Have you noticed there’s a tendency by some to interrupt you frequently when you’re speaking with them? Maybe it is my mind going into overdrive, thinking that this is some kind of new ‘trend’. I really hope not, but have you noticed some are interrupting you often whilst you’re in mid-flow? If so, I’m sure you find it most frustrating, perhaps even rude.
This, of course, means they are not listening to you and they may feel, whether consciously or subconsciously, that their points are more valuable than yours.
What I am referring to is when you are having conversations with others and those whom you are speaking with are almost constantly interrupting you. I am also by no means suggesting that I have never interrupted anyone. I think, if we’re all honest about it, most of us have. We can all make an effort to listen more than we already do. This, of course, means they are not listening to you and they may feel, whether consciously or subconsciously, that their points are more valuable than yours. In some cases, I can actually see that they are not listening through their body language or even the movement of their eyes.
Thankfully, I have found those who feel they have a right to interrupt in the minority. However, is the person who is constantly interrupting you, someone, you really wish to have continued dialogue with? If they don’t seemingly value your thoughts and opinions, I ask you: Why are you even bothering speaking with them?
☑️ Perhaps it’s a 21st Century thing. We are almost incessantly ‘on’ social media, the phone, email, etc, after all. We are constantly being interrupted by technology.
☑️ Perhaps patience is fast diminishing.
☑️ Perhaps this is a new way of engaging; by getting your point across by interrupting people.
Well, no, I don’t see why we have to put up with this and I suggest you should avoid people who obviously refuse to value what you have to say. – If you can. I recognise that you may have a colleague or business partner who interrupts you frequently and you couldn’t get away so easily. If that’s the case, I suggest you kindly ask them not to interrupt you. I appreciate it’s not easy to do that but why should you have to endure it?
There have been recent instances when I have been interrupted, I simply say, ‘’Please let me finish. Thank you.’’ Or ‘’Please hear me out.’’ In some cases, those in question have not got the hint that interrupting me so frequently is not only frustrating but rather rude. I repeat, ’’Please hear me out’’ every time they cut me up in what I have to say. They usually get the hint by then and I move on.
To me, it’s a pity this happens as everyone has the right to share and get their points across. In my view, one way of showing others respect is to listen to what they have to say.
The art of conversation is the art of hearing as well as of being heard.
― William Hazlitt, Selected Essays, 1778-1830.
