Management Tip of the Day: 3 Steps to Exiting a Conversation Gracefully

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Management Tip of the Day
Harvard Business Review
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APRIL 30, 2010
3 Steps to Exiting a Conversation Gracefully
Being trapped in a conversation is no fun, and often a colossal waste of time. Next time you are in a tedious, boring, or uncomfortable conversation, use these three steps to get out:
  1. Start with a thank you. Don't be insincere and thank someone for a conversation that's been torturous. Simply thank them for their time.
  2. Make a spontaneous transition. This is a polite excuse made spontaneously. Try something like, "I just realized it's eight o'clock and I'm going to be late for an appointment," or "Unfortunately I need to run — I'm meeting someone in five minutes."
  3. Suggest forward momentum. Tell the person that you will read the article he suggested or pass on his information to an interested colleague. Only commit to things you will truly do.
Harvard Business Review Blog Today's Management Tip was adapted from "Exiting a Conversation Gracefully" by Jodi Glickman Brown.
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