Try Not To Interrupt People (But If You Slip Up, Do This)

I remind myself every morning: Nothing I say this day will teach me anything. So if I'm going to learn, I must do it by listening. -Larry King

No one likes to be interrupted.

But look, it's bound to happen from time to time.

Maybe your new friend brings up something that you know a lot about, and you interject.

I know your interruption was coming from a great place.

Here's what you can say to get back on track and show the other person that you were listening, not just waiting for your turn to speak:

"Before I interrupted you, you were saying XYZ?"

This phrase is gold.

It acknowledges that you interrupted, and it demonstrates that you were listening.

(Listening so well that you can provide them a jumping off point to get back to what they were saying.)

If you are the one who gets interrupted, it's actually a good thing. Let them finish their thought and then say:

"Going back to what I was saying about XYZ..."

This is subtle, you're not calling them out, you're just doing a little conversational nudge.

If they get the hint, great! If not, rinse and repeat.