EP. 143: The Meeting Hijacker: How Leaders Can Take Back Control

One disruptive voice can derail an entire conversation, but only if you let it.

In this episode, Dr. Renee Thompson addresses a challenge many healthcare leaders face: staff members who hijack meetings and derail important conversations before they can truly begin. She explores the common behaviors that disrupt productive dialogue, including revisiting old grievances, blaming leadership, interrupting others, and speaking as though they represent the entire team, while also highlighting leadership responses that often make the situation worse. Renee explains why meeting hijacking is often a power move and emphasizes the importance of agendas, clear boundaries, and ground rules to maintain respectful, productive discussions. She also offers practical, in-the-moment strategies leaders can use to regain control, such as interrupting the interrupter, asking binary questions, and protecting the meeting's purpose without losing credibility.

Tune in to learn how to respond with clarity, confidence, and authority when someone tries to take control of the room.

About Dr. Renee Thompson:

Dr. Renee Thompson is a leading authority on creating healthy work cultures by eliminating bullying and incivility in healthcare. With more than 31 years of experience as a clinical nurse, educator, quality manager, and executive leader, she has become one of the most sought-after experts on workplace culture. As CEO and Founder of the Healthy Workforce Institute, Renee works with healthcare organizations worldwide to equip leaders with the tools they need to cultivate professional, respectful, and supportive teams.

Renee is a published author, award-winning speaker, and one of only 30 nurses worldwide to earn the Certified Speaking Professional designation. She also serves on The Joint Commission’s Workplace Violence Technical Advisory Panel and has been recognized globally for her thought leadership and advocacy.

What You’ll Learn In This Episode:

• Meeting hijackers often derail conversations by bringing up past issues, repeating complaints, blaming leadership, and interrupting repeatedly.

• Leaders can make the situation worse by overexplaining, defending themselves, fawning, making empty promises, or doing nothing.

• A respectful but direct interruption can stop disruptive behavior before it takes over the meeting.

• Asking whether someone is willing to be part of the solution helps shift the conversation from complaint to accountability.

• Meeting hijacking is a power move, and leaders must respond in a way that protects their credibility and the discussion's purpose.

• Clear agendas, time boundaries, and follow-up meetings help keep conversations focused and productive.

Links & Resources:

• Connect with and follow Dr. Renee Thompson on LinkedIn.

• Learn more about the Healthy Workforce Institute on their LinkedIn and website.

• Learn more about the Framework here!

• Learn the 33 Scripts to Address Disruptive Behavior here!

• Buy Renee Thompson’s book Enough! Eradicating Bullying & Incivility here!

• Grab a copy of Renee Thompson’s book Do No Harm Applies to Nurses Too! here.

• Learn more about the Eradicating Bullying & Incivility eLearning Program here!

Have a question for Renee?

Email us at wecare@healthyworkforceinstitute.com to have your leadership question featured in an upcoming Q&A episode!

Disclosure: The host may be compensated for linking to other sites or for sales of products we link to. As an Amazon Associate, Coffee Break earns from qualifying purchases.

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