Interrupt gracefully

It’s Friday, I’ll keep this short.

In a meeting or conversation, we often want to add our perspective to the shared pool of meaning, but interrupting can put others off, making it more difficult for them to hear our words.

So, how can you interrupt without disrupting the flow?

Instead of positioning your thoughts as a negative...

“I’m sorry, but…”

“I don’t think that…”

“You’re wrong…”

(which runs the risk of putting people on the defensive, or interrupting the flow)

...try positioning your interruption as an addition to the discussion with the phrase:

“Can I add something?”

Maybe followed with:

“I just want to share my perspective.”

By making it clear you are adding to the pool of meaning, rather than controlling it, you may open others to listening.