Are You Interrupted While You Speak? This Is What You Can Do

Are you interrupted while you speak? Indeed, there are people with a chronic tendency not to let you finish your sentences, to usurp words, to block your reasoning and to invade your time. Some do it without being aware of it; however, others make the art of interruption a constant that borders on disrespect.

What can we do in these circumstances? Communication experts give us some basic advice: don’t lose your cool. The last thing we must allow is for a dialogue to lead to discussion and for us to lose control ourselves by being subordinated to frustration. Maintaining patience and handling a series of keys will allow us to get out of these situations with ease.

It is known that Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was an expert in dealing with these situations. Studies, such as those carried out by the University of York, found that the iron lady was very adept at applying what is known as competitive overlap. She made sure that no one interrupted her thanks to a firm, forceful and very fast communication.

Obviously, not all of us have developed such great skill in the art of argumentation. However, we can take steps to improve. We analyze it below.

What to do when you are interrupted while you speak

Badly educated? Impatient? Violent communication style? When you are interrupted while you speak, the first thing you experience is bewilderment and annoyance. Nobody likes to have their reasoning interrupted to try to tear it down or even complete it.

The funny thing about these situations is that they often stem from a cultural factor. Interrupting is for many people something common in family dynamics. There are groups of parents, children, and siblings who are used to talking very fast, not listening to each other, and interrupting themselves. This style of communication is unconsciously applied later to any context.

Thus, research works, such as those carried out at the University of Delhi, affect something interesting on this subject. It is important to try to understand why they interrupt us. There are those who feel inspired and motivated by our conversation and just try to contribute their ideas, perhaps letting themselves be carried away by emotion and impulse.

On the other hand, we can also find the narcissistic communicator, that profile that seeks to have control of the conversation and take it to his ground. It is important to know who we are in order to react and act more accurately. So let’s find out what to do when you are interrupted while you speak.

React after the third interruption: remind your interlocutor what a dialogue consists of

If during a conversation your interlocutor interrupts you three times in a row, act. Do not miss more time. After that third break in the communication thread, there is already a clear pattern aimed at assaulting your ideas and opinions.

That will be the moment to specify the conditions of the dialogue. The first, that a conversation involves knowing how to listen in order to respond. Second, that each person has time to communicate that the other must respect. Those are the pillars of communication, of good communication.

Explain how you feel about each interruption

It doesn’t matter if it’s a co-worker, a neighbor, a lifelong friend or our partner. It is a priority to explain to the other person what it means for us to be interrupted while we speak. You may not realize the impact of the dynamics you are imposing on the exchange, but we can let you know.

“When you constantly interrupt me, I feel undervalued. It’s like you don’t respect my opinions and reasoning. Also, I lose track of my argument, forget what I was saying, and get frustrated. That behavior of yours is disrespectful and I at least live it that way ”.

The importance of non-verbal communication

When referring to conversations and communication processes, we place all our attention on the message. However, we forget the forms. Non-verbal communication has the same relevance as our arguments, ideas and reasoning. Therefore, when speaking with a thief of the word, we will have to take into account the following:

• Imponte. Keep an adequate distance, straight shoulders, a firm neck and do not cross your arms … Do not be that always accessible figure willing to give in or prioritize kindness.
• Use a firm and confident tone of voice. Ideal if your sentences are to the point, bluntly and with great clarity.
• Anticipate. Try to understand when the other person is going to proceed with their communicative assault (interruption) to act. Raise your finger or hand and ask not to be interrupted.

Are you interrupted while you speak? Examine and hone your communication skills

If you are interrupted while speaking in various contexts (especially work and personal), it is time to review your communication skills to prevent this from happening. We spoke at the beginning of Margaret Thatcher and her communication skills during her sessions in the House of Lords.

Beyond acquiring or not the communication skills of a politician, there are undoubtedly a series of very basic keys that we can all learn. They are as follows:

• Train your mental ability in argumentative matters: be clear quickly what you want to say before expressing it.

• Get to the point, do not hesitate when communicating.
• Let passion and emotion permeate your words.
• Show confidence in what you express.
• Let the other speak and listen. Set an example, be better than others.
• It conveys positivity, but demands to be heard.
• If they interrupt you, let them talk until they finish. Then be silent for a moment and ask the other person to do the same with you. Remind them that they have a lot to learn in communication matters.

To conclude, an Arab proverb used to say that if what we are going to say is not more beautiful than silence, it is better not to say it. Sometimes, nothing is wiser than knowing how to keep quiet in order to listen to the other. Let’s make the most of that art that unites people: communication.