Communication rarely breaks all at once. It usually slows down because of small habits. A glance at a phone. A quick interruption. A defensive reply. Fix those habits, and the conversation has room to move again. Small habits can either open a conversation or shut it down. 1. Stop interrupting before the point is finished Interrupting tells the other person, “My response matters more than your thought.” Even if that is not your intent, that is often how it lands. Let the pers