Tips for dealing with strong personalities on your board

Special districts bring together people from all backgrounds to work together with a common goal. But with a diverse group of people, there are bound to be personality conflicts. Here are some tips for dealing with problems and the strong personalities that cause them.

Some personalities come on strong and don’t let up. There may come a time when one causes a disruption, either on purpose or inadvertently. In this situation, doing your homework beforehand can make all the difference. Setting a clear precedent for how business and meetings will be handled can save you a lot of grief in the long run. The bottom line: set the rules right at the start and don’t let a disruptive person slow things down to a stop.

When it comes to conflict, some people choose to withdraw from the problem instead of resolving it. It could be as simple as leaving a meeting or refusing to participate. But it can also lead to vacancies, which leave your board at a disadvantage. If you find yourself with a vacancy, be sure to follow the law on filling that position.

Where some chose to withdraw, others chose to engage. This kind of a crusader for the right (what ever he/she deems is the “right” in their opinion), can often alienate people in the blink of an eye. Support staff and less vocal board members are often easy targets. Don’t let this strong personality take over or you’ll have a difficult time regaining peace within your board.

We take ethics very seriously, but there are always those who don’t agree and flagrantly break the rules to suit their needs. This could be minor challenges to your internal rules or it could be decisions that are on the wrong side of the law. The best way to avoid this problem is to make sure board members receive the proper training. A one-size-fits-all mentality in the training probably won’t sink in so make sure each board member has a clear picture and a constant refresher until it does.

Finally, situations can arise when board members turn into tattletales. These are the type of people who make it hard to trust people and often cause major headaches for the rest of the board. But unlike a pouty child tattletaling on a sibling, this kind of person can cause major problems for your board that could open you up to legal and ethical problems.

These are just a few of the personality traits you might encounter that can take a smoothly running board to World War III in no time. Anytime you bring people together you’re bound to have a few personality disputes. Developing clear guidelines and expectations can help to minimize the problems and keep your district running smooth.