Q: Is there a different process for closing a meeting that has been very conflicted / emotional?

A: The most important thing is to recognise the feelings of those involved. This can be difficult and uncomfortable, and one of the barriers to that can be your own feelings. You may need to confront risky interpersonal issues and doing this effectively is a skill most people have to learn and develop.

Reviewing this type of meeting is more important than most – you certainly wouldn’t want to plough into the next meeting with the same group without acknowledging and evaluating what happened. Even if you find a full review before closing too difficult, it could be helpful to ask each attendee to highlight a positive facet of the meeting before leaving.