Let them go off-topic briefly

If someone drifts from your meeting agenda, you might want to shut it down.

Instead, pause.

Some people do their best thinking out loud. If you cut them off quickly, you shut down their thought process.

Instead:

👉 Let them explore for two minutes
👉 Show genuine interest in the idea
👉 Reconnect it to the meeting objective

They’ll feel heard. And you’ll keep control of the room.

Now that’s a win-win. 

So let them go off-topic briefly. Then guide it back with purpose.