Meeting Etiquette
Don’t Let One Person Dominate the Conversation in a Meeting
You’ve probably led one of those meetings where someone talks, and talks, and talks — and no one else can get a word in edgewise. It’s annoying, and potentially damaging to team morale. Of course, you can’t always expect that everyone will contribute, but there are ways you can encourage broader participation. When you open the meeting, let the group know that you want everyone to speak up. If someone is speaking too often during the meeting, ask them to hold back: “Andre, let me get some others into this conversation, and then I’ll come back to you, OK?” Whenever someone is interrupted, double back and ask them to finish what they were saying. And if you’re the person interrupted, speak up: “Marie, I wasn’t quite finished. I’d like to complete my comment, and then I’d love to hear your thoughts.”
Adapted from “5 Common Complaints About Meetings and What to Do About Them,” by Paul Axtell
