How to Interrupt: Manners, Assertiveness, and No Apologies // by Carmelita Tiu
“I’m Speaking.” We all remember that simple-yet-powerful Kamala Harris statement, right?
We encourage our daughters to be assertive, share their stories, and speak up. But when we teach them that interrupting is impolite and rude, are we inadvertently undermining their ability to rightfully claim airtime -- even if they’re interrupted by someone else? Will they choose politeness over being heard? Will they be afraid to assert themselves in a lively discussion, afraid that they’ll offend?
Listen to hear:
- The different social norms for boys and girls
- Disparities in how much men talk versus women in executive settings
- When to interrupt back
- The 10 words every girl needs to learn, according to Soraya Chemaly
- Sample phrases illustrating different ways to interrupt
- What to tell your daughters to make them feel more comfortable with interrupting
Key mentions/concepts:
- Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women's Anger, by Soraya Chemaly. www.sorayachemaly.com
- "10 Simple Words Every Girl Should Learn," by Soraya Chemaly. Retrieved from www.rolereboot.org.
- "The Art of Interruption, Or 'how to speak up without feeling like an asshole' (#BullCon14 Guest Post)" by Julie Fogh and Casey Erin Clarke of Vital Voice.
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