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We've all been there. A meeting starts with clear intentions, but one sharp comment shifts the energy. Suddenly, the team is debating tone instead of solving the problem. The room spirals into tension, and by the end, everyone is drained yet no closer to a decision. Sound familiar?
The good news? There's a simple, one-minute technique that can transform these chaotic meetings into focused, collaborative sessions. It's called the mid-meeting check, and it works by asking one powerful question: 'Are we solving or spiraling?'
Why Meetings Spiral Out of Control
Think of a meeting as a group journey. Emotions are the engine—they provide power, urgency, and drive. But engines without steering crash. When emotions run high, the conversation drifts away from the original purpose. You start discussing the how someone said something instead of what needs to happen next.
This isn't anyone's fault. Our brains are wired to react emotionally first. But without a conscious pause, those reactions can flood the room and hijack the agenda. Papers pile up, voices overlap, and progress stalls.
The One-Minute Mid-Meeting Check
Here's the fix: halfway through your meeting, pause. Take just one minute to reset the room with two simple questions:
- 'What's the outcome we want?'
- 'What's the next concrete step?'
This brief interruption acts like tapping the brakes on a downhill stretch. It brings everyone's attention back to the road—the purpose, the plan, and the path forward. You're not shaming anyone or shutting down emotions. You're simply inviting calm, strategic thinking back into the conversation.
How to Apply This in Your Next Meeting
Make the mid-meeting check a ritual. Set a timer for halfway through the session, or assign someone the role of 'timekeeper' to call for the pause. When the moment arrives, ask the two questions aloud and give the team a minute to reflect.
You'll notice the energy shift immediately. Tension eases. People stop talking over each other. The focus returns to solutions, not blame. The emotions are still there—they're just pointing in a useful direction now.
Do this consistently, and you'll reduce detours, confusion, and rework. You'll protect momentum and help your team channel their passion into progress instead of conflict.
The Science Behind the Reset
Scientists have identified what they call the 'thinking part of the emotional brain.' It's the area that assesses what's happening in the moment and makes mid-course corrections. When you ask, 'Are we solving or spiraling?', you're engaging that system. You're giving the team permission to step back, evaluate, and choose a better path.
In essence, the mid-meeting check is your team's built-in facilitator. It keeps emotions serving the task instead of steering it off track.
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