How to handle an interruption

- Let's say you're in a meeting. … You get interrupted, fine, but a little later, … you speak up and get interrupted again. … If that keeps up, … most of us are likely to go in one of two directions, … either retreating into silence … or getting mad and lashing out. … The frustration is understandable. … But as you can imagine, neither reaction is a great idea. … Here's what to do instead. … First of all, it's useful to step back and ask yourself, … why are you being interrupted? … Sometimes, people are rude. … They're not really listening to you, … or they're so eager to talk they don't care what anyone else … is saying or doing, … but other times, interruptions can actually be a sign … of interest and engagement. … If they're interrupting to ask for more details … or with a clarifying question, … that can actually be a good sign … that they care about the topic and want to learn more. … Another useful thing to look at … is whether you're being interrupted by just one person … or by lots of people. …