Why You Need to Learn to Interrupt Others
- Dr. Elke Framson
- Aug 18
- 5 min read
Updated: Aug 19
It sounds like bad advice. But learning when and how to cut in can save your ideas - and your career.
Perhaps you’ve been there: You’re in a strategy meeting with colleagues and your boss. It’s a lively exchange with ideas and comments ping-ponging back and forth between people. For your American co-workers, it seems so easy to chime in with something original or insightful. Not for you. You’ve got ideas too, but you’re waiting for the right moment to speak: a pause in the conversation or a signal that it’s your turn. However, that moment never comes. So, you remain silent. And then the meeting is over. You get up, relieved and frustrated at the same time.
How can you make an impact in your organization if you can’t even add a contribution in a meeting?
Why Non-Native Speakers Remain Silent
There are many reasons why you would want to speak up during a meeting: You want to provide a different perspective, add relevant data, correct an inaccuracy, raise a point no one’s thought about, or ask a question. You want to be a valuable team member, someone with a voice and ideas worth being heard.
But there are just as many reasons why you're not doing it: the pace is too fast, it takes you too long to formulate your thoughts, you can’t think of the right words in English, you’re worried about mistakes, or you’re self-conscious about sounding "foreign".
You don’t know when and how to cut in.
In the following paragraphs, I share tips and tools for polite and effective interrupting – or interjecting – so your ideas don’t remain stuck in your head but make it into the conversation.
When to Interject: Stop Thinking and Start Listening.
No, doubt, waiting for a pause in the conversation is a respectful thing to do. But here’s the problem: the pause may never come. In a faster-paced environment you will therefore have to find a way to politely interrupt sooner.
Timing still matters. After all, you don’t want to cut someone off mid-sentence. To notice your chance to interject, you must do this: Stop thinking about what you want to say and start listening closely to the conversation. One of the biggest mistakes non-native speakers make is that they direct their focus inward to constructing and practicing sentences in their brain. If you do that, you’re not giving full attention to the actual conversation – and you won’t notice the opportunities to interject.
To gauge the right moment, tune into the conversation.
How to Interject: Create a Connection.
Start your interjection with a bridge phrase. This is a word or phrase that creates a transition from the prior speaker to you. It’s a verbal and mental connector. The bridge phrase does not contain your main point. That comes later. Here are some examples of bridge phrases, categorized by their main purpose:
Interjections that express emotion, such as surprise, excitement, or doubt. For example: “Aha!”, “Wow!”, or “Hmm?”. These phrases can help draw attention to you and create the opportunity to take the floor.
Phrases that acknowledge what the prior speaker said. Phrases of acknowledgement can be used to introduce agreement and reinforcement, such as “Great point!” or “I like that idea!”. They can also introduce disagreement or a new perspective, for example, “I hear what you’re saying...”. In the U.S., this is a common way to voice a different opinion. Blunt disagreement is generally perceived as too confrontational, especially in group meetings.
Phrases that ask for permission, such as “Could I just add something here?” or “Do you mind if I jump in here?”. Asking for permission is not a sign of weakness. It shows consideration.
Another way to signal your intention to speak is body language. Our brains are wired to react to movement. Shifting your body or raising your hand is likely to draw the attention of the meeting leader and/or current speaker. That can be the perfect moment to interject.
What You Can Do Before the Meeting
Non-native speakers always face what I call “the additional layer”. Speaking up in meetings may be challenging for native speakers, too. But non-native speakers face additional hurdles because they are working in a language and culture that is not their own. Here are a few tips:
Take the time to review the meeting agenda and think about what you would like to add. Prepare and practice your main points, so you can focus on the conversation during the actual meeting.
Some people find it helpful to jot down one or two key words on their device or a notepad. During the meeting, a short glance at these notes is usually enough to trigger the comment you had prepared beforehand - and give you the confidence to speak up.
Create a personal inventory of bridge phrases. Pick those that come easily to you. When the moment comes, combine a favorite bridge phrase with the points you already laid out.
You can also let the organizer or meeting leader know in advance that you would like to contribute. That way they are aware of your intention to share an idea and can pass the baton over to you at the appropriate time.
Five More Tips for Successful Interjecting:
Don’t say, “I’m sorry!”. An apology at the beginning of your comment weakens your authority. After all, you’re not doing anything wrong. To be polite, you can use the phrase, “Excuse me.” Then speak confidently.
Make sure that your contribution is on point. Don’t interrupt without having anything substantial to say.
Keep it short and to the point. Be as concise as possible and then hand it back to the prior speaker or the meeting leader.
Thank the prior speaker or meeting leader for the opportunity to contribute.
Virtually, it can be particularly hard to get a word in. Unmuting yourself or clicking the raised hand button can signal to the facilitator that you would like to say something.
In the U.S., Be Assertive – and Take Control
Asserting yourself means sharing your expertise and opinions in a way that is confident yet respectful. For non-native speakers, lack of confidence in their communication competency can be a big hurdle.
Do you ever feel that you’re lacking the skills to speak up in meetings? Invest in a few hours with a communication coach who can diagnose your specific areas for improvement and help you develop and practice strategies to overcome them.
Learning to interject confidently is a key communication and career skill. You need it to shape the conversation and influence the results. If you stay silent too long, people will think you have no opinion. They’ll forget that you’re in the room. That’s when you give up control and hand it over to others.
Do you want to strengthen your skills and confidence? Reach out to me for a complimentary conversation about how you can reach your communication goals.
