The Singing Scoutmaster: Interrupting vs. Waiting

You have something important to say. Someone else is talking, but you're afraid you'll forget your point if you wait. So you interrupt. It seems like no big deal - you're just excited to contribute, right?

But when you interrupt, you're sending a message: "What I have to say is more important than what you're saying." It doesn't matter if that's not what you meant - that's what the other person hears. And over time, people learn not to share with you because they know they won't get to finish.

A Scout is courteous, and that means practicing patience in conversation. It means waiting for pauses, making eye contact to show you're listening, and trusting that your turn will come. When you give people the gift of your full attention without interrupting, you show that their thoughts matter. And you'll find that people return that courtesy by actually listening when it's your turn to speak.