Managing Monsters in Meetings - Part 5, Dominant Participants
While dominant participants contribute significantly to the
success of a meeting, they can also overwhelm, intimidate, and
exclude others. Thus, you want to control their energy without
losing their support.
Approach 1: Ask others to contribute
Asking quiet participants to contribute indirectly moderates the
more dominant participants. Say:
"Before we continue, I want to hear from the rest of the group."
"This is great. And I wonder what else we could do." (Look at
the quiet participants when you say this.)
Approach 2: Change the process
A balanced dialogue equalizes participation and sequential
participation (a round robin) prevents anyone from dominating
the discussion.
Approach 3: Include them in the process
Ask dominant participants for their support during the meeting.
Meet with the person privately and say:
"I need your help with something. It's clear to me that you know
a great deal about this issue and have many good ideas. I also
want to hear what other people in the meeting have to say. So, I
wonder if you could hold back a little, to let others
contribute."
You can also retain control by giving away minor tasks. For
example, dominant participants make excellent helpers. They can
distribute materials, run errands, serve as scribes, deliver
messages, post chart papers, run demonstration units, operate
projectors, change overhead transparencies, act as greeters, and
in general perform any logistical task related to the meeting.
Approach 4: Create barriers
Simply move away from the more aggressive participants and make
less eye contact. If you are unable to see them, you are unable
to recognize them as the next speaker.
Use this approach with moderation and support it with
complimentary requests for assistance. Ignoring someone conveys
disapproval, which could change a potential ally into an
adversary.
Approach 5: One point at a time
Sometimes dominant participants will control a discussion by
listing many points in a single statement. They cite every
challenge, condition, and consideration known, which completely
clogs everyone else's thinking. End this by asking participants
to state only one point at a time, after which someone else
speaks. It is very difficult to monopolize a discussion when
this technique prevails.
Quiet participants often hope to be ignored; dominant
participants want to be noticed. A quiet person may feel
overbearing after making two statements in an hour. A dominant
participant may feel left out after contributing only 95% of the
ideas. You will be most successful moderating dominant
participants by building bridges between what they want and what
you need.
Approach 6: Interrupt with "excuse me"
Use the words "excuse me" as a wedge to interrupt a long
monologue. It's important that you say "Excuse me" with polite
sincerity. For example, you could say:
"Excuse me, this seems interesting and I wonder if you could
tell me how it relates to our meeting."
"Excuse me, I'm sure this is very important and since we have
only five minutes left for this issue, I wonder if you could
summarize your main point."
Use these techniques to hold effective meetings by moderating
contributions from the more outspoken participants.
This is the fifth of a seven part article on Managing Monsters
in Meetings.