Many are the times that a Board meeting is almost taken over due to a tense discussion not handled well, or a Board Member not presenting their thoughts well, without necessarily attacking others or personalizing issues. In this case, it is the responsibility of the Chair to take control of the meeting and manage the negative board dynamic may be brewing.
Members who cause tension in meetings may not know that they are disruptive and may just be falling short of the emotional awareness/ emotional intelligence of the disruption they cause. Daniel Goleman defines emotional intelligence as ‘the ability to identify and manage one’s own emotions, as well as the emotions of others’. This includes self awareness, self regulation, empathy and influence. Empathy (awareness of others) is particularly important for Board directors Emotional intelligence is viewed as something that anyone can improve over time with appropriate perspective and practice. This can be done through a developmental or training program championed by the Company Secretary.
So back to the power move; a Chair in this instance has a few choices on how to deal with such a situation (the tension) or an individual (the Board Member) when seeking to change behavior and performance. Consider the following interventions:
1. The off-line one on one conversation: As we all know, if you want to redirect someone’s actions or plans, it is best to start with a one-on-one discussion. That setting allows the board member to save face with their peers and allows for productive dialogue to occur. The Chair’s job in this case is to conduct the conversation well: by preparing in advance, thinking deeply about what the feedback actually is, give specific examples and alternatives to show to handle it differently. Hopefully the Board member takes the feedback positively, goes back to ponder and commits to doing better.
2. If the disruptive behavior persists, the Chair would need to quickly and firmly signal that the behavior is unacceptable to the members. To do that, the Chair may start with a gentle signal, such as questioning or inquiring about the facts or asking the member to offer a more detailed explanation. Hopefully, the member picks up the cue to self-correct or reflect. This then allows the whole team to move in the desired direction in a natural and calmly energizing way.
3. If all else fails, a pointed rebuke shall be necessary. It may come in the form of public and pointed correction or critique. When a rebuke happens, the leader may cut off the member, publicly disagree with what is being said or challenge the speaker on his/her reasoning or logic. This may unsettle the meeting, but shall serves its purpose to communicate that this kind of behavior shall not be tolerated.
In all cases, wisdom is required and hopefully the right power move shall be used to restore order and ensure effectiveness at Board level.