How can you handle difficult meeting participants while building rapport and trust?

1 Identify the root cause

Before you react to a difficult meeting participant, try to understand why they are behaving that way. Sometimes, they may have a valid reason, such as lack of clarity, frustration, or personal issues. Other times, they may have a hidden agenda, such as competing interests, power dynamics, or resistance to change. By identifying the root cause, you can tailor your response and address the underlying issue, rather than the surface symptom.

2 Use active listening

One of the most effective ways to handle difficult meeting participants is to use active listening. Active listening means paying attention to what they are saying, how they are saying it, and what they are not saying. It also means acknowledging their feelings, summarizing their points, and asking open-ended questions. By using active listening, you can show respect, empathy, and interest, and make them feel heard and valued. This can help diffuse tension, clarify misunderstandings, and build rapport and trust.

3 Set ground rules

Another way to handle difficult meeting participants is to set ground rules for the meeting. Ground rules are the norms and expectations that guide the behavior and interaction of the meeting participants. They can include things like being respectful, staying on topic, listening to others, and giving constructive feedback. By setting ground rules, you can establish a common framework and a shared responsibility for the meeting. You can also use them to remind or redirect the difficult meeting participants if they violate the ground rules.

4 Provide feedback

Feedback is an essential tool to handle difficult meeting participants. Feedback is the information that you give or receive about the performance or behavior of someone or something. It can be positive or negative, formal or informal, verbal or nonverbal. By providing feedback, you can reinforce the desired behavior, correct the undesired behavior, and communicate the impact of the behavior. You can also use feedback to build rapport and trust by expressing appreciation, recognition, or support.

5 Involve them in the process

A final way to handle difficult meeting participants is to involve them in the process. Involving them in the process means giving them a role, a voice, or a choice in the meeting. It can include things like asking for their input, assigning them a task, or offering them an option. By involving them in the process, you can increase their engagement, motivation, and ownership of the meeting. You can also use it to build rapport and trust by showing respect, collaboration, and empowerment.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?