Leading a team
What to do when someone keeps interrupting in meetings
Talk one to one, not in front of the team, and describe specific moments from recent meetings. Acknowledge their energy, then say what the interrupting does to others. Agree on one concrete change that both of you will easily notice.
How to handle this conversation
Describe a specific meeting
“At Tuesday’s review you cut Anna off three times before she finished presenting the results.” A specific example is harder to dismiss than “you often interrupt.”
Value the energy, change the form
For example: “Your ideas matter to the team. I want others to have a chance to finish what they are saying too.”
Show the effect on the team
Quieter people stop speaking up and meetings run longer. Say what you see instead of judging their character.
Suggest a simple rule
“Let us agree that before you respond, you note your thought and wait until the other person has finished. In the next meeting I will give you the floor right after the presentation.”
I talk to someone who keeps interrupting others
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Duration
- 8-10 minutes
The situation
In your team meetings one person regularly cuts others off and finishes their sentences. Several people have stopped speaking up, and one of them mentioned it to you after a meeting. You invite this person for a one-to-one.
Who you talk to
Very active team member
Sharp, full of ideas and genuinely committed. Does not see a problem, thinks others simply speak too little and feels briefly hurt that their commitment is being criticised.
The counterpart also has private goals and information that are never shown upfront. You discover them only through the conversation, the same way you would in real life.
What makes it hard
- They explain the interrupting as enthusiasm and respect for time.
- They ask who complained and want to talk to that person directly.
- They hear the feedback as an attempt to silence them.
Your goals
- Describe the behaviour with specific examples
- Show the effect on the team without judging the person
- Agree on one concrete change for the next meetings
What the report looks at
- Whether you describe facts from specific meetings
- Whether you value their commitment without diluting the point
- How you respond when asked who complained
- Whether the conversation ends with a clear agreement