Keep the Peace at Meetings

Roll-up-their-sleeves dedicated Board members love to argue. Whether it’s a policy, procedure or philosophy, it is rare that all passionate team or Board members will agree 100% on interpretations, spirit, and intent of your organization’s policy’s, By-Laws or the best way to do things. Most of the time, that sort of head-butting is healthy and instructive. But when things start to get out of hand, it’s time for leaders to step in and get the discussion back on track. Here are some tips for ensuring that meeting discussions remain constructive rather than destructive.

Identify the Issues

It’s difficult to find a solution when you don’t know the nature of the dispute. Be sure the crux of the issue is stated plainly. Once the discussion is under way, dissuade members from straying outside that topic.

Keep It Fair

When disagreements crop up, some members will be more verbally aggressive than others in defending their position. Don’t let those members dominate the conversation. Get others involved; quiet or reserved doesn’t necessarily equate to disinterested.

Sometimes conflicts involve methods that are designed to hurt others. Be sure personalities are kept out of the conversation. Keep the discussion centered on the facts.

Think Outside the Box

Most problems have more than one potential resolution. The right answer may not be obvious and may even have nothing to do with your brand. Brainstorm a list of possible solutions and write them all down. Then, the group should rank them in order of most preferred to least preferred.

Build a Consensus

Look for “win-wins” as opposed to declaring or giving the perception that one faction has “lost” the disagreement. You may never get 100 percent agreement, but the more members who buy in, the better. Whenever possible, decide the issue before adjourning the meeting. Leaving the question unanswered creates the impression the association leaders are incapable of making decisions.

Contact S3 Solutions

When your organization’s team or Board needs a ‘referee’ and ‘coach’ to help keep the Peace at Meetings, contact S3 Solutions for sustainable solutions. TODAY!