Dealing With Difficult Board Directors

23 October 2023 By Rhiannon 0

Difficult board members can present an enormous challenge to the cohesiveness and effectiveness of the board. It may be tempting to ignore the problem in hopes that the person will change their behavior or quit after their term is over but that isn’t the most effective strategy. It is more likely that the behavior will continue to grow more pronounced, negatively impacting the rest of the team which makes it difficult for them to fulfill their responsibilities efficiently.

One way to deal with difficult board members is through directly intervention. Invite the person to a meeting with the chair, or a person they trust and who is willing to listen https://theboardmeeting.blog/how-do-you-keep-up-with-trends-in-your-industry to them, to discuss the reasons behind their behavior. Determine what is behind their behavior, for example the feeling that they are not valued or heard by the other board members. It is also important to have a clear goal in mind, for instance their behaviour needing to change so that the conversation does not develop into a debate or conflict.

It is usually helpful to bring this issue to the attention of other board members during a group meeting in the event that the person is not confronted in a one-onone conversation. This is a great way for the chairperson to demonstrate that they value everyone’s input and are not afraid to confront challenging behavior. It is also important to keep track of what was said so that you can update people on any new information when you return to them.