If you are in-charge of a meeting, it can be very frustrating when the participants start disagreeing. Precious time is wasted and decisions are left unmade. So how should you handle the situation?

Use Humor

When nothing else seems to diffuse tension between disagreeing participants, you might as well crack a joke ease up frayed nerves. Humor can be refreshing, but a word of caution: Don’t ever crack a joke at the expenses of either of the disagreeing party. That will only worsen the situation.

Proper Seating Arrangement

If you are aware (even before the meeting) that some of the participants are on opposing sides, then it may be wiser to seat them beside one another instead of across. People are more prone to confrontation when they are facing each other than when they are seated side by side.

Stay On Line
Always remind the participants to stick to the topic being discussed. There is a natural tendency for people to disagree especially when they get all fired up from disagreeing. Once you allow either of the disagreeing parties to stray, you will not get anywhere.

Don’t Take Sides

When heated arguments continue, taking sides is the fastest way to turn the situation into a disaster. Be neutral at all times. Reserve your opinion up to the time when your decision should finally be aired.

Postpone

If the disagreement leads into a heated argument, then the best thing to do is to postpone the discussion. When nerves are frayed, it is hard to come up with wise discussions.

Clear the Clutter

It used to be said that an empty desk is the sign of an empty mind. Not anymore. A streamlined desk is considered to be the sign of an organized, competent, productive employee.

Here are ways to clear the clutter on your desk:

• Gather all loose papers and files and put them into one or two large piles.
• Sort the papers into four categories: To do, To pay, To file and To read.
• Delegate, re-route or toss the rest.
• Throw out at least one-third of the material in the “To read” stack. There simply isn’t time. Concentrate on magazines relating directly to your business.
• Turn the large file drawer in your desk into a project or action drawer, containing current projects and items that are time sensitive.
• Go through and set priorities for the papers in your To Do box every day. Otherwise. It will be a dumping ground and important papers may be overlooked.

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