The Selfless Interrupter

“Don't interrupt for your well being or benefit. Interrupt for the benefit of the individual that you're interrupting.”

I facilitate an activity with students and educators to help them practice listening intentionally and speaking purposefully. During the activity, participants take turns listening without verbally responding and then summarizing what they heard. We discuss the challenges of being quiet while someone shares deep personal topics. Many of us feel the need to say something to show we're listening, but in this activity, we can't. However, participants still feel listened to even when their partner remains silent. This highlights the fact that nobody likes to be interrupted. We tend to interrupt because we want to be a part of the conversation, but by listening silently, we can gain more knowledge. I encourage educators to be selfless interrupters, interrupting for the benefit of the students rather than for personal gain.