I write this article in a Business Meeting Just Now!

When Conversations Turn into Monologues: What Would You Do?

We’ve all been in this situation in Corporate World — a meeting scheduled for one hour that drags on way past its allotted time, with one person taking center stage and dominating the conversation. You sit there, politely listening at first, but as the minutes turn into hours, your focus begins to drift. You find yourself caught in a silent dilemma: Should you interrupt, redirect, or let the person continue?

Now imagine that this talkative individual is your manager. How would you handle the situation?

The Meeting That Never Ends

I am writing this in a meeting. I found myself in such a situation. The meeting was set for an hour, but by the time we were two hours and fifteen minutes in, I hadn’t said two sentences back to back.

The speaker is a manager. Manager has been talking non-stop on a Friday afternoon. Manager’s enthusiasm seemingly boundless, while the rest of us sat quietly. To be fair, the discussion began well, but as time went on, it became increasingly clear that this wasn’t a collaborative session — it was a monologue. And as it continued, my interest waned.