Meeting Management

Talk-A-Lots

These people come in several varieties and generally talk too much during your meeting. Their meeting behavior is more inappropriate than disruptive, although one can lead to the other. The important thing to remember in dealing with these types is not to take their behavior personally. They probably behave this way in every meeting they attend, not just yours. Help them become more effective participants with the following strategies.

Loudmouths

Once they have started talking, wait a bit and then ask them, “What's your point?” or, “What's your question?” depending on what you're doing in the meeting. If their responses are vague or unrelated to your meeting topic, you can ask, “How does that relate to our subject?” If they're still ...