Ways to Interrupt Like a Pro
- Ask – You can say things like “Can I make a quick point”, or “Let me just say something if you don’t mind”, or “John, can I ask something about that”, or “Sorry, don’t mean to interrupt you but… “
- Look for the draw down of someone speaking – People tend to lower their pitch or volume at the end of a sentence or summarize what they just said. Perfect time to go in. In some cases, you can interject even before the last word of the sentence is spoken and not come across as rude.
- Look for loss of thought – Sometimes people will pause, repeat things, or simply are looking for someone else to carry the conversation. Save them.
- Pre-apologize without saying sorry – Sometimes you simply want to set the stage before speaking. This is not necessarily an interruption of someone but permission to take the conversation in a different direction. As an example, “I know we are talking about ABC, forgive me, but let me bring up something related “ or “I hope I’m not getting us off track here but… “
- Raise your hand – You are not waiting for someone to call on you, just simply giving a verbal warning that you are about to speak.
- Mention the speaker’s name – If someone is speaking and you want to interject, mention their name and ask to speak.
- Use “umm” or “ahh” – We are discouraged for using “umms” and “ahhs” during a speech, but it can also be used to signal that you are about to speak.
- Take a deep breath – Again another signal to others that you are about to speak. This along with nodding your head up is also effective.