When a Board member behaves poorly, it is usually the Executive Director who pays the price. Inappropriate Board behavior always hurts the organization. For a to fulfill their responsibilities, they have to show respect to their peers and agency staff. When they act disrespectfully, as a bully or unreliably, it is hard to know what to do. Both the Executive Director and the Board chair (assuming they are not the culprit) have a responsibility to fix the negative behavior.
Let’s explore a few strategies for addressing and fixing bad nonprofit board behavior.
Identifying Bad Board Behavior
The first step in fixing bad behavior is to identify and acknowledge it. It is tempting to write off certain actions as the individual’s character quirk, but it is important to recognize and name inappropriate behavior.
Examples of Bad Board Behavior
- Disrespectful Communication: Using harsh or inappropriate language, interrupting others, dominating the discussion or dismissing opposing viewpoints. These behaviors occur during board meetings, in discussion with the Executive Director or with staff and organizational partners.
- Lack of Engagement: Consistently missing meetings, not delivering assigned tasks, arriving late, or being unprepared. Disengaged members often fail to follow through on commitments and set a negative tone for the rest of the Board.
- Conflict of Interest: Members who are on the Board by virtue of representing a specific group or organization and consistently put those interests above those of the organization in their Board deliberations. These members may also neglect to disclose their personal interests that may affect decision-making.
- Lack of Confidentiality: In sharing sensitive information such as budget information, proprietary information or personnel issues outside the board greatly undermines trust and confidence in the organization.
- Micro–Management: Board members who have leaky boundaries and interject themselves in program operations and staff issues.
These are the most common, although not the only examples of Board members behaving badly. Besides pulling your hair out, there are things you can do to settle things down.
Strategies for Addressing Bad Board Behavior
1. Establish Clear Expectations
Clearly define the expected behaviors and responsibilities of board members. As part of new Board member orientation review the specific behavioral expectations and include in the Board member agreement which all members sign when they start their terms. Both the Board Chair and the Executive Director have an important role in ensuring all members understand and commit to these guidelines.
2. Promote Open Communication
The Executive Director and Board chair have a responsibility to encourage an environment where board members feel comfortable voicing concerns and addressing issues directly. Focus on providing support to the Board chair and strategize how maintain respectful communication at Board meetings where contentious issues will be discussed. Open communication can prevent misunderstandings and help resolve conflicts before they escalate.
3. Provide Training and Development
Being placed on a Board does not mean one has the skills and knowledge to fulfil their governance role. Knowledge gaps can be addressed by offering regular training on effective communication and conflict resolution. These trainings can be woven into annual retreats or annual committee planning sessions. Most Boards do not set aside time for their professional development and wait until things reach a crisis point. Be preventative by building the relationship skills of your Board members through training.
4. Conduct Regular Board Evaluations
Regularly evaluate board members’ performance and behavior. There are many Board self-assessment instruments available. Board Source as well as state affiliates of the National Council on Nonprofits are good sources to use. An effective Board annually assesses their performance and responds to problem areas identified.
5. Implement a Conflict Resolution Process
It may be necessary to develop a structured process for resolving conflicts. When there is conflict between the Board and the Executive Director that cannot be resolved through discussions, it may be time to invest in mediation or facilitated discussions with a trained external consultant who can provide an unbiased perspective.
6.Taking Formal Action
In cases where informal strategies are insufficient, formal actions to resolve the problem may be necessary. These can include:
- Hard Conversations: The Board Chair has a private discussion with the individual to address the behavior. They can explain the impact of the behavior and gently probe to uncover what is causing the Board member’s behavior. The focus of these conversations should be problem-solving based on an assumption mutual good faith. When the behavior is stemming from the Board Chair, another Board member is the best person to have the conversation. The Board is responsible for policing their own behaviors. As an Executive Director you may need to subtly set the stage for this the conversation by requesting intervention, but friction and disrespectful behavior needs to be fixed at the Board level.
- Suspension: If informal conversations have no impact in improving the behavior, it may be necessary to temporarily remove the member from the Board until the issue is resolved. The decision to suspend the Board member should be discussed by the Executive Committee and the decision to do so communicated both verbally and in writing so there is no misunderstanding of the issues and needed resolution.
- Removal: In severe cases, removing the board member from their position through a vote or other formal process as outlined in the organization’s bylaws.
Maintaining a Positive Board Culture
Creating and maintaining a positive board culture is essential in preventing bad behavior. Here are some tips to foster a healthy board environment:
- Build Relationships: Encourage team-building activities and opportunities for board members to get to know each other.
- Recognize Contributions: Acknowledge and celebrate the achievements and efforts of board members.
- Foster Inclusivity: Ensure all members feel valued and included in discussions and decision-making processes.
- Encourage Feedback: Regularly solicit feedback from board members on how meetings and interactions can be improved.
Conclusion
Handling bad board behavior is crucial for maintaining the integrity and effectiveness of an organization. By identifying issues early, implementing clear expectations, promoting open communication, and taking appropriate actions, you can limit bad Board behavior.
Need some help managing your Board? Schedule a 90-minute Board strategy session.