However benevolent or sociable some people can be, they can exert power over others in subtle and normative ways. Here is a short list of examples:
- "Offering" to create meeting agendas
- Delivering opinions in a serious, authoritative tone of voice or body language
- Dominating converations, cutting people off and interrupting
- Hogging a shared screen or white board
- Controlling the converation with slides
- Dismissing a question or emerging converation as "out of scope" or off agenda
- Using questions to regain attention and control
Fortunately, everyone else in the group can take preemptive and counter initiatives to make the interactions more engaging, power sharing, respectful and inclusive.