In conversations, some people have the tendency of talking a lot. One person dominates while the other doesn’t get asked for input. A “taker” is defined as somebody that likes to talk about themselves, and it’s a very one-sided conversation. How do you get off the conversation with somebody, who is talking your ear off and who is what we like to call a “taker”, professionally?
People naturally have their own ways of kind of drift away from a conversation but that is an actual skill that needs to be taught. We grabbed an article from www.wikihow.com of how to wind down the conversation and tried them all out to know that they work. Here are the top things to do to get somebody off the phone who won’t stop talking:
1. Set expectations
If you know you’re going to be on the call with somebody who is a big chatterbox, make sure you go into the conversation saying, “Hey, I may have a hard stop about 15 minutes. But here are some other things I like to talk to you about…” It’s direct, it gives them an agenda, they know what they need points that they need to hit, and you can be very cognizant of your time. What’s not appropriate is to go into a conversation about 15 minutes in and say, “Hey, I’ve got a hard stop and about three minutes.”
Give a time warning. Let the other person know your time limit and it will help you avoid an awkward or rude goodbye, or it can also be a way for you to transition into a last question or topic. Thank them for their time and then end the conversation.
2. Wait for a lull
All conversations have pauses. Wait for the speaker to pause and explain that you need to either get off the phone, or that’s your opportunity to jump into the conversation and provide value.
3. Don’t judge.
Everyone’s very thirsty for human-to-human interaction. And sometimes when somebody talks that much, it’s not because they’re trying to take away the attention from you. It’s because they may just want to be heard. Sometimes you may just have to sit back and listen. Don’t get frustrated or upset, and don’t send something nasty to them. What you do is that you just recognize that they may not be the right fit for your circle of influence or your group of champions.
When someone is very talkative, sometimes they are not fully aware of what they’re doing and of how much time they’re taking from you. Don’t get stuck with “chatty Cathy” or “run on” Ralph and try these strategies out, while maintaining a polite and friendly tone, to make the end of the conversation feel nice and natural.
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