Common Meeting Personalities
We’ve all been in that meeting where personalities clash, discussions derail, or some voices never get heard.
The six common meeting personalities sums it up:
» The Dominator: loves control, shows authority, shuts others down.
Tip: Acknowledge their input early and then redirect. Structure helps.
» The Dependent: agreeable, hesitant, often has great ideas but low confidence.
Tip: Encourage participation and validate their contributions.
» The Disinterested: distracted, late, mentally elsewhere.
Tip: Re-engage them with direct questions or relevant roles in the discussion.
» The Expert: challenges everyone, the “know-it-all.”
Tip: Respect their knowledge but frame it as a contribution, not correction.
» The Conversationalist: talks too much or goes off-topic.
Tip: Gently steer back with “Let’s park that and revisit later.”
» The Complainer: sees the flaws in everything.
Tip: Listen first, then pivot to solutions like: “What would you suggest?”
Meetings succeed when facilitation matches personality. It is not about control, it is about creating space where every voice adds value.