5 Communication Strategies for Handling Someone Who Talks Over You
5 Communication Strategies for Handling Someone Who Interrupts or Talks Over YouHold your ground calmly but firmly. When interrupted, pause briefly, then say something like, "I'd like to finish my thought before moving on" or "I wasn't quite done with my point." Use a neutral tone that's assertive without being confrontational.Have a private conversation. Address the pattern outside of group settings: "I've noticed that I'm often interrupted during our discussions, and I'd appreciate the chance to fully express my ideas. Could we work together on this?" This approach avoids public embarrassment while addressing the issue directly.Use body language strategically. Maintain your speaking posture, keep your hand raised slightly, or use a gentle hand gesture to indicate you're still speaking. Sometimes a simple non-verbal cue can effectively communicate that you haven't finished your point.Maintain your speaking rhythm. When someone begins to interrupt, slightly increase your volume (without shouting) and continue speaking. Often, this subtle vocal adjustment signals your intention to finish your thought and discourages interruption.Enlist an ally. If the interruptions occur in meetings, arrange beforehand for a trusted colleague to intervene: "I think Sam wasn't quite finished with their point. I'd like to hear the rest of it." This third-party support can be especially helpful if there's a power dynamic at play.Some resources for you:Want to see how you score as a confident communicator? Take The Confidence Cocktail Assessment: https://karenlaos.com/confidence-cocktail-fb/Project more confidence and credibility with my free tips: 9 Words to Avoid & What to Say Instead: https://karenlaos.lpages.co/words-to-avoid/My book “Trust Your Own Voice”: https://karenlaos.com/book/Episodes also available on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEwQoTGdJX5eME0ccBKiKng/videos
Karen Laos, Communication Expert and Confidence Cultivator, leverages 25 years in the boardroom and speaking on the world’s most coveted stages such as Google and NASA to transform missed opportunities into wins. She is fiercely committed to her mission of eradicating self-doubt in 10 million women by giving them practical strategies to ask for what they want in the boardroom and beyond. She guides corporations and individuals with her tested communication model to generate consistent results through her Powerful Presence Keynote: How to Be an Influential Communicator. Want to see how you score as a confident communicator? Take The Confidence Cocktail Assessment: https://karenlaos.com/confidence-cocktail-fb/ Get my free tips: 9 Words to Avoid & What to Say Instead: https://karenlaos.lpages.co/words-to-avoid/ Connect with me:Website: https://www.karenlaos.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenlaosofficial Facebook: Ignite Your Confidence with Karen Laos: https://www.facebook.com/groups/karenlaosconsultingLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenlaos/Episodes also available on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEwQoTGdJX5eME0ccBKiKng/videosMy book “Trust Your Own Voice”: https://karenlaos.com/book/
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16:19
5 Tips for Empathy at Work
If you want to build relationships, increase trust and be seen as an influential leader, you’ll want to practice empathy. Sometimes it escapes us, as you’ll hear in my opening story about a recent customer service professional missing an opportunity.5 Tips for Empathy at WorkPractice active listening. Focus completely on understanding your colleagues before formulating your response. Put away devices, maintain eye contact, and ask clarifying questions to demonstrate that you genuinely value their perspective.Acknowledge emotions explicitly. Phrases like "That sounds frustrating" or "I can see why you're excited about this" validate your coworkers' feelings and create space for authentic communication, even in professional settings.Consider communication preferences. Some colleagues may prefer direct feedback while others need a gentler approach. Pay attention to how different team members respond to various communication styles and adapt accordingly.Check your assumptions. Before reacting to a confusing email or comment, ask yourself if you might be misinterpreting the message. When in doubt, seek clarification rather than responding based on potentially incorrect assumptions.Make space for different voices. In meetings, notice who isn't speaking and create opportunities for their input. Sometimes the most valuable perspectives come from those who don't naturally command attention in group settings.Some resources for you:Want to see how you score as a confident communicator? Take The Confidence Cocktail Assessment: https://karenlaos.com/confidence-cocktail-fb/Project more confidence and credibility with my free tips: 9 Words to Avoid & What to Say Instead: https://karenlaos.lpages.co/words-to-avoid/My book “Trust Your Own Voice”: https://karenlaos.com/book/Episodes also available on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEwQoTGdJX5eME0ccBKiKng/videos
Karen Laos, Communication Expert and Confidence Cultivator, leverages 25 years in the boardroom and speaking on the world’s most coveted stages such as Google and NASA to transform missed opportunities into wins. She is fiercely committed to her mission of eradicating self-doubt in 10 million women by giving them practical strategies to ask for what they want in the boardroom and beyond. She guides corporations and individuals with her tested communication model to generate consistent results through her Powerful Presence Keynote: How to Be an Influential Communicator. Want to see how you score as a confident communicator? Take The Confidence Cocktail Assessment: https://karenlaos.com/confidence-cocktail-fb/ Get my free tips: 9 Words to Avoid & What to Say Instead: https://karenlaos.lpages.co/words-to-avoid/ Connect with me:Website: https://www.karenlaos.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenlaosofficial Facebook: Ignite Your Confidence with Karen Laos: https://www.facebook.com/groups/karenlaosconsultingLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenlaos/Episodes also available on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEwQoTGdJX5eME0ccBKiKng/videosMy book “Trust Your Own Voice”: https://karenlaos.com/book/
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14:19
5 Ways to Advance Your Career
There are strategic things we can do to advance - the key is to be intentional and make a plan! See below for 5 ways to do it!Build a strategic skillset: Identify skills that are both in high demand in your industry and align with your career goals. Focus on developing technical expertise alongside transferable skills like leadership, communication, and problem-solving that will remain valuable as you progress. Create a deliberate learning plan with regular milestones.Cultivate meaningful relationships: Develop genuine connections with mentors, peers, and industry contacts who can provide guidance, opportunities, and advocacy. Schedule regular coffee chats, contribute to professional communities, and find ways to provide value to others in your network before asking for help.Seek visibility for your work: Volunteer for high-impact projects, share your accomplishments appropriately, and look for opportunities to present your work to decision-makers. Document your achievements and quantifiable results to build a compelling case for advancement when opportunities arise.Request and apply feedback effectively: Actively seek constructive criticism from supervisors, colleagues, and direct reports. Demonstrate your growth mindset by implementing feedback visibly and following up with those who provided it. This shows maturity and dedication to continuous improvement.Take calculated career risks: Step outside your comfort zone by pursuing stretch assignments, lateral moves to develop new skills, or roles in emerging areas of your organization or industry. These strategic pivots often accelerate growth more than staying in a safe but stagnant position. Some resources for you:Want to see how you score as a confident communicator? Take The Confidence Cocktail Assessment: https://karenlaos.com/confidence-cocktail-fb/ Project more confidence and credibility with my free tips: 9 Words to Avoid & What to Say Instead: https://karenlaos.lpages.co/words-to-avoid/ My book “Trust Your Own Voice”: https://karenlaos.com/book/ Episodes also available on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEwQoTGdJX5eME0ccBKiKng/videos
Karen Laos, Communication Expert and Confidence Cultivator, leverages 25 years in the boardroom and speaking on the world’s most coveted stages such as Google and NASA to transform missed opportunities into wins. She is fiercely committed to her mission of eradicating self-doubt in 10 million women by giving them practical strategies to ask for what they want in the boardroom and beyond. She guides corporations and individuals with her tested communication model to generate consistent results through her Powerful Presence Keynote: How to Be an Influential Communicator. Want to see how you score as a confident communicator? Take The Confidence Cocktail Assessment: https://karenlaos.com/confidence-cocktail-fb/ Get my free tips: 9 Words to Avoid & What to Say Instead: https://karenlaos.lpages.co/words-to-avoid/ Connect with me:Website: https://www.karenlaos.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenlaosofficial Facebook: Ignite Your Confidence with Karen Laos: https://www.facebook.com/groups/karenlaosconsultingLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenlaos/Episodes also available on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEwQoTGdJX5eME0ccBKiKng/videosMy book “Trust Your Own Voice”: https://karenlaos.com/book/
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18:35
Your Communication Blind Spots
There are many habits we don’t even realize may be getting in our way and hindering our ability to advance. But what are they? Being confusing instead of clear in our communication, not saying what we want, halting when we speak so we sound unsure, and staying quiet instead of speaking up…are just a few of the examples in this episode.Listen as I unpack some of the most common ways we hinder our credibility but often have no idea that we’re doing it.If you love Orange Theory (or hate it!), see what you think about my analogy to commanding the room!
Karen Laos, Communication Expert and Confidence Cultivator, leverages 25 years in the boardroom and speaking on the world’s most coveted stages such as Google and NASA to transform missed opportunities into wins. She is fiercely committed to her mission of eradicating self-doubt in 10 million women by giving them practical strategies to ask for what they want in the boardroom and beyond. She guides corporations and individuals with her tested communication model to generate consistent results through her Powerful Presence Keynote: How to Be an Influential Communicator. Want to see how you score as a confident communicator? Take The Confidence Cocktail Assessment: https://karenlaos.com/confidence-cocktail-fb/ Get my free tips: 9 Words to Avoid & What to Say Instead: https://karenlaos.lpages.co/words-to-avoid/ Connect with me:Website: https://www.karenlaos.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenlaosofficial Facebook: Ignite Your Confidence with Karen Laos: https://www.facebook.com/groups/karenlaosconsultingLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenlaos/Episodes also available on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEwQoTGdJX5eME0ccBKiKng/videosMy book “Trust Your Own Voice”: https://karenlaos.com/book/
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19:00
10 Tips to Calm Your Nerves
You know how you get those butterflies before speaking in a meeting or making a presentation? Listen to these 10 tips to reduce your anxiety and calm your nerves!Tip 1: Prep - know your contentTip 2: Say “I’m so excited” instead of “I’m so nervous” Tip 3: Breathe and do the Navy Seals box breathingTip 4: Sing your favorite songTip 5: Rock back and forth or side to sideTip 6: Tap yourself lightly on the arms and legsTip 7: StretchTip 8: Do PQ reps from the book Positive Intelligence (my favorites are the sense of touch and sound).Tip 9: Dance to your pump-up songTip 10: Focus on what the audience needs rather than you. If you focus on serving them it will take your mind off of you.
Karen Laos, Communication Expert and Confidence Cultivator, leverages 25 years in the boardroom and speaking on the world’s most coveted stages such as Google and NASA to transform missed opportunities into wins. She is fiercely committed to her mission of eradicating self-doubt in 10 million women by giving them practical strategies to ask for what they want in the boardroom and beyond. She guides corporations and individuals with her tested communication model to generate consistent results through her Powerful Presence Keynote: How to Be an Influential Communicator. Want to see how you score as a confident communicator? Take The Confidence Cocktail Assessment: https://karenlaos.com/confidence-cocktail-fb/ Get my free tips: 9 Words to Avoid & What to Say Instead: https://karenlaos.lpages.co/words-to-avoid/ Connect with me:Website: https://www.karenlaos.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenlaosofficial Facebook: Ignite Your Confidence with Karen Laos: https://www.facebook.com/groups/karenlaosconsultingLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenlaos/Episodes also available on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEwQoTGdJX5eME0ccBKiKng/videosMy book “Trust Your Own Voice”: https://karenlaos.com/book/
Are you a leader holding back? What is that costing you? What if you could channel your fear and self-doubt? It’s actually possible. I know, because that’s my story. That’s what the Ignite Your Confidence podcast is all about. It’s for women in leadership who want to speak up and stand out. You’ll find both solo and candid conversations with real people sharing vulnerable stories to inspire you with simple tips to step into your confidence.
Listen to Ignite Your Confidence with Karen Laos, The Money Puzzle, with James Kirby and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app
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