Letting someone finish their sentence is the cheapest respect you can give.

LEADERSHIP

WHAT THIS MEANS

Interrupting says something you probably do not mean: that you already know where this is going and your version is better. It costs nothing to wait, and the waiting is often the entire content of feeling respected. Most people do not need to be agreed with nearly as much as they need to be allowed to finish.

Try it deliberately this week with the person you interrupt most, who is usually someone close. Let the pause after their last word run a beat longer than is comfortable. You will hear sentences end in places you did not predict.

A QUESTION TO SIT WITH

Who do you interrupt most without realizing it?

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