Ways to Deal with Manterruption at Work

Interruptions are a natural occurrence that can take place during any conversation. However, it is observed that women are interrupted 2.6 times more than they interrupt. This is even more common in workplaces where women are unnecessarily talked over as an exhibition of male dominance. This phenomenon is called manterruption, and in this article, we will discuss the various steps one needs to take to deal with this issue.     

What Is Manterruption?  

 The term was coined in 2015 when Time columnist Jessica Bennett tried to describe how women were unnecessarily interrupted by men. According to a 2019 study, interruptions at work were the biggest challenge faced by on-site workers during hybrid meetings. Nearly 61% of them complained of either being talked over or being interrupted. For remote workers, the same numbers go up to 67%. Hence, men interrupting women is a severe problem that must be taken up soon.    

How To Deal with Interruptions

Now that you are familiar with the concept of manterruption, you can easily find it around you. While interruptions at work are very common, you must also be concerned about how to deal with them. Let us look at a few simple steps.     

Take Notice

Just being aware of any persistent issue will not solve it. It is also important to take note of when and where this pattern occurs in your daily life. Initially, you may have found it as a microaggression that upset you, but it was not terrible. However, once you start keeping track, it becomes much more perceivable. Therefore, you must keep a tally of it somewhere in your workplace and your home.

Improve Your Listening Skills

While you may choose to stay silent on this issue, perpetuating it yourself is even worse. Therefore, improve your listening skills, practice empathy, and most importantly, never interrupt others. You can practice the three-second method, where you leave three seconds of silence before reacting to any information. You must also not deprive others of listening to someone else. Finally, you must understand the fact that your need to express yourself is just as important as the other person’s need to be heard.    

Have Agendas for Meeting

If your meeting is structured, it is less likely to experience unwanted interruptions. You must define the purpose of the meeting, its leaders, and its outcomes. This makes it very clear about the people who need to speak and why. A simple, informal agenda can also reduce interruptions if the meetings are freeform brainstorming sessions.   

Look For Male Allies

If there is a manterrupter in your workplace, you could easily seek the help of a trusted male ally. Brief him about the issue and find out if he's willing to help you or take note of the problem. If a man points out the issue, it can prevent the manterrupter from causing unnecessary interruptions at work. It also becomes less likely that there will be any future interruptions.    

Use Strong Body Language   

Exhibiting strong body language while speaking can also help women at work. If you are in a seated position, try to put your hands on the table in a manner that they are visible. Also, try and lean in while speaking. You will also come across as powerful if you pause before interrupting others. If you are standing, try to place your feet as wide as your shoulders and use your hands to make gestures.   

Take Turns

During meetings, if the leader asks other people to present their opinions, there are fewer chances of men interrupting women. Therefore, taking turns provides complete clarity about who should be speaking and who needs to wait for their turn. Hence, when leading a meeting, try to make this a habit. In case others are leading, you can raise a question early on to know and inform others about the modus operandi.   

Assert Your Right to Speak

You must be assertive whenever you find such interruptions at work or men interrupting women. Try to stand your ground while confronting a manterrupter. You are well within your right to speak up if you are cut off. Be polite but firm in your approach and ask the other person to wait until you have presented your point.

Be Persistent

Women at work must be persistent when it comes to dealing with manterruption. If you find yourself cut off, you need to out-talk the interrupter or jump back at the next pause during the conversation. You must clarify that you will keep repeating yourself unless your voice is heard.   

Have a Private Conversation

In some situations, speaking up or protesting at the moment can backfire. Therefore, you can also pull the interrupter aside and make them aware of this habit in private. If they are clueless about it, you can help them overcome it.

Be aware of such manterruptions in public as well as private life. Women at work are often accustomed to men interrupting women. But if you find yourself constantly being interrupted, it is time to do something about it.