To quickly bring a veered-off session back on track: Acknowledge the Deviation: Politely recognize the digression without discouraging participation. For example, say, "That's an interesting point; let's note it for later." Reinforce Objectives: Revisit the session's goals and agenda, reminding participants of the intended focus. Use Redirection Techniques: Pose guiding questions like, "How does this connect to our current topic?" or redirect with a quick activity or recap. Manage Time Actively: Prioritize key agenda items and suggest offline discussions for unrelated topics. Stay Positive and Engaged: Maintain a collaborative tone to encourage alignment without disrupting group dynamics.

Whilst it’s of course critical to ensure the session outcomes are delivered, I think it’s crucial to demonstrate flexibility and respond to the needs of your participants. My advice is always to “work with what’s in front of you”, we should be responding to the needs of those we are working with in the moment, rather than being so focused on sticking to the script (that’s how you disengage people). There will come a time when you have to call time on a discussion that’s digressing but that should be done with respect and humility. If you find yourself having to reconfigure the session due to time pressures, again it’s about quickly determining what you can skip over or condense - but that requires knowing your content inside out.

Quickly start a circuit breaker activity to refresh the focus of all participants. This prevent distractions, fatigue and ensure reengagement.

I like to hold space for what has arisen. I’d ask- do others share this concern? If it’s managed to get named and get actual airtime then it’s likely more than one person in the room has the same concerns. I wouldn’t suppress it.

Ideally you would have clearly outlined the agenda, expected outcomes, objectives and ground rules for the session right up front at the start. Then if things start to go off course, you can remind the group of the agreed agenda. Re-establish ground rules for the session and remind participants of the objectives and agenda. Seek their agreement to return the discussion back to the agenda topics. Getting the group to endorse the move to return the discussion to the initially agreed agenda, can help shut down discussions that seek to take the discussion off course.

The session should have an agenda, or at least an objective. Remind the team that their participation and passion are appreciated, but this meeting was meant to address a particular objective. Also consider those issues that might have taken the meeting off course and consider follow up meetings for "parking lot" items. This would give participants an opportunity to be prepared for those discussions, and ensure the right people are "in the room".

When a facilitated session veers off course, act swiftly to regain focus. First, acknowledge the deviation respectfully to maintain rapport: “This is an interesting point, but let’s ensure we meet our session goals.” Revisit the agenda and emphasize the importance of staying aligned with objectives. Use a parking lot for off-topic ideas, ensuring participants feel heard while keeping the session on track. Ask focused questions to steer the discussion: “How does this relate to our current goal?” Employ timeboxing to limit diversions, and summarize progress periodically to reinforce direction. Closing with a recap of priorities ensures momentum is regained and objectives are met.

I often use it as a team coaching opportunity e.g. “I am noticing that we keep veering away from our original focus area and am just curious to hear from people why that might be?”

Keeping a session on track involves both structure and participant engagement. Summarizing key points and redirecting the conversation are essential, but encouraging participants to reconnect with the session’s objectives fosters ownership and focus. Practical strategies like setting clear ground rules, using a visual agenda, and time-limiting discussions can also ensure productivity while maintaining engagement.