I believe the best way to NEVER lose control is to set the boundaries/guidelines up front. Be firm, and get everyone to agree to these rules before you start and the potential for losing control of a meeting goes way down. For example, for the EV Charging Station Workforce Development initiative in North Carolina, I was contracted to lead the development of a sector partnership. We set up the room in a U-shape and placed all the industry members at the front of the room. I informed them that I would call on each industry member individually to answer the prompts. The people in the back were in listen mode-only, but were given ample opportunity during breaks & after the meeting to network. This is modeled after Next Gen Sector Partnerships.

How can participants be an interruption??? They are participating!!! Acknowledge Dialogue Debate (to the degree possible in the given time.) Invite to incubate the thought process.. Keep recontracting as you go along. Remember, they only want to be heard and seen!

Having up-front shared goals and ground rules is important, but we need to consider when the planned facilitation should adjust, too. For me, it often depends on who is interrupting. If it's the sponsor or key leaders/stakeholders that will ultimately own the deliverable, I may lean into the interruptions by calling them out early and directly. This allows the facilitator to regain control by leading either a re-negotiate the facilitation goals or reinforcing the initial objectives and ground rules. Depending on the group, you may do this as an aside or in front of the entire group. Then, ensure you stay on task utilizing standard facilitation tools like a Parking Lot and emotional check-ins.

Managing expectations and establishing ways of working at the start of a facilitated workshop is critical to the success of any session. Once that’s in place, if a participant "interrupts", it’s important to figure out whether participants are simply sharing their perspectives or truly being disruptive. As a facilitator, I’ve learned to check my biases and perceptions. Sometimes, what feels like an interruption is just someone’s way of contributing, and it’s our job to balance that with keeping the session focused. If things go off course, a simple statement like "Let's put a pin on this for now" can steer the discussion back to the main agenda without shutting anyone down.