On March 30, 2017, Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams stood in front of crowd of over 1,000 angry citizens. McAdams had recently floated the idea of situating a new homeless resource center in Draper, a city 20 miles south of Salt Lake City, Utah. What began as an orderly public meeting soon degenerated into chaotic shouts, curses, and political threats as one Draper resident after another told the mayor emphatically that this would not happen in their backyard.
How to Save a Meeting That’s Gotten Tense
Sometimes meetings go off the rails. Conflict that’s brewing under the surface bubbles up and people actively and forcefully disagree or they shout over one another. If chaos has broken out on your team, take these four steps to restore order. First, interrupt the chaos in a calm, neutral voice. You may need to raise your voice a decibel or two to be heard above the rumble. But once you’ve attracted attention, lower your voice and speed. Second, call attention to what is happening in a matter-of-fact way. Lay out what appears to be happening, without assigning blame, and the consequences of continuation on the current path. Third, offer a process that ensures all will be heard and slows the pace in order to quell the emotions. Then ask for commitment to it. Fourth, if people continue to be disruptive, point out the discrepancy, and ask if they want to continue with their commitment.