How Microsoft 365 Copilot can help you keep conversations CALM

Picture this: you’re in a team meeting, and things start to get heated. Deadlines are looming, the project isn’t where it should be, and a team member speaks up with a frustrated tone. Another person jumps in, and suddenly, the room feels tense. We’ve all been there! And in those moments, wouldn’t it be great to have a tool that could help you look back at what went wrong and find ways to handle it better next time?

That’s where Microsoft 365 Copilot comes in, paired with a simple framework called CALM: Compassion, Assessment, Listening, and Moving Forward. By uploading a meeting transcription to Copilot, you can actually break down each part of the conversation and get insights into what was helpful and what could be improved. Let’s walk through how it works, step by step, using CALM as our guide.

Step 1: Start with a Transcription

First things first, if your meeting was in Microsoft Teams, you can set it up to create a transcript. This is super helpful because once the meeting is over, you’ll have a full text record of what everyone said. Plus, having that transcription means you can look back at it without getting caught up in the emotions of the moment. It’s like having a second chance to review everything calmly, ready to dig into the details.

Step 2: Uploading to Copilot for Analysis

With the transcription in hand, you’re ready to upload it to Microsoft 365 Copilot. Think of Copilot like an extra set of eyes that looks at the conversation from a fresh, unbiased perspective. All you need to do is give it a specific prompt to analyze the text with CALM in mind.

Here’s the prompt you can use:

“Analyze the following conversation using the CALM approach. Please evaluate Compassion, Assessment, Listening, and Moving Forward and provide examples and suggestions for improvement.”

Once Copilot has this, it’ll break down the conversation, calling out key moments and offering suggestions based on CALM. Here’s how each piece of CALM plays out in the analysis.

Step 3: Spotting Compassion in the Conversation

Compassion is all about empathy—did team members show understanding toward each other, or did things feel a bit sharp? Copilot helps by flagging any compassionate language, like “I get where you’re coming from” or “Thanks for sharing your perspective.” These are the little phrases that help calm things down and make people feel valued.

Copilot might also pick out areas where compassion was missing. Maybe there were a few blunt comments that could have been softened. By highlighting these moments, Copilot gives you a heads-up on how to bring a bit more empathy to your next conversation.

Step 4: Recognizing Stress Points with Assessment

Next, let’s talk about Assessment. This is about spotting what triggered the tension. Copilot looks for recurring words or topics that kept coming up—maybe someone kept mentioning “deadlines” or “resources,” showing what was weighing on their mind.

If Copilot finds these stress points, it’ll flag them. This helps you understand what’s driving certain reactions. For example, if people were stressed about tight timelines, that’s something you could address upfront in the next meeting. By understanding these stressors, you’re better equipped to keep things calm.

Step 5: Evaluating Active Listening

Listening is easy to say but hard to practice, especially when everyone’s fired up. Copilot can spot phrases that show people were really listening, like “Could you tell me more about that?” or “I hear what you’re saying.” These little cues tell the person speaking that they’re being heard.

On the other hand, if people were cutting each other off or ignoring key points, Copilot will flag those moments too. It’s a good reminder to slow down and make sure everyone has a chance to speak. When people feel heard, the whole conversation becomes more productive.

Step 6: Moving Forward with Constructive Steps

Finally, we get to Moving Forward. This is all about finding a positive path ahead. Copilot looks for solution-oriented language—phrases like “Let’s work together on a plan” or “How about we check in on this next week?” These are the kinds of things that make sure the meeting doesn’t end on a sour note.

If Copilot notices a lack of forward-thinking language, it’ll suggest adding some. Moving forward is about wrapping up with a plan, so everyone leaves the conversation with a clear idea of what to do next. It’s a small shift that can make a big difference in how productive the meeting feels.

Conclusion

Using Microsoft 365 Copilot with the CALM approach can turn tense meetings into learning opportunities. By analyzing conversations for Compassion, Assessment, Listening, and Moving Forward, Copilot helps you spot the good moments and the areas where a little extra care could go a long way.

Next time you’re in a challenging meeting, think about how you could keep things CALM—and let Copilot be your partner in creating better conversations, one step at a time.