How to interrupt like a pro

How to interrupt in meetings at work - The workplace communication skill colleagues need to learn, practice and use with confidence

How do you interrupt someone in a meeting at work without sounding rude?

It is one of those workplace communication skills that rarely gets taught but can make a huge difference in how meetings feel and function.

Most of us hate being interrupted. We know how frustrating it feels when someone jumps in before we have finished making a point. But there are also times when interruption is necessary. If a meeting is drifting, someone is dominating the conversation, or the same point is being repeated again and again, a well-timed interruption can keep things moving.

The skill is knowing how to do it clearly, politely and with confidence.

In this blog, I’ll look at:

Why interrupting well matters at work

How it can improve meetings

What to say when you need to step in

How to handle being interrupted yourself

And how to help colleagues build better meeting habits.

Listen to my advice in this 10-minute podcast: The joy of interrupting.

The art of interrupting

Interrupting is not about cutting people off. It is about steering a conversation when it needs steering.

I remember chairing a panel discussion about Brexit and the law a few years ago. I asked the first panellist for his view, and he talked. And talked. And talked.

Because it was the first question, it felt difficult to jump in. I did not want to look rude or shut him down too early. But the result was that none of the other panellists got a look-in.

That is the moment when interrupting becomes useful.

Now, I would handle it differently. I might say:

“Thank you. I’m going to have to leave it there for now.”

Or:

“I’m going to pause you there because I want to bring in another view.”

That kind of interruption is not personal. It is practical. You are helping the meeting or discussion do what it is supposed to do.

How can mastering the art of interruption improve your meetings?

Meetings work better when people know how to manage the flow of conversation.

That does not mean controlling every word. It means noticing when the conversation needs help. Perhaps someone has answered the question and is now repeating the point. Perhaps one person is taking up too much space. Perhaps the meeting is running out of time and there are still other views to hear.

Handled well, interruption helps colleagues:

Keep meetings focused and on schedule

Give more people a chance to contribute

Stop one voice dominating the discussion

Move on from repetition without causing offence

Bring the conversation back to the point

Chair meetings and panel discussions with more confidence.

This is why interrupting well matters. It is not just a useful trick for confident speakers. It is part of creating meetings where people can contribute, listen, move on and get work done.

My top tips for interrupting — share these with your team

Interrupting well is not just about having a few polite phrases ready. It is about understanding the situation you are in.

There is a difference between interrupting because you are running the meeting, interrupting because you have something useful to add, and responding when someone interrupts you.

Each one needs a slightly different approach.

When you are running the meeting, interrupt without over-apologising

If you are chairing a meeting, hosting a panel or leading a discussion, keeping things moving is part of your role.

That means you do not need to make a huge apology for stepping in.

When someone has spoken for too long, you might say:

“Thank you. I’m going to have to leave it there for now.”

Or:

“I’m going to pause you there because we need to keep to time.”

Or:

“Thank you. I want to bring in another view.”

The danger of saying, “I’m really sorry to interrupt,” is that it makes the interruption sound like a mistake. But if the meeting needs direction, stepping in is not rude. It is useful.

Use clear phrases that move the discussion on

A good interruption should tell people what is happening next.

That might mean moving to another topic, bringing in another speaker or returning to the purpose of the meeting.

Useful phrases include:

“We must move on.”

“Let’s go to the next topic.”

“I do want to keep us running on time.”

“We’ll have to leave it there on that point.”

“Charlotte, I know you had something to add.”

The clearer you are, the less awkward it becomes. People know the meeting is moving on, and the speaker is less likely to feel personally shut down.

Use physical cues before you step in

You do not always need to interrupt with words straight away.

A raised palm, a deliberate nod, a small gesture towards your watch or a finger-and-thumb signal to suggest “keep it brief” can all help someone realise they need to wrap up.

These cues are useful when you want to guide the speaker without making a big moment of it.

But if the cue does not work, use words. Otherwise, you are back to hoping the meeting will somehow rescue itself.

When you are taking part, interrupt with more judgement

Most people are not chairing meetings all day. They are taking part in them.

That makes the interruption more delicate.

Sometimes you can tell someone is running out of steam on an idea, or has started to repeat the same point in a different way. If you have something useful to add, you can step in by showing you have listened first.

For example:

“Jane, I’ve got what you’re saying and I think it’s a brilliant point. I just want to add…”

That is very different from simply grabbing the airtime. It acknowledges the person speaking and connects your point to theirs.

Handle being interrupted politely

If someone interrupts you, you have choices.

You might ignore it if it is a minor interruption. You might keep going if you are mid-flow and need to finish the thought. Or you might politely reclaim the floor.

One useful phrase is:

“I think what you’re about to say is really valuable. Could I just finish my point though?”

That line works because it does two things. It respects the other person’s contribution while making it clear that you have not finished.

Call it out if the interruption becomes a pattern

If someone keeps interrupting you, you do not have to absorb it silently.

You can call it out clearly without making it dramatic.

Try:

“You’ve just interrupted me. Could I carry on?”

Or:

“You’ve interrupted me a few times in this meeting. Could I finish what I’m saying?”

This may feel uncomfortable at first. But repeated interruptions affect who gets heard, whose ideas develop, and who has influence in the room.

Sometimes naming it calmly is the most useful thing you can do.

If you interrupt too soon, correct yourself

Nobody gets this right all the time.

We all interrupt. Sometimes we jump in too quickly because we are excited, impatient or keen to add something.

The important thing is to notice it.

If you realise you have interrupted someone, say:

“Sorry, I interrupted you. Please carry on.”

That small correction helps set the tone. It shows that good meeting behaviour is not about being perfect. It is about being aware enough to repair the moment.

Build the opposite skill too: listening

The other side of interrupting well is listening well.

If someone regularly interrupts, the answer is not just to give them better phrases. They may also need to practise staying quiet, letting others finish and noticing when they are about to jump in.

Good meetings need both skills: the confidence to step in when the conversation needs direction, and the discipline to listen when someone else has the floor.

Help colleagues practise better meeting behaviour

Better meetings do not happen because people are told to “be more respectful” or “stop interrupting”.

They happen when colleagues have the confidence, language and judgement to manage conversations well.

That means knowing when to step in, how to keep a meeting moving, how to make space for other voices, and how to respond when they are interrupted.

Bit Famous helps teams and leaders build the communication skills they need for better meetings, presentations and high-profile workplace conversations.

If your colleagues need to get better at speaking up, stepping in and keeping conversations on track, book a no-obligation discovery call.

Bit Famous works with businesses and organisations
to help them communicate with confidence.

By Penny Haslam

MD and Founder - Bit Famous

Workplace Confidence

FREE resources for leaders and people professionals from Penny Haslam and Bit Famous

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