Dealing with Disruptive Behavior in Meetings

I pulled this from the text that we used during my "Team Dynamics" class.  It contains a few tips about handling people problems in meetings.

Dealing with Disruptive Behavior in Meetings
A carefully planned meeting can fail if members’ behavior disrupts the group process. Group members should address such behavior rather than assuming that the chairperson can or will resolve the problem. In How to Make Meetings Work, Michael Doyle and David Straus write that “dealing with these problem people is like walking a tightrope. You must maintain a delicate balance between protecting the group from the dominance of individual members while protecting individuals from being attacked by the group.” Here, we examine a few common types of disruptive behavior.

Non-participants
You don’t need full participation from all members all the time; the goal is a balanced group discussion over the course of a meeting. However, you should be concerned about the non-participant, who never or rarely contributes. Take some time to analyze why such members may be reluctant or unable to participate. Are they anxious, unprepared, or uninterested?

Do not force apprehensive or introverted members to contribute before they are ready to do so. At the same time, though, provide opportunities for reluctant members to become involved in the discussion. When non-participants do contribute, respond positively to their input to demonstrate that you see the value in their ideas.

Loudmouths
A member who talks more than others is not necessarily a problem. However, when a person talks so much that no one else gets a chance to speak, the group has a loudmouth problem and must respond appropriately. At first, allow loudmouths to state their ideas, and acknowledge that you understand their positions. It may be necessary to interrupt them to do so. Then shift your focus to other members or other issues by asking for alternative viewpoints. If a loudmouth continues to dominate, remind this person of the importance of getting input from everyone. The next time the group meets, you may want to assign the loudmouth the task of taking minutes as a way of shifting focus from talking to listening and writing.


Interrupters
Sometimes group members are so preoccupied with their own thoughts and goals that they interrupt others when they have something to say. Although most interrupters are not trying to be rude, their impatience and excitement cause them to speak out while other members are still talking. When a group member continually interrupts others, it is time to interrupt the interrupter. Invite the previous speaker to finish making her or his point. A more aggressive option is to prohibit interruptions—to intervene and say, “Let Mary finish her point first, and then we’ll hear other viewpoints.”


Whisperers
A whisperer carries on confidential conversations with another group member during a meeting. The interference caused by whispering or snickering makes it hard for other members to listen and concentrate. Directing eye contact toward such sideline conversations can make the offenders more aware of their disruptive behavior. If the behavior persists, ask the talkers to share their ideas with the group. This usually stops the behavior or may uncover issues that deserve discussion.


Latecomers and Early Leavers
Latecomers and early leavers disrupt meetings and annoy group members who have managed their time well enough to arrive on schedule and stay through the entire meeting. If you are the chairperson, start the meeting at the scheduled time. Do not waste meeting time by summarizing meeting business for the benefit of latecomers. Let them sit without participating until they have observed enough to contribute to the discussion. Rather than publicly reprimanding or embarrassing latecomers or early leavers, talk to them after the meeting about the importance of attending the entire meeting.

When you have to confront member disruptions, be sensitive and focus on the behavior rather than making personal attacks. Describe the behavior, suggest alternative behaviors, and indicate the consequences if the behavior continues. Don’t overreact; your intervention can be more disruptive than the problem member’s behavior. It is best to begin with the least confrontational approach and then work toward more direct methods as necessary.

Taken from Working in Groups, by Engleburg and Wynn.