How to Exit a Business Conversation and Leave a Good Impression
Some people worry about how they’re going to keep a conversation going, but the flip side—ending a conversation that threatens to last forever—also can pose a problem. I once had a colleague who talked so fast that I couldn’t get a word in edgewise, rightwise, or leftwise.
Some exit strategies are straightforward. For example, a simple “Excuse me” with no explanation will sometimes do the trick. Or introduce the person to a colleague along with a bit of information to each about the other. When they start talking, you can slink off and disappear. (Of course, your colleague may now have grounds for revenge, so watch out.) Or arrange with a colleague to use a signal to let each other know that you need to be bailed out of a conversation you’re stuck in.
If you’re in a time crunch, set the expectation up front that you have a deadline looming or that you have only two minutes to chat. When it’s time, begin with nonverbal cues, such as standing up or picking up a pile of papers. Offer a concluding statement related to your conversation, such as “I’ll email you a link” or “I hope your daughter makes the team.” This helps you preserve the relationship and keeps the other person from feeling cut off. Sometimes, though, it’s easiest to simply interrupt, apologize, and explain your time constraint.
Jodi Glickman Brown, a communication expert, suggests a three-step approach for exiting a conversation gracefully. First, express thanks for the person’s time. Second, come up with a spontaneous transition, such as “Wow, it’s two thirty already. I’ve got a call to make.” And third, suggest forward momentum in place of additional conversation, such as offering to stay in touch (if you mean it) or promising to follow through on a topic the two of you discussed. Alternatively, if you can’t find grounds for forward momentum, simply express your gratitude for something the person said that you found useful or interesting.
Of course, you can just look at your phone and pretend to have received a text that requires immediate action. The trouble is that is so easy to do that no one believes someone who claims to have received an urgent text. Still, in conversations that threaten to take over the rest of your life, it’s worth a shot.
However you go about it, the key is to get out of the conversation in a way that comes across as ending the conversation—not rejecting the person. You can’t be sure how the other person will receive your conversation-ender, but a little thoughtfulness in your approach can’t hurt.
