How to INTERRUPT POLITELY at work | Business English communication lesson

Want to improve your business English speaking and vocabulary at work? Today we're talking about how non-native English speakers in professional settings can interrupt politely. You'll learn practical vocabulary and grammar patterns to jump into a conversation confidently, whether you're speaking with colleagues, clients, or customers, without sounding rude or pushy. We build on the "yes, and" principle from improvised comedy to create natural, native-sounding interruptions that feel collaborative rather than confrontational. We'll also cover how to bring quieter colleagues into a discussion when one person is dominating the room, a valuable skill for building stronger relationships at work. Perfect for anyone looking to sound more confident and natural in meetings, client calls, or everyday workplace conversations, and to take their business English to the next level.

Also, if you're studying for the IELTS, TOEFL, DET or Cambridge English tests and exams then you might find some of the vocabulary in this episode really useful.

This podcast is all about helping you to communicate better, in English, at work. I work with international English speakers from around the world who use English, at work, as a second or third language and I hope that I can bring some of the ideas, vocabulary, and grammar, from those sessions, to you in this podcast.

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Don’t forget that my full time job is helping international professionals who use English at work to improve their communication skills. So, if you need English to do your job but don’t speak it natively then maybe we can work together to help you to achieve your language goals. 

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Transcript

Welcome back to the Breakout Business English podcast. My name is Chris. I'm a business English and communication coach, and I've personally worked with over 1,000 international professionals, almost certainly just like you, to improve the way that they communicate and At work. In. English. Thank you so much for listening and as always for your very valuable time. And our topic today is how to interrupt politely. To interrupt in a very polite way. So let's start with a situation. Have you ever been in a meeting where you had something important to say, but you just couldn't find the right moment to jump in. Maybe a colleague was talking for what felt like forever, and by the time they finished, the conversation had already moved on. Now, This is an interesting problem. I was doing research on this. I've certainly got ideas on how we can handle this, but when I come to write these scripts and to discuss these ideas, I like to see what other people think. After all, I'm not the first person to think about these issues and you're not the first people to have these issues. Usually other people have great ideas on how to solve these problems. And it was interesting watching a couple of YouTube videos on this idea, reading the comments section. The comments sections are always filled with some valuable input. And the comment section's on these videos were interesting because a lot of people were saying Don't give these people your time. Ignore these people. It's not even worth trying. If you work with someone who talks all the time and never gives anyone else a chance to speak, then they're not worth trying to deal with. Just ignore them. The problem is though, often don't have that choice, we don't have that luxury. If you have a colleague who takes control of every conversation and doesn't let anyone else speak, then just... Ignoring them and not giving your input can be a problem, certainly for your visibility to your managers, to your stakeholders, to your clients, and maybe even for your career progression. Ciao. We need to think about being just a little bit assertive, maybe. And how we can deal with this situation. So here we're tackling a skill that even native speakers often struggle with, and this is how to interrupt politely. We'll look at some phrases, maybe the timing and the tone that you need to jump into a conversation with confidence without sounding rude. Without sounding too pushy Awkward. So if you've ever stayed silent when you've had something valuable to add, this episode is for you. The first idea that we're going to think about is how to interrupt in a way that actually feels like you're building on what the other person is saying. Using words that feel collaborative will make your interruption sound like you're agreeing with what the other person is saying. Rather than just trying to steer the conversation in another direction. However, you can then steer it in another direction once you have control of it. We want to try and recognize and acknowledge what the other person, the other speaker, has said. Which will make our interruption more welcome. If we're talking about these people who really want to have 100% control of the conversation, then giving them that acknowledgement and that validation can be really useful and valuable. We can do this with phrases like, that's a great point. And I'm glad you brought that up. Then, once you've got control of the conversation, as I mentioned, you can decide where it goes. This actually draws on an old rule of improvised theatre and music. Amity. And this is referred to often as the yes and rule or yes and thinking. This is the concept that when you're improvising a performance, with another person. You should always accept what that other person has said and then build trust. On it. One of my favourite events in the entire year is the Edinburgh Fringe Festival that starts in the second week of August and runs for the rest of the month. It's starting in about a month. I won't be there this year, but I've been lucky enough to go a couple of times and seeing some of the improvised comedy there is always a highlight for me. And seeing how the performers use this yes and thinking is really incredible from a communication point of view. It allows everything to flow in a way that feels natural. So. Let's take a look at some really natural and native sounding ways to apply this idea which you can then follow with the point that you want to make.
I think you've hit the nail on the head. In fact, that's a great segue into another issue that we need to discuss. I think you've hit the nail on the head. In fact, that's a great segue into another issue that we need to discuss. That's a fantastic point. And it actually makes me think about... That's a fantastic pint. And it actually makes me think about... Actually, you touched on an issue that I really think is worth digging into. Actually, you touched on an issue there that I really think is worth digging into. Okay, so a Segway is a smooth transition from one topic into another. Moving from one point in a conversation to a related one without it feeling sudden or disconnected. It's spelled S-E-G-U- E. But pronounced Segway. The word comes from Italian. Where it originally meant Follows. ".
But this is one of them. Now, you'll hear this word, segue, used as both a noun... Which is describing the transition itself, a segue. And as a verb describing the act and the process of transitioning. As a noun. Someone might say, That story about the client meeting. Is actually a perfect segue into our next topic. That story about the client meeting is actually a perfect segue into our next topic. You can hear there how, as a noun, you're identifying a thing. As a good Transition. And a good way to move on to the next topic. As a verb, you might hear: Let's segue into the budget discussion now that we've covered timelines. Let's segue into the budget discussion now that we've covered timelines. It's especially useful in presentations and meetings where jumping between subjects to abruptly can make you sound disorganized. Whereas a good segue makes the whole conversation feel planned and connected. In our original example that you heard a couple of minutes ago, I said that's a great segue into another issue that we need to discuss. Which means that person that point that you made naturally leads us into the next topic. That's a great segue into another issue that we need to discuss. This is useful whenever you want to connect two ideas together so the conversation flows naturally rather than jumping between two subjects in a way that feels disjointed or forced. It won't necessarily turn you into a fantastic improvised comedy comedian with a show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, but at least you'll be taking one of the ideas that those performers use and applying it to your professional communication. I think there's a lot that we can learn for professional communication from comedians and stand-up comics. Those guys, those folks are often really great communicators. Okay, so to hit the nail on the head, means to describe exactly what's causing a problem or situation. Or to say that something is very precisely and exactly correct. And like many of the best idioms, it's a phrase that is really easy to picture in your mind. When you hit a nail with a hammer, you want to strike it right in the middle, right in the center. Not at an angle, otherwise the nail bends and the job won't get done properly. That's exactly the image here. Hitting the truth. Of something directly and accurately with no wasted effort or misdirection. It's a phrase you'll often hear in meetings. Whether someone's figuring out a problem or confirming a colleague's analysis. For example: If a teammate says, "I think the reason sales dropped is that we changed our pricing right before the holiday season. Then you might respond... You've hit the nail on the head. That's exactly it. Or in a feedback session. A manager might say, your report really hit the nail on the head when it came to identifying our biggest inefficiencies. Your report really hit the nail on the head when it came to identifying our biggest inefficiencies. In the example from our list earlier on, I said, "I think you've hit the nail on the head." which means that I think What you've said? Is exactly right. It's a great way to show strong agreement before you move the conversation forward to where you actually want to take it. And it carries more weight. Than simply saying, I agree. Because it signals that the other person has identified something very important. And if you've identified something very important, and that important thing is that you need to improve your English communication skills, then maybe we can work together. If you think that this podcast has hit the nail on the head when it comes to things that you need to improve, So my full-time job is helping international professionals who use English at work to improve their communication skills. So. If you need English. To do your job, but you don't speak it natively. Then I'd really like to meet you. If you'd like to book some time to meet with me, one-to-one video calls, just you and me, then you can go to BreakoutBusinessEnglish.com. That's the title of the podcast, BreakoutBusinessEnglish.com and find out more. Starting on our very first call. We can focus on the specific opportunities that you personally have to improve your English and communication skills, and the mistakes that you make most often or cause the biggest problems with your communication. And right now, you can use the code PODCAST30, that's PODCAST30, at checkout to get a 30% discount off your first booking of 30, 45, or 60 minutes, whichever is best for you. Sometimes my calendar gets a little busy. So if you have trouble finding a time that works for you can always send me a message through the contact page on the website and ask if I have any time to fit you in. I've worked with well over 1,000 non-native English speaking professionals from new graduates up to CEOs and government leaders to help them achieve their goals and I look forward to meeting you. Okay, so for the second half of today's podcast, I want to talk about how we can interrupt politely, even if we don't have anything to say. This can be really useful. If you're in a meeting or a conversation and you notice that one person is taking up all of the conversation and filling all of the time. Whether you're in a meeting at work or a coffee shop with friends, this can make everyone feel a little bored and maybe lose interest after a while. Tchau. How can we do this? How can we open up our conversations? One of my favorite communication ideas doubles as a way to build great professional relationships. And this is to bring other people into the conversation. So if someone is speaking too much. And you think that perhaps someone else has something interesting to add. Then, you can use these ideas to get them talking. This can be a great way to break up the conversation before you jump in with your own contribution. Maybe you're bringing someone in who you don't think will speak for five full minutes in a row. So. Let's listen now. To some examples of how you can be a conversational superhero, saving everyone from boring speeches and turning your colleagues' TED Talk back into a conversation and an exchange of ideas instead of just a presentation.
Sarah, I'd love to hear your take on this. Sarah, I'd love to hear your take on this. Frankly, that's something I think Dave has a lot of experience in. Dave, can you give us your two cents on this? Frankly, that's something I think Dave has a lot of experience in. Dave, can you give us your two cents on this? I think that's an important area to explore. Would anyone else like to add their thoughts? I think that's an important area to explore. Would anyone else like to add their thoughts? That last example there, would anyone else like to add their thoughts, is an example, as I talked about, of just opening the conversation up. Inviting other people to speak. And If someone does want to. Add something then fantastic if not that's a great way to segue into inviting someone into that conversation. For instance: as I did in the second example. Dave has a lot of experience in this area. Do you have anything you'd like to add? Or alternatively, if no one has anything to add, that's a great way to yourself. Jump into the conversation. Okay, so your take. Your take means your opinion. Or your perspective on something. That is your take. Your take is your opinion. How you personally see or interpret a situation. It comes from the verb you take. In the sense of how you take something. Meaning how you understand or perceive something. It is a slightly informal, conversational way of asking someone's views. And it's especially common in workplace conversations because it feels more approachable than asking, what's your opinion? Which can sound a little more formal. Or even like you're putting someone on the spot. You're putting a lot of pressure on someone. You'll often hear it paired with, On. That's the preposition that takes us through to the object of the sentence. We ask people their take on something. Specifying exactly what you want their opinion about. For example, a colleague might ask, what's your take on the new marketing strategy? What's your take on the new marketing strategy? Or in a meeting, someone might say, I'd like to get everyone's take before we finalize the decision. I'd like to get everyone's take before we finalise the decision. In our original example. We had "Sarah, I'd love to hear your take on this." Which means "Sarah, I'd love to hear your opinion on this." I'd love to hear your take on this. It's a friendly, natural way to invite someone, in this case Sarah, into the conversation without sounding like you're demanding a formal analysis. And to give your two cents. 所以 , 你 这 两 个 字 的 意思 是 你的 看 法 。 or maybe even your take. And it's usually when you want someone to contribute to a discussion in a modest way, a low-key way, not something they've given a lot of thought to. They just might want to quickly add some ideas. Now, the phrase comes from the idea of a small coin, like a penny. Standing in for something of very little monetary value. You're not adding entire dollars or euros here, just cents. And yes, we talk about Euros and cents, 1 Euro 99 cents, but... This term, two cents, is a little bit older. This comes from the American two cents or the American cent, 100 cents in a dollar, which means that this is definitely an American English phrase. You will hear it all around the world and the world is becoming a more American English place as a result of movies and music and TV. So you will hear it around the world. However, Most. Often over in North America there, in the US and maybe Canada. So when you say you're offering your two cents, You're being a little bit, maybe self-deprecating. You're suggesting that your opinion is just a small, humble contribution? And maybe not even that important. Rather than being the final word on the matter. It's often used with the verb 'put in'. As in, let me put in my two cents. Or give. As in our example. You'll hear it a lot in more casual professional settings like team meetings or brainstorming sessions. Where people want to contribute without sounding like they're claiming authority. For example, someone might say, can I just put my two cents in here? Before then. Disagreeing gently with a decision. Or I'll give you my two cents, but ultimately it's your call. It's your decision. In our example, we heard, Dave, can you give us your two cents on this? Which meant, Dave, can you share your opinion on this? Even just a minor opinion, just maybe a couple of thoughts. I'd just love to hear what's on your mind when we're talking about this topic. So it's a casual, friendly way to invite someone's opinion while keeping the tone light and non-distant. Confrontational. And speaking about American English, what's happening over in the US right now, we have the World Cup. Now, when I spoke to you last week, England had a difficult match coming up. And I am very proud to say that we won that, which has put us into... The semi-finals. For the first time in... Well actually only since 2018, I think we were in the semifinals in 2018. But I think we've only made it this far four times. As I'm talking, Spain just a couple of hours ago defeated France, so Spain are in the World Cup finals, that's exciting. And... England. Have Argentina to play. That's tonight at 8pm in the UK. So I've discussed this with a few people. I work with a few people who are excited about football and about the World Cup, but I'm just from a social perspective and a big society perspective, it's really nice to see everyone focused on one event. It doesn't happen all that often, but to be able to speak to people as I do in China and in Brazil and in France and indeed in North America, All about the same topic, the world, watching one thing. It's always really, exciting and really interesting to get those perspectives. So if you're watching the World Cup, whether you are cheering for England or Argentina, then Hope you have a great time watching the match. So don't forget that if you would like to discuss any of the ideas, vocabulary or grammar, etc. In today's episode, or if you'd like to discuss the World Cup, or if you want to work more generally on your English and your communication skills, then you can book some of my time. Book a session at BreakoutBusinessEnglish.com. That's BreakoutBusinessEnglish.com. Or click on the link in the show notes and use the code PODCAST30 to get a 30% discount off your first booking. Between episodes of the podcast, you can get videos every couple of days on Instagram, TikTok. And YouTube. Just search for Breakout Business English. And if there's a topic that you'd like to hear me talk about on the podcast, then I'd be excited to hear your ideas. Leave a message or a comment on one of my YouTube videos, and I look forward to hearing from you. If you're listening on Apple Podcasts, then I invite you to leave a review. Every review really helps me out and helps to push the podcast to new listeners and to grow the show. So if you found this podcast useful and you think that there are some valuable things in here, then feel free to write a couple of kind words and I thank you for that in advance. That's another great place to request a topic for a future podcast. That's it for today. Thank you so much for listening. And as always for your time, I really do know how valuable it is. And I appreciate and respect your choice to spend some of it with this podcast. I hope you have a great week and I'll talk to you again next time on the Breakout Business English Podcast. Thanks a lot, everyone. Talk to you soon.