A senior executive is taking over your training session. How do you regain control and assert your authority?

This incident happened to me several times in the last 20 years since I started my professional training career. The most important thing is to remain calm and not interrupt the session unnecessarily. Then briefly welcome and introduce the executive. I would also brief her/him before the audience on what the training is all about and ask the executive to "briefly" provide her/his perspective in about 5 minutes or less, so this will not waste much time of your session duration. After that, I would thank her/him and invite her/him to remain in the session and engage her/him as needed. This strategy always worked for me because the executive felt respected and valued.

When I lack a strong relationship with a senior leader or client, I gently steer the conversation back to the session’s objectives and have a private conversation during the break to discuss how their behaviour might impact team dynamics and the session’s goals. When I have a good relationship with the leader, I acknowledge their contributions and more firmly connect them or lack thereof to the session’s objectives. For example, let's place this matter in the parking lot and agree at the end on how to deal with this matter. If needed, I will revert to the earlier strategy of a private conversation during the break to ensure the session remains focused. For example, start by asking the leader how the session is going for you.

I would allow him/her to make their point, take a break and step aside with the executive and politely discuss the importance of the trainer to train to the course. The executive point(s) can be indicative to the content that I have gathered to develop the curriculum.

As a trainer, one of the important tools you’ll always need to bring with you in your training kit is Staying calm, with relaxed body language and facial expressions. This for sure comes with practice; the first time will always be the hardest, yet the most rewarding if you pay enough attention to the lessons this situation brings. Prepare your confidence kit, take a deep breath, and most importantly, remember that you are the maestro making everything run harmoniously.

Assume positive intent… they are not trying to takeover… more likely they are excited and eager to participate and learn with their team.

Thank for the input and listen to what needs does the leader have which may be hidden between the words. Ask to put their question on the board which you will revisit during the relevant section of the training. This will help to stay focused on training objectives while acknowledging the needs of a leader. Talk to them during the break if needed to give them the opportunity to express their intention. Dance in the moment to improvise where needed and balance between the improvisation and focusing on the training objectives.

Stay calm and politely let them know that if they have anything to add, they can do so at the end when you are finished. If you face retaliation for just doing your job, quietly start looking for a new place to work that will treat you fairly and appreciate the talents that you bring to the company. Probably not the most popular way to handle from an employers perspective, but why continue working in a place that has a toxic environment?

To regain control and assert your authority, consider the following steps: Assess the situation: Understand what's happening and who's involved.

Assessing intent involves understanding the underlying motivations behind actions, whether in legal, personal, or technological contexts. It’s crucial for determining outcomes, building trust, and interpreting behavior accurately. Challenges include ambiguity, bias, and the complexity of mixed motives. Success in assessing intent requires a careful balance of empathy, logic, and contextual awareness.

Always start out with clear goals and objectives of the training. Accept the input as much as it aligns with the intended goal otherwise, respectfully offer to take any other suggestions or feedback in another session. Also if you know ahead of time that executive leadership will be in attendance, solicit their feedback before presenting the training to the larger group. Anticipate your hurdles in order to minimize them.

Engagement in training can be so helpful, especially from team leadership. You can say, "I want to make sure we have time to cover all of the material on today's agenda, so I am going to get back to XYZ..." to tactfully regain control. But it's also important to check your own ego; if the Sr. Exec is providing accurate/helpful information, being flexible in your training agenda might benefit the whole team and build an allyship with the Sr. Exec that values the training session.

To regain control and assert your authority, consider the following steps: Set clear boundaries: Establish clear expectations and limits.

Learned this the hard way last summer: Stay Calm and Composed: Take a deep breath and maintain your composure. Remember that you are still the facilitator, even if someone else is temporarily leading. Politely acknowledge the senior executive’s presence. You might say, “Thank you for joining us. I appreciate your interest.” Clearly communicate the purpose of the session and the agenda. Remind everyone (including the executive) about the goals and outcomes you planned to achieve. Gently steer the discussion back to the original topic. You could say, “Before we dive into this, let’s revisit the key points we covered earlier.” Showcase your knowledge and expertise. Share relevant insights or examples related to the training content.

We will always find a way to learn from each other, gaining our knowledge and experience in this situation. Try to utilize any kind of situation to have a beneficial result to our work.

The senior executive may have some insight to bring and may be concerned the topic could be overlooked. (I’m not saying That it is ok to be interrupted rudely by that person) If you keep it cordial and bring questions and topics into the conversation together you may be able to touch on topics and give info neither of you initially thought to bring to the conversation. Never feel insulted just roll with it and stay professional.

To regain control and assert your authority, consider the following steps: Use "I" statements: Express your thoughts and feelings using "I" statements.

To regain control and assert your authority, consider the following steps: Communicate assertively: Speak clearly, firmly, and respectfully.

Show confidence: Display self-assurance and confidence in your decisions. Take control of the narrative: Redirect the conversation or situation to focus on the issue at hand.

Thank him for the inputs and insights, and confidently and firmly add your perspectives as a continuation and regain your authority.

I would posit that this does not have to come with such a negative connotation. This senior executive may have every intention to support whatever training you are there to provide. If they are impassioned to contribute throughout your session, deal with that in a positive way and assume the best intentions unless it becomes truly disruptive. There are good pieces of advice given a negative connotation, so I won’t duplicate. But the perspective I felt was missing was not to assume that this is a personal attack, and to seemlessly use this leader’s enthusiasm to build a connection between what you’re teaching and what they are saying. This supports your leader and the lesson, and your pride may never have been under attack to begin with.

In this instance I would calmly and respectfully acknowledge the executive's presence and contributions. Then, I'd steer the session back to the planned agenda by summarising where the group is and outlining the next steps. I would emphasise my expertise and role in guiding the training, and invite the executive to provide input within the session's structure. This approach balances respect with professional assertiveness. If needed I'd speak to him privately to make him understand that his behaviour is disruptive and affects the group and the learning.

Firstly, it is unprofessional for someone to hijack a role designated to another person, who is actively fulfilling their responsibilities. Still it occurs, now it is important to respond assertively not passive not aggressive. When a moment of pause occurs from the senior immediately interject with, "Thank you, Sir/Madam, for your valuable insights. Dear audience, what Sir/Madam mentioned relates closely to our first objective. Let me elaborate further" From that moment, ensure you maintain control over the session, & the senior realise that their role in this context has concluded. As a trainer, we bear responsibility for the session's outcome and the value it provides, remember each training program represents a significant investment

First of fall don't fall for the Bait. Lolz Sometimes we as Trainer also planned to add Seniors to our sessions to bring a new prespective to the whole learning. Seniors, if hold a substance & give respect to the trainers call, he/she will never try to run your show. However, if still there comes a moment when you start feeling like "the show is being hijacked" simply cutoff the lifeline on some closing statement & while being kind & respectful, give due credit and thank Seniors contribution, also a big applaud may make it easy to signal him/her that it's time to thank-you. Additionally asking the permission to continue further with the session on other structured topics may be an act of taking control back under your command.