You’ve got a team meeting coming up. You’ve put together the agenda, identified what needs to get done, and figured out how much time you’ll need. But then you start thinking about who’s going to be in the room.
AND THE STRESS BEGINS TO BUILD.
You KNOW that one person will find something wrong with every new idea, reminding everyone why it didn’t work the last time. Then there’s the person who gets caught up in EVERY little detail, turning a simple decision into a twenty-minute discussion. And of course, the person who ALWAYS has something to say, whether it’s an opinion, a lengthy personal story, or another example from their own experience. Meanwhile, you’re wondering if anyone else will get a chance to speak!
You want people to feel comfortable contributing. But you ALSO want to accomplish what you brought everyone together to do!
The good news? You don’t need to be confrontational or shut anyone down to keep your meetings productive. Sometimes, all it takes is a few simple phrases to gently redirect the conversation.
Here are three common meeting hijackers and what you can say to get things back on track.
THE CHRONIC COMPLAINER
Sometimes their concerns are legitimate, but there’s a difference between identifying challenges and allowing the meeting to become a complaint session.
QUICK ACTION: Acknowledge the concern, then shift the conversation toward possible solutions.
- “That’s a fair concern. What do you think might help us address it?”
- “What did we learn last time that could help us approach this differently?”
- “We’ve identified a few challenges. What CAN we influence moving forward?”
THE RABBIT HOLE DIGGER
Getting caught up in every possible scenario, exception, or tiny detail can quickly take a meeting off track.
QUICK ACTION: Help the group distinguish between what needs to be addressed now and what can wait.
- “That’s an important detail, but do we need to solve it right now?”
- “Let’s capture that for follow-up and come back to the bigger decision.”
- “What’s the ONE thing we need to agree on today to keep moving forward?”
THE DOMINATOR
When one person takes up most of the airtime, others often stop trying to contribute, and you risk missing valuable perspectives.
QUICK ACTION: Intentionally create opportunities for others to participate, and don’t be afraid to politely interrupt.
- “I’m going to jump in here so we can hear from a few others.”
- “Thanks for sharing! I’d love to hear from someone who hasn’t had a chance to weigh in yet.”
- “Let’s pause and get a few other perspectives before moving forward.”
You can also give everyone a minute to jot down their ideas before opening the discussion, giving quieter participants a chance to gather their thoughts.
KEEPING IT MOVING, RESPECTFULLY
Most people who derail meetings aren’t intentionally trying to make your job harder. The complainer may have legitimate frustrations. The Rabbit Holer may be trying to consider every detail. And the dominator may simply be enthusiastic about contributing.
But just ANTICIPATING how these personalities might derail your meeting can create unnecessary stress before you even walk into the room!
The good news? Being prepared with a few simple prompts can help you confidently redirect the conversation without shutting anyone down. You’ll feel more in control, others will have more opportunities to contribute, and your meetings can stay focused on what you came together to accomplish.