She Could Barely Get a Word Out. He Saw Engagement.
When Interruptions Mean Different Things
Ever leave a meeting feeling silenced while others thought you'd 'crushed it'?
I pitched an idea to a roundtable.
Got routinely interrupted.
Could barely get my key points out.
Left feeling battered, bruised, confused.
A female colleague found me in the bathroom.
She knew.
The Male Colleague's Take
Then a guy from the meeting approached.
He said: "Wow, you certainly got people thinking!"
I countered: "But I could barely get a word out edgewise."
He brushed that off.
He thought the listeners—all men—were showing "engagement" through their interruptions.
Have you been in this place similar to this?
What Research Actually Shows
A Stanford study of 5,000 Americans examined how interruptions are perceived.
Women who interrupted were judged by male listeners as ruder, colder, and less intelligent than men using identical words.
Women listeners showed no gender bias.
They rated male and female interrupters the same way.
The Reality
Interruptions at work aren't spread equally between genders.
And they're not interpreted equally either.
When women speak up less in meetings, they're following expected norms.
When they do interrupt, it likely means they feel strongly about the point.
His "engagement" theory took me back to my eight-year-old self being told a boy who pushed me "must like you."
Some explanations are just brush-offs and others you have to address.
Ready to Navigate Workplace Dynamics More Thoughtfully and Better Advocate for Yourself?
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Yes, your company will likely pay for this and I can help you through that goal.
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About Dr. Suzanne Doyle-Morris
Dr. Suzanne Doyle-Morris is an ICF Master Certified Coach (MCC) with a PhD from the University of Cambridge focusing on women in Engineering.
For 25 years, she's coached accomplished women in STEM as they advance to senior leadership.
She's the author of three books: "Beyond the Boys' Club: Strategies for Achieving Career Success as a Woman Working in a Male Dominated Field," "The Con Job: Getting Ahead for Competence in a World Obsessed with Confidence," and "Female Breadwinners: How They Make Relationships Work and Why they are Future of the Modern Workforce."
80% of her clients secure promotions or stretch roles within 12 months.
Not because she gives advice, but because she asks the right questions.
Welcome to my Blog
I'm Dr Suzanne Doyle‑Morris and I support professional women working in STEM.
Whether you’re seeking your next promotion, aiming for leadership, or simply looking to make your mark, this blog is created for you.
It's written for the ambitious woman in STEM ready to advance and succeed on her own terms.
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The Women in Tech Promotion Playbook
Your roadmap to advancement with balance
The Women in Tech Promotion Playbook is a practical, evidence-based guide designed for ambitious women in STEM who want to advance their careers without burning out. Drawing on over 25 years of coaching and research, I outline five strategic steps that help women move from being overworked and under recognised to confident, visible leaders.
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