you understand? Then I ask pardon of the rest of the company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/what-provokes-your-risibility-sir-have-i-said-anything-that-you/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [If you don't understand, ask questions. If you're uncomfortable about asking questions, say you are uncomfortable about asking questions and then ask anyway. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/if-you-don-t-understand-ask-questions-if-you-re-uncomfortable-about/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [“Tell me to stop and I will. Tell me you don't want me to pull your tights down and fuck you up against this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/tell-me-to-stop-and-i-will-tell-me-you-don-t-want-me-to-pull-your/) [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) ## More by Jeff Erno > [“They tell me to quit being such a sissy and man up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-erno/they-tell-me-to-quit-being-such-a-sissy-and-man-up/) [Jeff Erno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-erno/) > [“I can tell you a lot of things about bullying and what it does to a person.” Tears are forming in his eyes as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-erno/i-can-tell-you-a-lot-of-things-about-bullying-and-what-it-does-to-a/) [Jeff Erno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-erno/) > [“Rustin knew that Tommy was right. It was high time he stopped being so passive. After all, he'd moved halfway across the country to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-erno/rustin-knew-that-tommy-was-right-it-was-high-time-he-stopped-being-so/) [Jeff Erno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-erno/) > [“Sports just really isn’t my thing, though. It’s weird ‘cuz you’d think I’d be all about sports. That’s where all the hot guys are.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-erno/sports-just-really-isn-t-my-thing-though-it-s-weird-cuz-you-d-think-i/) [Jeff Erno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-erno/) > [“Well, if you were perfect, then you wouldn't be real. Maybe those things about you that you think I hate are actually the ones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-erno/well-if-you-were-perfect-then-you-wouldn-t-be-real-maybe-those-things/) [Jeff Erno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-erno/) > [“Love is love. Regardless of gender.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-erno/love-is-love-regardless-of-gender/) [Jeff Erno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-erno/) > [“In all honesty I really do like my name. Chase Alexander Devereaux. I think if there’s one thing that my mom did right, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-erno/in-all-honesty-i-really-do-like-my-name-chase-alexander-devereaux-i/) [Jeff Erno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-erno/) > [“I was more than this meek, defenseless victim. I had something within me that was stronger than the sum of all my unacceptable parts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-erno/i-was-more-than-this-meek-defenseless-victim-i-had-something-within/) [Jeff Erno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-erno/) > [“Oh cripes, I can hardly walk! I think the circulation‟s getting cut off in my legs.” Shawn's mouth dropped open slightly and he furrowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-erno/oh-cripes-i-can-hardly-walk-i-think-the-circulation-s-getting-cut-off/) [Jeff Erno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-erno/) > [“I think if there’s one thing that my mom did right, it was picking out a unique, cool-sounding name for her kid.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-erno/i-think-if-there-s-one-thing-that-my-mom-did-right-it-was-picking-out/) [Jeff Erno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-erno/) > [“They‟re from my best friend,” I said. “They‟re from my best gay friend, Curtis Chapman.” He stood there, frozen, possibly thinking I was joking.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-erno/they-re-from-my-best-friend-i-said-they-re-from-my-best-gay-friend/) [Jeff Erno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-erno/) > [“I just stood there, like a grain of sand amongst a million others on a beach.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-erno/i-just-stood-there-like-a-grain-of-sand-amongst-a-million-others-on-a/) [Jeff Erno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-erno/) > [“Really it’s not deliberate. Sometimes I try really hard to be anything but gay. I watch the other guys—and I know what you’re thinking.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-erno/really-it-s-not-deliberate-sometimes-i-try-really-hard-to-be-anything/) [Jeff Erno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-erno/) > [“If it is a sin to be gay, then why did God make you that way to begin with?...What kid of god would condemn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-erno/if-it-is-a-sin-to-be-gay-then-why-did-god-make-you-that-way-to-begin/) [Jeff Erno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-erno/) > [“Medicaid only allowed you three choices of frames...ugly, uglier, and fuckin rape prevention birth control!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-erno/medicaid-only-allowed-you-three-choices-of-frames-ugly-uglier-and/) [Jeff Erno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-erno/) [Explore all 20 Jeff Erno quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-erno/) ## More Rule quotes > [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [“Coincidence is the exception, not the rule.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soheir-khashoggi/coincidence-is-the-exception-not-the-rule/) [Soheir Khashoggi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soheir-khashoggi/) > [Ja Rule is not Tupac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/ja-rule-is-not-tupac/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [Rule number something or other -- never tell anybody anything unless you're going to get something better in return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/rule-number-something-or-other-never-tell-anybody-anything-unless-you/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [“Every game has rules. Life’s a game that has its respective rules; obey the rules, win the game!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/every-game-has-rules-life-s-a-game-that-has-its-respective-rules-obey/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Rule 1: The customer is always right. Rule 2: If the customer is ever wrong, re-read Rule 1.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stew-leonard/rule-1-the-customer-is-always-right-rule-2-if-the-customer-is-ever/) [Stew Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stew-leonard/) > [Rule 1: You can't keep messing up someone else's feelings just because you are unsure of your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-morton/rule-1-you-can-t-keep-messing-up-someone-else-s-feelings-just-because/) [Cori Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-morton/) > [It goes way, way back when we were under Sweden's rule. We always think they are better than us. 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