How to Interrupt with Grace

When you want to interrupt, how you do it has two critical components: both what you say and how you say it. See below for the takeaways.

Tangible Takeaways:

Your presence: Be mindful of your body language and voice - shoulders back, lean forward, project your voice and speak with conviction over hesitation. Look into the camera so people feel a connection to you, which also builds trust. Eye contact is super important.Your words: Use an acknowledgement bridge which is simply a way to acknowledge what they said and then move the point forward. Such as “Those are great ideas! Give me a moment to finish and I’ll turn it back over to the room.” Or, “Thank you for sharing your opinion. Hold on for a minute and I’ll complete my thought, then open up the floor to anyone else.”If YOU want to interrupt, “I’d like to interject” or “Here’s what I’ll add to that thought”With chronic interrupters, speak to them privately and/or create a “no interrupting” ground rule at your meetings if it happens a lot.Look at yourself. If you don’t come across strong and confident (while being approachable and inviting) when you start talking, people will not trust that you’re leading with authority and will be more inclined to interrupt you. Speak with conviction and not hesitation. Project your voice. I can’t say that enough!

About me:
Karen Laos is a keynote speaker and leadership coach equipping women to stand out with unshakable confidence. She specializes in communication: executive presence and compelling messages. Karen champions female business leaders to own their value and find their voice so they can be seen and heard. She also works with teams to create cultures of trust and function at their best.

Karen has coached leaders at Facebook, Google, Netflix, Uber, Sephora, Sony, Microsoft, Fidelity, Charles Schwab, Trip Advisor, Bacardi, Levi, and more. Karen’s style is fun, encouraging and results-oriented. She immediately moves past the “fluff” and gets straight to the issue (just ask her clients).

Connect with me:
Website: https://www.karenlaos.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenlaosconsulting

Facebook: Ignite Your Confidence with Karen Laos: https://www.facebook.com/groups/karenlaosconsulting

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenlaos/

Clubhouse: @karenlaos

Episodes also available on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEwQoTGdJX5eME0ccBKiKng/videos