People, usually peer engineers, but occasionally executives, would try to rebut whatever I was trying to state as I'd state it.
I learned to be an utter asshole to these people.
When interrupted, I stop speaking. Entirely. Nine out of ten times the person interrupting realizes I'm no longer speaking and…also stops speaking. I guess they think this is a conversation? I don't know.
So I restart. From wherever I started, not where I was interrupted. Because I'm usually trying to get a coherent point across, an argument, a statement, whatever.
And if interrupted again…I stop and repeat the process.
I don't raise my voice.
I may throw a glare or two.
I have found that after two or three of these cycles the person in question waits until I'm done or I ask for questions or whatever the context demands.
In turn, I consciously try to refrain from interrupting someone else, especially women. I am in no way perfect at this.
I've had people tell me (or my manager more likely) that my silence in these moments is more intimidating than if I just barrelled over the interruptor.
I have heard that in organizations where there's recognition that this is a problem, a talking stick or some other object, helps: the only person who can speak has to have the object, they "have the floor" until they relinquish it.
And for the people who are prone to interrupting others: cut that shit out. You're not impressing anyone. You're not getting your point across. You may well have a valid point or issue or comment, but if the only way you know to make an argument is to disrupt anyone else…then that's the takeaway, not whatever your issue actually is.
I learned to be an utter asshole to these people.
When interrupted, I stop speaking. Entirely. Nine out of ten times the person interrupting realizes I'm no longer speaking and…also stops speaking. I guess they think this is a conversation? I don't know.
So I restart. From wherever I started, not where I was interrupted. Because I'm usually trying to get a coherent point across, an argument, a statement, whatever.
And if interrupted again…I stop and repeat the process.
I don't raise my voice.
I may throw a glare or two.
I have found that after two or three of these cycles the person in question waits until I'm done or I ask for questions or whatever the context demands.
In turn, I consciously try to refrain from interrupting someone else, especially women. I am in no way perfect at this.
I've had people tell me (or my manager more likely) that my silence in these moments is more intimidating than if I just barrelled over the interruptor.
I have heard that in organizations where there's recognition that this is a problem, a talking stick or some other object, helps: the only person who can speak has to have the object, they "have the floor" until they relinquish it.
And for the people who are prone to interrupting others: cut that shit out. You're not impressing anyone. You're not getting your point across. You may well have a valid point or issue or comment, but if the only way you know to make an argument is to disrupt anyone else…then that's the takeaway, not whatever your issue actually is.