The Interruption Epidemic

Why most teams don’t hear the full story

I was sitting in on a team meeting not long ago where the conversation felt… rushed. People were engaged. Ideas were coming quickly. Everyone wanted to contribute. But no one was really finishing their thoughts.

There’s a reason for that.

A George Washington University study on listening found that interruptions in workplace meetings happen every 8 seconds. Eight seconds. That’s barely enough time to get past the first sentence. And when that happens, something subtle but important breaks down. People start to shorten what they say. They hold back. They stop sharing the full picture. Not because they don’t care — but because they don’t feel like there’s space.

In environments like mining or engineering, where clarity and precision matter, that gap can have real consequences.

One simple habit can shift this quickly: Pause. Count to five before responding. It sounds small, but that space allows people to finish their thinking. It gives you a better understanding of what’s actually being said — not just the headline version. And more often than not, what comes in those extra few seconds is where the real insight lives.

Strong leaders don’t just listen to respond. They create the conditions for people to be fully heard.

Where might your team be cutting conversations short without realizing it?

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