) Remember, just as with staff and volunteers, straight talk with the appropriate party is always the best way to handle these situations. If you decide to confront the person, these five tips can help you deal with these difficult board members. Now imagine having ten bosses instead of one. [tag_slug__and] => Array I want you to spend as little time as possible on the dead weight board members. Ive seen firsthand, both on the boards Ive personally served on, as well as with thousands of clients we have served over the years, most such conflict can be resolved without having to remove a board member. By striving to understand the underlying motivations of all parties, you gain more insight into potential solutions that will better meet everyones needs. Bring specific concerns to chair and strategize together. Here are some conflict resolution strategies that can be employed: But what happens when you come across a board member who is not pulling his or her weight? [feed] => Hopefully it is an honest mistake that a conversation and some education can rectify. 1. Foundation Group is your go-to resource for getting it done. Ive sat on boards with people who certainly made things challenging, but often that is a good thing. A group of researchers and consultants recently took a fresh look at the challenges of improving nonprofit boards. Under Robert's Rules of Order, members present at a meeting must treat each other with courtesy and respect. Given the volume of questions we get about this subject, I suspect you already know that. Are you dealing with a difficult or toxic board member? If the board chair doesnt stop sending me those nasty emails I swear Im going to quit! Coming to agreement on what a conflict is about is like untangling a ball of yarn. Use down time as an opportunity for learning, whether about constituencies, issues or governance best practices. Develop and use comprehensive human resources practices in board recruitment, says Picot. Maybe you gave that B- board member too high a grade. Where do they have concerns? Every board member from hell got recruited by someone who thought they would be good so how did they become the board member from hell? Supporting prosocial behavior rewards the great board members' behavior. Heres a great clause that outlines a procedure for removing a board member for cause: Any director or officer may be removed from office by the affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the directors then in office at any regular or special meeting of the Board, provided that written notice of the proposed removal has been given to all directors at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting. Get in touch today. And its a tough one. Dealing with Difficult Homeowners | Elite Management Services He has over 30 years of varied and progressive experience in the insurance industry, rising from claims representative to small business owner to Chief Executive Officer. Very hard to say no to a board member. It usually takes a champion on the board willing to see what support there is for a change in chair. She also says that a governance or board development committee may have the legitimacy to directly address concerns with the board chair, although she suggests doing so privately and offering the chair suggestions for training or other assistance to improve. Does any wording currently exist, or could be included, in some of your board approved, agency documents to better describe acceptable behavior? Come to the meeting with an end game in mind. One can quickly become consumed with navigating the politics and soothing hurt feelings rather than pursuing the business at hand. [page_id] => 0 their job as a director. Here are some tips on how to cope with a difficult board member who sucks all the positivity out of the room. Sometimes problems arise over a simple misunderstanding. I don't want the board breathing down my neck when things are so tough right now The board chair doesn't recognize my authority. What should the penalty be for board members leave duly called meetings. Could it be that this person is right about an issueand everybody else wrong? Practicing Fear Encouragement for Leaders. This can also be a place for bringing in a consultant who can help clarify the situation or coach a chair in developing stronger skills. Don't be one of the power mad, top managers. Stating it was from the committee, but we new nothing of it and he hadnt asked us. That will be time (and energy) you cant get back. To this, Garthson suggests the board can use self-assessment as a way of determining challenges and solutions. [hour] => But then, something starts to subtly shift. Remember that handling a difficult board member is the chairs job, says Garthson. Please stay with me. Invite board members who have sat on other boards so that they can provide exposure to how other boards operate. Managing Bad Behavior If you do come to realize that you are dealing with a toxic board member, many boards wonder how to ask that person to resign. Make a motion to change by-law disciplinary procedure to subject the sender of any email or other communication among board members to a disciplinary procedure for uncivil communications. ( On the other hand, members who disagree because they have their own interests in mind or desire to be spiteful, become more problematic. 3. This strategy makes them FEEL like dead weight and they begin to self-select off. Conflict and strife will suck the very life blood from your organization. While that is one outcome, there are other ways to work around a board member's counterproductive behavior. [meta_value] => Your work demands a great board, a Grade A board. Sometimes, that can lead to conflict that is uncomfortable, unproductive, and even contrary to the organizations best interests. You need each director to play an active and positive role in helping to move the organization forward. The number is often low. This can have its own challenges if a more effective or experienced board member joins the board and perceives the executive director as holding too much power and responsibility. Every single board has someone who takes up space, has a bad attitude, or causes some kind of tsuris (trouble in Yiddish). Here are a few traits of problem board members: Acting in the best interest of the community is one of the most important guidelines board members should adhere to. ) Rockstars. To do otherwise suggests entrenched management. Cause for removal shall include, but not be limited to, a directors failure to attend three (3) consecutive regular meetings without a valid excuse, engaging in conduct that is detrimental to the organization, or violating the organizations policies or bylaws. [attachment] => ( If it is a personality issue, one must find a way to manoeuvre and key is to have constructive conversations with such board members. If you sat in the board members seat, wouldnt you like the courtesy of an in-person conversation? If you are dealing with not one person, but a veritable mutiny, it is possible that you cannot win. "I had a meeting yesterday with a board with a member who has physically grabbed other board members," he says. While often appealing, simply hoping things will improve over time, without taking action, is not a solution. Recognize that dealing with this challenge effectively requires the active support and participation of the board chair or governance committee chair ideally to take the lead. Difficult board members are like anchors when it comes to your nonprofit. In many cases, you have to go back to their orientation: they dont understand their role or it may have been explained wrongly (or wrongly from the EDs perspective). She adds, It also has to do with board recruitment. Well, before moving towards removing a board member, it is essential to try and resolve conflicts through open communication and attempting to understand where this problem is coming from. In this article, we will discuss how to deal with difficult board members, conflict resolution strategies, and the process of removing a board member for cause. Will you review the situation in a few months to see if there is improvement? , President & CFO The environment at board meetings will probably just get more negative. They need to answer to the board and, thus to the shareholders who are the actual owners of the company. Add insult to injury; the company was running at a loss. All we ask is that it be done in a respectful and professional way. Sign up to get blog posts delivered to your inbox. It may even save you some legal headaches. Problems arise when board members put their own interests before those of the community. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. One of the most important roles you have, as part of a board of directors, or as the executive director of a nonprofit, is to help identify and vet new board candidates. Rogue School Boards: What Can We Do? | Resilient Educator Six Types of Difficult HOA Board Members - Association Management [menu_order] => Signs Of A Successful Nonprofit Board: Making A Difference With 120 Hours, Four Ways To Get Your Board Members to Fundraise for Your Nonprofit, Build A Strong Nonprofit Board With These Essential Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, And Inclusion (DEAI) Resources, Last week, when you cancelled our meeting at the last minute, I felt like you no longer care about this organization., You agreed to recruit five sponsors for our fundraiser and have not yet secured one., My notes say that you said you would recruit five sponsors for the fundraiser yet last I checked, you had not talked to anyone. licensed to practice in Washington and Arizona. If it's the behaviors that Blair described then I would not consider that to be difficult because, in my opinion, every board member should be able to ask questions and challenge the status quo, otherwise there is a danger that the business will stagnate and strategies will not evolve. When you give attention to positive behavior, the toxic person is more likely to shift course to get the recognition he/she craves. For a while, things go very well and it seems youve landed a high value, hard working board. Required fields are marked *. Dealing with Difficult Board Members You're Fired - CooperatorNews You can do a chiropractic adjustment with some board members and educate them; others not so much. We dont understand why they object to something we see as reasonable. Too often, Garthson says, we jump straight into business matters without taking the valuable time to build the relationship. . 4 Tips to Dealing with a Difficult HOA Board Member - TownSq Linda, We have a new president of our non profit organisation in Qld, he put out an email After all, no one should want a room full of yes people serving on the board. Bring it back to your shared interests. With expert insights, practical strategies, and bonus resources like the Board Attributes Checklist and the Board Composition Matrix Spreadsheet, youll be well on your way to a brighter future for your nonprofit. Maybe that is true, maybe not. Usually, after working with us for a few quarters, we gel better with our fellow board members and management. People seem like jerks often because we dont know their stories. The question is, how do you deal with this situation? 3 Strategies for Handling a Divisive Board Member by Jeff Arnold | President, Leading Associations There are difficult, but manageable, board members who create tension at meetings but generally don't derail the work of the board altogether. Its a shame to see good leaders leaving because their energy has been drained by politics and power issues and being unable to lead the organization in the best possible way because this loss is preventable.. They make meetings unpleasant. The temptation is to focus on the person and label them a malcontent or even a troublemaker. A Warm Welcome to Gen Z, Pursuing Series B Funding? Lets keep going. What do you do when a good board member goes bad? ( If you find yourself with the latter situation, you need to first decide if the behavior or situation warrants confronting it. You may also choose to have written and detailed job descriptions for each position within the board and require each member to sign an agreement stating that they understand their responsibilities and roles. BoardAssist, a New York based nonprofit corporation, is the leading personalized board recruiting resource available to the tri-state nonprofit community. Worse yet, avoiding the issue may signal to other directors that this is acceptable behavior, creating more of what you dont want. Foundation Group is your go-to resource for getting it done. At one firm I was involved with, a board member created a difficulty by submitting excessive expenses for attending board meetings. When you add this critical component to your decision-making process, you can significantly lower the chances of future similar mistakes. The board chair doesnt recognize my authority. She has written for the nonprofit sector for almost two decades and loves a good story. Strategies for Handling a Difficult Board Member April 13, 2020 , Governance Think back to the last time you had to (or at least wanted to) confront your boss about micromanaging your work. , VP - FInancial Planning and Analysis They determined the three most prevalent board performance problems: dysfunctional group dynamics; disengaged board members; and, most importantly, uncertainty among board members about their roles and responsibilities. It is possible to isolate them without attempting to do an end-around. Often executive directors, board chairs, and fellow directors will let difficult board members fester despite the potential consequences. First, remember that each director was careful identified and recruited onto the board, to fill a specific need, so they should be treated well and recognized as the asset they are to the agency. A fickle personality or attitude in a board member can be a problem when making decisions because the board member will often flip-flop between one option and another. He does such a great job of pointing out the gaps in our strategy while remaining positive and supportive of our mission.. Decide on a course of action. The board doesn't trust me. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Most states require you to register your organization if you solicit donations from their residents. At the most basic level, board members and directors can always fall back on the standard fiduciary duty and responsibility to put the good of their organization above all else. Humphrey was ready to leave an ED job after six months when the board chair asked her to provide a Top 10 list of things she would change. who subscribe to our free, email newsletter. [w] => 0 It is possible that they have a few terrible board members. ). The BoardSource study observes that, the rise of professional management, rather than a sudden decline in trustee knowledge and intelligence, may best explain why board members have become increasingly uncertain about their roles. For many board members, it can be challenging to determine the line between strategy and administration, governance and management. Here are a few key takeaways when it comes to confronting a wayward board member. The goal is not to create, or increase existing conflict, but to find common ground, and move towards resolution even if this means removing someone from the board. What should we say to him. Invite their insight and perspective on the issue and see if they believe it is an overall board challenge, or perhaps only a challenge one-on-one between this board member and you. [nopaging] => Greg McRay is the founder and CEO of The Foundation Group. [subpost_id] => Confront . Love them or hate them, they are an empowered component of the organization. Let the person express their opinion and try to gather more information about why they feel the way they do. Identifying a Problem Unfortunately, there are some board members who have become successful by being "difficult" with everyone they meet. With this focus in mind, here is a 12-step strategy to follow to help structure the conversation. Your email address will not be published. Difficult board members may feel less threatened or attacked when working with a mediator. The condo board problem: The condo board solution: Short-term measures: Long-term measures: Board Members are an asset Condo Boards: Dealing with Disruptive Members the Right Way As an experienced condominium and rental property management service provider in Alberta, we've heard many condo board horror stories that could have been easily avoided. 10 Ways to Deal With Difficult People in Your Nonprofit - Tom Okarma First, if I can demonstrate one caring act, I disprove your argument. State your objection then shut up. ) [post_parent] => [post_parent__not_in] => Array Greg McRay is the founder and CEO of The Foundation Group. Lets talk about how much dead weight a typical board has. The challenges and tensions of being a board member in difficult times The Bad Apple - DirectorPrep Copyright 1995-2023, Foundation Group, Inc. Start a Private Foundation SureStart PF, 501(c)(3) Recovery For Revoked 501(c)(3) Status, Charitable Solicitations (Fundraising) Registration, Assurance Membership Plan Bundle Annual Compliance Services. Ask the board to clarify roles and set strategic priorities and governance policies, says Humphrey. Tips for Handling Toxic Board Members DeLeon & Stang A board should work more like a cooperative not a dictatorship. a. They are often angry or short-tempered and exhibit in-your-face behavior. I can't even order stationery without the board wanting to get involved. The outcome of this effort will be clear and obvious: This is the way to move dead weight, terrible board members out. You need to look at them as individuals. Such steps might include: Related Post: Tips for Avoiding Conflict in the Boardroom. Transforming Your Board from Difficult to Dynamic: A Step-by-Step Guide Often, if someone has difficulties with a dysfunctional board, they simply try to manage their way through it. If the board isnt doing their job, Humphrey often sees executive directors take on the boards job, making their own strategic decisions. Watch your dead weight board members self-select off. Converting B+ to A board members. If you can't justify your position, don't assume you are "right" and others are wrong. We Had one of the Most Difficult Condo Board Members Straight-Up Encouragement: Can You Still Kill Snakes? As soon as you witness or become aware of the issue, contact the person and have a frank discussion about the issue. You use comprehensive checklists, you interview a wide range of people, you consider what skills and talents our strategic plan requires, you consider our key volunteers and partners. If the director has issues with the agencys decisions, direction, policies, or operations, this would be the time for some straight talk to resolve it. You dont have to be a saint to serve your community. Good ones make life so much easier and the nonprofit hum much more smoothly. You do not have a terrible board. Quieter conflict exists on school boards across the nation: a board member or members who abuse their power or have in some other way departed from the board's purpose. Often, it is a lot easier to prevent these problems than having to deal with them once they rear their heads. But no matter how hard we try, no matter how experienced we are at board building, sooner or later nearly every nonprofit leader faces this problem. (Did not. Did too.). They have to feel like dead weight, get uncomfortable about it, and when they feel uncomfortable, they will find their way to comfort by stepping aside. Watch informational webinars and attend industry events. And not in a good way. Will you move forward with replacing the director? Confront the issue head on. function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} If they are wrong, time will show that and, perhaps you can once again offer a different suggestion of your own. You may even want to come to the meeting with some specific suggestions. Very careful selection of board members on the front end can certainly reduce the likelihood. ", This question was asked at a recent webinar, now available on-demand: "CFO to Chief Trusted Advisor: Earning that Role with Your CEO". The orientation goes well and each new director is excited to be joining the team. The worst thing you can do is send an email with a list of offenses and start an email war. [author_name] => If the organization at large is mostly unaware of the conflict, keep it contained by dealing only with those it has affected. By addressing conflicts through open communication and conflict resolution strategies, many issues can be resolved without resorting to removal. We can easily deal with directors who might cause a bit of healthy friction during board discussions as long as they stick to the issues and avoid getting personal or rude. Rather than singling out a specific board member, try to enhance . Reach out to other nonprofit leaders in your circle of advisors and colleagues before taking specific action. Because of that, we tend to shy away from them. If your board is struggling with certain members and needs assistance with keeping board meetings and tasks in line, contact Spectrum to see how our HOA management service may be able to help. If you do not, be prepared for the inevitable lawsuit. While boards of directors do vital work (hiring executive directors, holding fiduciary responsibility, setting strategic direction for the organization, etc. Submit an answer or ask a question by emailing us at [emailprotected]. In this email, he also suggested that the board member with the questions resign if she can not "improve her behavior". But unfortunately, thats not always true. Does your Board Policy Manual cover these challenges? They fall into various behavior categories: My People Have Arrived! Difficult conversations are called that for a reason: they are not easy! She is called upon by large organizations to tackle substantial change management / crisis management / leadership transitions requiring a compassionate truth-teller, a hands-on strategy advisor, a communications expert, and a focus on strong internal and external messaging. Does your agency Values Statement contain any wording about treating people with mutual respect, courtesy, etc? And vola, you have raised the bar for successful board service. Do your bylaws include any mention of expectations, and/or how to resolve this situation? ) . CharityLawyer Blog offers plain language explanations of complex nonprofit law concepts, discussions of current events and links to valuable resources for nonprofits. Lets define what this looks like, and then I have some very practical advice to uplevel your board. When a member oversteps their authority, it takes away the opportunity for the other members of the board to share their opinion, serve their community, and fulfill their own responsibilities as a member of the board. (Think of a childhood did not did too argument; thats what specific examples avoid!). document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Download our free guide to learn about the many elements needed to run a successful nonprofit organization, as well as how to avoid common pitfalls and mistakes. Sometimes, it is useful to bring in an external third party to facilitate this kind of conversation. ) [suppress_filters] => For more on conflict resolution, see our past article. The officers are trying to add to the bylaws that a director can be removed for cause. Incorporating preventive measures such as clear expectations, regular board evaluations, and a diligent recruitment process can help minimize future issues and promote a more effective and cohesive board. It happens. ) Board chairs need to develop strong facilitation skills, emphasizes Sutherns. When a member of the board is inconsistent in their ability to follow through, it disrupts the productivity of the board and requires the other board members to sacrifice more to fill in the pieces. Even toxic people want validation. A healthy, vibrant charity can self-destruct with alarming speed by the actions of just one very determined troublemaker. On the other hand, the board is widely regarded as a problematic institutionunderperforming boards are the norm, not the exception. The same article likened boards of directors to monarchy in a modern, democratically governed state, contrasting their important work with the fact that much of their value comes simply by existing. Unfortunately, misbehaving board members can leave other board members feeling frustrated, tired, and/or threatening to quit. [category__not_in] => Array Give the other person a chance to process your information and talk. Do you have questions you would like answered by your peers in the proformative community? Create space for problems to be talked about, says Sutherns. 5 Tips for Dealing with Difficult Board Members Two problems with generalities. Bring in a third-party where necessary or recognize that funders may ultimately step in to hold boards accountable for their dysfunction.
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