When someone gets interrupted while telling a story to your group, it’s the perfect opportunity to make yourself seem more attentive and likable by asking that person to continue.
We’ve all been there—you’re trying to tell a story and someone jumps on something you said and runs away with it. It feels awkward and it makes you wonder if anyone wants to listen to you at all. But if someone were to ask you to continue, you’d feel better and grateful toward that person. That’s why Milena Rangelov at Quora suggests you always take the opportunity to ask people to continue their stories after being interrupted. It makes them feel appreciated, and most importantly, it makes them feel heard. The trick is to do it without interrupting someone else or making a big deal out of it. Don’t point fingers at who did the interrupting. When there’s a pause in conversation, politely ask them to finish their story and they’ll love you forever for it.
Milena Rangelov’s answer to “What are useful social skills that can be picked up quickly?” | Quora via Business Insider
Photo by George Fox Evangelical Seminary.