DEAR MISS MANNERS: After a friend pointed out how often I talk over other people, I’ve been working to rein in this bad habit. In my personal life, this has gone well.

At work, it’s been harder. I’m frequently in meetings where a colleague is so long-winded, or so far off-topic, that if someone doesn’t interrupt and redirect them, we aren’t able to finish the business at hand.

Almost as often, the person running the meeting is in a rush and moves on from a topic too quickly before I’ve gotten the information I need. Here, if I don’t interrupt and ask them to back up, I have to schedule another meeting to follow up, which is annoying for everyone.

Assuming in both cases the speaker doesn’t pause, ask questions or take a breath, how can I help guide these conversations without interrupti

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