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The Power Plays Silently Sabotaging Your Meetings — And How Small‑Town Leaders Can Stop Them for Good

Erika Willitzer
Feb 3
3 min read

Meetings are where small‑town decisions get made, partnerships get built, and momentum takes shape. They’re also where progress can quietly fall apart. Organizational behavior expert Rebecca Hinds identifies three toxic power moves that derail meetings everywhere — from big-city boardrooms to small-town council chambers.

These behaviors don’t just waste time. They erode trust, silence good ideas, and make people feel like their voice doesn’t matter. But with the right tactics, any leader can stop them and create meetings where people feel heard, respected, and energized.

Amplification: When One Voice Becomes the Only Voice

Amplification happens when the highest‑ranking person in the room unintentionally dominates the conversation. Once they speak, everyone else softens their opinions or stays quiet. In small towns — where relationships run deep and hierarchy is often unspoken — this dynamic can be even stronger.

How to stop it:

Leaders speak last. When the person with the most authority holds their opinion until the end, it opens space for honest input.
Use structured rounds. Go around the table and give each person a chance to share before open discussion begins.
Ask for the opposite. Questions like “What might we be missing?” or “Who sees this differently?” signal that disagreement is not only allowed — it’s valued.
Assign a rotating “devil’s advocate.” This normalizes dissent and prevents groupthink.

These simple shifts create a culture where people feel safe telling the truth — even when it’s uncomfortable.

Incompetence: When Meetings Lack Structure, Purpose, or Direction

A meeting without clarity is a meeting destined to fail. No agenda, no roles, no defined outcomes — just a room full of people wondering why they’re there. Research consistently shows that unstructured meetings drain productivity and morale.

In small towns, where leaders often juggle multiple roles and limited staff, poorly run meetings can stall projects that truly matter.

How to stop it:

Start with a one-sentence purpose. If you can’t explain why the meeting exists, it shouldn’t happen.
Share a simple agenda. Even a three‑bullet outline gives people direction and reduces anxiety.
Assign roles. A facilitator keeps things on track, a timekeeper prevents rambling, and a note‑taker captures commitments.
Timebox discussions. Short, focused segments keep energy high and prevent the meeting from spiraling.
End with clear commitments. Who is doing what by when? Without this, nothing moves.

Structure isn’t bureaucracy — it’s respect for people’s time.

Jerk Behavior: When Dominance Silences Collaboration

Interrupting. Steamrolling. Talking over others. These behaviors show up in every community — even the friendliest small towns. And while they’re often brushed off as personality quirks, they have real consequences: people shut down, ideas disappear, and resentment builds.

How to stop it:

Set meeting norms upfront. “One mic at a time,” “No interruptions,” or “Step up, step back” gives you permission to intervene.
Use a visible speaking queue. A simple list or hand‑raising system prevents interrupters from taking over.
Name the behavior neutrally. “Let’s pause — I want to make sure everyone gets to finish their thought” redirects without shaming.
Invite quieter voices in. “I’d love to hear from someone who hasn’t spoken yet” shifts the dynamic instantly.

When leaders protect airtime, they protect innovation.

Small towns thrive on collaboration. Economic development, community revitalization, tourism, housing, childcare, broadband — none of it moves without people working together. Meetings are where that collaboration either strengthens or fractures.

Research from Google’s Project Aristotle, Harvard Business Review, and MIT all point to the same conclusion: psychological safety is the strongest predictor of team performance. And psychological safety is built — or destroyed — in meetings.

When leaders intentionally design meetings to neutralize these toxic power moves, everything improves: