We use this technique on the door and think it could be used to good effect if your with a group or theres a couple of you out. You generally find the person looking for a fight will have an issue with one person and will try to rope his mates in if he is out numbered. The idea is to keep changing the person he is speaking to and keep the guy he has a problem with out of sight amongst the group hopefully this will calm him down and will move on.We use this on the door and it works well

distraction technique, excellent. What way would you talk with the guy? Would you try to create a rapport by in some way sympathizing with him, or even go as far as to agree - that your colleague is a 'so & so'? Or, do you rather maintain the authority, but be respectful?

Would depend on if the person was drunk high or how he was aggrieved