Strategies to Deal With Chronic Interrupters

Strategies to Deal With Chronic InterruptersStrategies to Deal With Chronic Interrupters Getting interrupted is no fun. Whether its at work or with a friend or family member, being the interruptee can make you feel disrespected and unheard. The good news there are strategies for dealing with interrupters.First, approach the situation differently based on the context and kind of interrupting. Here are some examplesSome of these interruptions are worse than others, and theres a reason. In fact, there are deeply ingrained sociological and linguistic factors explaining why some people are more likely to get interrupted than others.According to studies by linguists, sociologists, psychologists and others (in other words, there have been a lot of studies), people most likely to be interrupted are women, minorities and people considered lower on the totem pole. White, heterosexual men are the most frequent interrupters, and theres a biological reason and a social reason for that.Heres the biology according to linguistics research , men tend to think of a conversation as a competition the more you say, the better you played the game. But women treat conversations as collaboration if everybody talks, everybody wins.Its not universally true that white men go around interrupting everybody else. But those linguistics studies were getting at something, which brings us to the social reason people who belong to a social group thats used to having power might act with an unconscious bias . Thats where the word mansplaining comes from. Not all men do it, but then, not all men who do it realize theyre doing it.Lets get something straight an interrupter isnt necessarily showing disrespect or dismissal. But if someone thinks, even subconsciously, that its okay to interrupt someone else, that can underline a difference in status that can make the interruptee seem less assertive, less in control, and therefore less likely to get a promotion or other signs of reco gnition.Which tactic you use depends on the person youre talking to and the context of the conversation, so use your best judgment. Whether its a one-time thing or merits a bigger confrontation , here are some ways to get started.There are a few ways to let the interrupter know that they interrupted and get the floor back. Just be careful how you say some of these, because they can come across as passive-aggressive or actually aggressive if you dont watch your tone.If the interruptions keep coming, it might be time to sit down with the interrupter and talk about it. Youll do this differently depending on who the person is.With a boss or someone higher in status In situations where youre not potentially risking your job if you say things wrong, its still important to be polite, and most importantly, not sound like youre blaming or attacking the interrupter.If you have the conversation but the interrupter keeps interrupting, dont despair. Habits die hard. If its someone in the wo rkplace , wait a few weeks, then bring it up again. If its a co-worker youre friendly with, maybe raise an eyebrow when they interrupt, or use the I welches just getting to that line.If you have a friend or family member whos a repeat offender, try making it playful. Keep a tally of interruptions. Ring a bell whenever they interrupt - thatll get their attention. Have a money jar a quarter for every interruption. Why not make some cash from their irritating habit?When Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swifts award acceptance speech, the audience booed him for taking away the limelight. You may not have a portable audience of thousands to follow you around and boo whenever someone interrupts, but now you have some strategies to help you out in the meantime.This article was originally published on Grammarly . It is reprinted with permission.