Virtual meetings can get real messy when strong opinions collide on a tiny screen. One thing that’s helped me? Slowing down the conversation- literally. When it gets tense, I ask everyone to pause, revisit the agenda, and focus on shared goals. Also: breakout rooms are magic. Smaller groups = more calm, less chaos. And if all else fails? A follow-up call usually works better than trying to solve it all live. Zoom isn’t a courtroom - no one wins by shouting louder

Stay calm—tone sets the temperature. Acknowledge all views—people want to be heard. Clarify the core issue—cut through the noise. Redirect to common goals—focus unites. Set next steps—resolution needs structure. Aristos Panteli, Ultra Athlete

In one of our recent virtual meetings with multiple stakeholders, tensions started to rise—but setting a clear agenda upfront really helped keep things anchored. I’ve found that active listening, paired with summarizing viewpoints, makes people feel genuinely heard, which defuses a lot of friction. And when things still get heated, bringing in a neutral facilitator can shift the energy and refocus the group. It’s not just theory, Harvard Business Review notes that structured dialogue reduces conflict by over 40%, and I’ve seen that play out firsthand.

In a virtual meeting with conflicts, you should 1. Stay calm and take control by acknowledging the tension without assigning blame. 2. Set ground rules for respectful dialogue and give each stakeholder a chance to speak. 3. Use active listening to validate concerns and reframe emotionally charged comments into neutral language. 4. Focus on common goals and steer the discussion back to solutions. If needed, park unresolved issues for offline resolution. 5. Use follow-up emails to summarise agreements and next steps. Clarity, empathy, and structured facilitation are key to restoring harmony and moving forward.