Has your organization had board members you consider to be difficult?
The book Make Difficult People Disappear by speaker colleague and friend Monica Wofford started me thinking about board members who appear to be difficult. It occurred to me that there is quite a difference between the truly difficult and the merely different.
It’s possible someone could be mislabeled as difficult just for not fitting the same cookie-cutter personality as other board members.
A difficult board member is a person who is disruptive, bullies others, or attempts to dominate an organization. This individual’s negative behavior affects participation by others and causes harm to a group’s good work.
On the other hand, a board member who is different can contribute diverse thought. And is that a bad thing?
Diversity actually offers new approaches, opinions, and experiences that can benefit your board’s critical thinking.
Just a little bit of effort on your part can turn perceived negativity into a world of new ideas.
For board members who present a personality challenge, try these eight suggestions:
Recognizing the difference between difficult and different can be a tremendous benefit for your organization. Follow these tips to help make the different board member a valuable part of your board.