Have you ever heard someone being interviewed on the radio who doesn’t finish their sentences? They start out answering the question they’ve been asked, but then another idea occurs to them, so they leave the original answer hanging, introduce the new idea, then maybe come back to their original thought. Or maybe not.
I hear this all the time, and it drives me crazy! I am particularly aware of (and sensitive to) this way of communicating because of the many years I spent living in Italy. The Italian communication style is based on interruptions. You have to interrupt Italians to get into a conversation. I always say I didn’t participate in a conversation in Italian for the first two years I lived there because I had been trained not to interrupt!
Italians also interrupt themselves, going off on tangents that seem related or relevant to them, then circle back to their original point. I call this speaking with “parentheses” and spent a lot of the time I taught English to Italians trying to break them of speaking this way.
Why? Because native English speakers had trouble following them.
Italians’ brains are used to this truncated and choppy style of communication, so their brains automatically connect the dots and they generally get what their interlocutor means. But our linear, English speaking brains struggle with that task. We get lost in all the words, get tired of trying to figure it out and stop listening. Communication of meaning has failed.
Maybe you’ve caught yourself communicating this way, or maybe you recognize that this is your normal way of communicating. There are several reasons why someone (who is not Italian) might communicate this way and it’s often related to being a very fast thinker, having lots of thoughts flooding into your mind at once and wanting to get them out at the same time.
But here’s the thing — at least in the English speaking world, finishing your sentences and presenting one thought or idea at a time is one of the keys to making sure people understand your meaning.
The Problem with not Delivering Your Thoughts Fully and One at a Time
When you interrupt yourself to insert another thought before finishing the thought you started with, you also interrupt the flow in the mind of your listener. Their brain has to work harder to figure out what you are trying to say. They have to try to hold onto that first thought, as they process the second thought and then figure out how or if the two thoughts relate to each other.
Incomplete sentences are like half-formed bridges—they leave people trying to guess your meaning, which can cause frustration and confusion.
Why Finishing Your Sentences Matters to Get Your Message Across
Completing your thoughts and presenting them one at a time gives your message the best chance of getting through to the people who need to hear it. Your audience stays with you because they aren’t frustrated by trying to connect the dots and you come across as competent and confident.
The ability to communicate effectively as a manager isn’t just about the big presentations or speeches. It’s in the everyday conversations, the quick updates, and the impromptu discussions that your communication skills as a manager are constantly tested. Every sentence you complete is a signal to your interlocutor(s) that you are in control of your thoughts and ideas and are confident in your ability to lead.
How Coaching Can Help
Self-interruption is one of the issues I deal with in communication coaching sessions. We explore where the habit of self-interruption might be coming from, develop strategies to break the pattern and practice finishing sentences with confidence. Whether you’re an introvert, a fast thinker with lots to share, or someone who generally feels nervous about public speaking, learning to communicate one idea at a time can transform how you’re perceived.
The next time you feel yourself wanting to cut yourself off and insert a new thought before the first one has been fully expressed, remember that finishing your thoughts and presenting them one at at time isn’t just about speaking—it’s about leading. Know that finishing a sentence means being clear and creating a moment of understanding. And that’s where the true power of communication lies.
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