PSA: Pausing before I talk fixed my mix-ups

I used to cut people off with my own thoughts. Letting them finish first stopped a lot of confusion. My buddy's story about his car trouble made sense once I just listened.

4 comments

4 Comments

michael6692mo ago

Has waiting a second before you talk ever kept you from stepping on someone's point? I started doing the same thing last year, and it totally changed how my team talks at work, since we all used to jump in at once. That little pause lets everyone feel heard, in my experience.

kelly6382mo ago

Ever notice that pause helps you think, too?

seth_singh202mo ago

Read that pauses prevent talking over each other.

the_wesley2mo ago

Yeah, that "little pause" you mentioned is huge. I used to cut people off all the time in meetings until I forced myself to count to two after someone finished. It felt weird at first, but now I catch myself about to interrupt and actually hear the end of their thought.