The best method to deal with directors who are difficult to work with is preventative. Make sure that the objectives of your agency’s board members are clear and they are able to combine their own vision with that of the company. This will reduce the number of instances in which a board member’s advice is counterproductive. However, if a problem occurs take action immediately and don’t overlook unacceptable behavior. Hesitating will only make it worse.
Direct intervention is the first step to initiate a conversation one-on-one with the person making trouble. You must be professional and calm, but be direct and express your concerns clearly. Ideally the person will agree with you and change their behavior, but in the event that this doesn’t work, try stepping up to group click site intervention with the chair or someone other board member whom the chair is highly respected by. You might also review the Values Statement of your organization and/or other documents that govern your organization for language that can be used to define acceptable behavior, including treating people with respect and the courtesy.
Another alternative is to ask for someone to leave the board (ideally, voluntarily or, if required you can do it through a vote in confidence). This requires careful planning and preparation prior to the meeting or discussion. For instance, ensure that you are aware of the major issues that you want to discuss and have a detailed response prepared. Be assertive, but keep a polite tone.