Tactic 77 of 99
The Cut-In
Whoever holds the floor holds the conversation.
What it is
In any conversation, someone controls the floor: who talks, for how long, about what. Sociologists Harvey Sacks, Emanuel Schegloff and Gail Jefferson mapped how turn-taking works. Interruptions can be about dominance, but research on that link is mixed. Many interruptions are friendly: agreeing, finishing a sentence, showing excitement. What matters is whether the cut-in helps the conversation or hijacks it.
Spot it
Someone constantly cuts you off, finishes your sentences wrong or changes the subject mid-point. You never get to finish.
Counter it
Keep talking at a steady volume for a beat. Then: “Let me finish.” Say it calmly. If it keeps happening, name it: “I’ve noticed I keep getting cut off.”