It is often difficult to analyse the character of someone until you have been in their presence for quite a while and have noted their behaviour in a variety of situations. Therefore, it can be quite an eye-opener to discover what your work colleagues are really like when their true personalities shine through. We all have our own unique image but it is what lies beneath this exterior which determines how people respond towards us and vice-versa.

We can expect to walk into a business meeting oblivious to the kind of characters which lurk beneath those faces which sit before us. On first appearance, looks can build up an impression but it is only when a discussion starts to take place that these characters start to reveal their hidden identity. Follow me into the meeting room to discover the kind of individuals you are likely to come face to face with and learn how to diffuse their destructive power and put an end to their troublesome behaviour once and for all.

The Chatterbox: Yes, in every meeting room there is always a chatterbox, the one who will prattle on about things which are usually off-subject or do not link to the point in question. Participants may try to steer the conversation back on track but the chatterbox has an art of converting every subject into something completely unrelated.

A good way to keep attention focussed on relevant matters and not issues which are unrelated is to recognise when the subject is being hijacked and nip it in the bud the moment that it happens. This can be applied with one simple comment such as "Let's stay with the topic at hand". Also a quick prompt such as "Let's try to avoid going off subject". This heightens the awareness of tangents and helps to keep conversation flowing in the right direction. You could even acknowledge some points and suggest that they are parked into relevant spaces to be addressed at a later date.

The Tension Builder: These are the ones who cannot resist stirring the emotions and raising points which are likely to touch a nerve or two. This puts the cat among the pigeons and can cause friction or emotional responses which lead to arguments, animosity and resentment. When someone's emotional buttons have been pushed, it is hard to revert back to the calm, focussed discussion which was once in force. A spanner amongst the works can cause issues to be raised which relate to personal matters, salaries or even promotion, this can cause subjects to surface which relate to earlier business meetings and cause a whole host of other hostilities to be thrown around which turn a previously formal meeting into a minefield of comments and insinuations.

The best way to pour oil on such troubled waters is to chip in with a firm "Let's not go there" whenever a touchy subject is raised. Comments such as "We will cope with that matter when/if it arises" or "that is an area that we do not need to address today" create short, sharp labels which make it clear that touchy matters are out of bounds and will not be accepted.

The Shrewd Influencer: This character runs completely independently of everyone else and relies solely on his own thoughts and opinions. He does not doubt for one second that he should ever be wrong and will do everything possible to encourage others to be on his side. This type of person will happily justify his decision for hours on end if necessary in a personal attempt to win over participants and form his own little posse. If someone should reject or question his decision, the shrewd influencer will use subtle tactics to dilute or belittle others viewpoints and over-ride them with his own passionate opinions. A character such as this will intimidate many and stop them from making an active contribution.

Participants should not have to feel as though they have a loaded gun to their heads which is likely to go off if they do not lean towards one person's point of view. A way of silencing the shrew influencer is to insist that everyone has an opportunity to aire their views. This drums home the point that all meeting members have a right to speak and listen and that the meeting room is not an audience for the shrew influencer to manipulate in whatever way he sees fit.

The Auto-Pilot: This type of person will try to run her desk from the meeting room. If left to her own devices such a participant will decide how important or unimportant the meeting is by her level of behaviour. Answering a mobile phone, using a laptop or responding to a pager are all ways to distract the attention span of others.

Switch the auto-pilot over to manual operation by reminding her at the onset that all electronic equipment should be turned off before entry to the meeting. Humans can create enough distractions by themselves without the added pressure of technology adding insult to injury.

The Grim Reaper: No meeting would ever be complete without the grim reaper who takes great delight in looking at the opposite side of every issue. Whilst it is highly beneficial to look at things from both ends, it can become increasingly tiresome if every matter is contradicted and challenged.

A way to keep a healthy balance in such a situation is to praise the grim reaper for allowing members to view a point from both extremes but it should also be noted that only opposing points which are of any relevance should be further explored and that meeting time must be used productively so as decisions are reached within a designated time period.

The Creep: This character isn't too difficult to spot. Look for the one who constantly agrees with others to the point where they suppress all of their own thoughts and opinions in a bid to stay on the right of the boss, team leader or other God which they worship with such devout dedication. This person will sail you down the river for a pat on the back from the one he admires the most so you would certainly not want to trust this easy to spot and highly predictable brown-noser.

The best way to deal with the creep is to allow him to voice his thoughts and opinions before everyone else so as others can contribute from a less biased perspective.

The Comedian: Although the easy going, good natured attitude of the comedian can lift spirits, don't allow him to dilute the serious decisions, ideas and contributions of other participants. The comedian can often make it difficult for important matters to be taken seriously as he is always making light of everything and thus diverting the attention, he also jokes his way into valuable meeting time.

The best time for humour is at the start of a meeting or at the end of a difficult one. Therefore, allow the comedian a few moments to take centre stage and raise the spirits of everyone either before or after a meeting. If the comedian wants to make a comeback halfway through discussions or at intermittent intervals, he should be reminded that the time for jokes has passed or will follow shortly so as everyone arrives or leaves with a cheery and uplifted disposition.

The Bully: These were the people you always tried to avoid at school, the ones who still think they are in the playground and take great delight in picking on the weaker ones. This person will challenge other people's ideas, blend negativity with a succession of personal attacks and pass on hurtful comments without any regard for the other person's feelings. They are relentless and will strike with a series of confrontational attacks that terrorise people into submission.

No-one like the bully...so any form of personal attack should have the sting removed from its tail. Participants should have the option to request a meeting pause when such hostilities take place. Whilst it is acceptable for a bully to criticize someone's opinion, it is not acceptable for that person to be attacked as an individual.

The Observer: These are the people who look and listen but can rarely make a uniformed decision based upon the facts which have been presented before them. Watch out for the observer as he will unconsciously supply fuel for the grim reaper and other meeting participants. The observers of the world refuse to make decisions for a number of reasons including the avoidance of confrontation, the fear of being wrong or just having their views recorded. As a result, the observer offers very little value in the meeting room as he will neither agree nor disagree with a viewpoint.

The observer needs to be coaxed into contributing his opinions. Make it a point to emphasise that his thoughts are important and also necessary for an overall conclusion. Continually include the observer and draw on his views so as the rest of the members know that the lights are on and someone is definitely home.

The Doubter: This person has worked extremely hard to reach this status of negativity. He has a BA in Cynicism and is proud of it. There is nothing more delightful in his world than dampening the enthusiasm of every member and replacing it with the seeds of doubt which he waters so well. Look out for phrases such as "nice idea but it won't happen" or "It'll never work". This type of person is so predictable that it is hardly worth asking his opinion as the answer will always be loaded with doubts as to what may or may not happen.

The best way to tackle such a nayslayer is to go right back at him from an opposing perspective. Make statements such as "yes...but what if". By including the doubter in a positive scenario rather than a negative, participants are not weighed down by "what if's" and can make a decision based upon both opposing points of view.

So the next time you enter the meeting room, make it a point to look out for the Grim Reapers, Doubters and Bullies of this world as they will now be easier to spot. You may even be able to recognise yourself amongst them!