Allowing people to finish talking before you interject, is a polite skill that a lot of people lack. It’s one that can be learned and practiced though. If you regularly hear “can I finish please?” or “I’m not done talking yet”, then chances are you need to work on this skill.

Tips:

Allow one second of silence before you reply to others

Listen to understand - focus on what the person is saying and try to hear all their points. When we are actively listening, we are less likely to interrupt

Control your breathing and slow down your speaking

Controlling your volume also helps. When we debate loudly, our brain can lead us to process the volume as an attack. Attacks make us defensive. Controlling your volume helps to remind you that you’re engaging in a discussion, not a heated argument.

I receive many compliments about the way I converse with others in group discussions, and honestly, I haven’t always been skilled at not interjecting. In fact, I was terrible when I was younger, but I applied these tips to my life and they helped me greatly!

Practice helps