How to Handle a Difficult Board Member

"The job of a corporate board is to scrutinize management's assumptions, stress-test strategies, and protect the interests of shareholders."

"A healthy tension between company leaders and the board is to be expected; however, it's not uncommon to encounter a board member whose skepticism or criticism feels disruptive, adversarial, personal, or even hostile."

Corporate boards have a duty to scrutinize management's assumptions, stress-test strategies, and protect shareholder interests. Effective oversight requires rigorous questioning and a constructive balance between skepticism and support. A healthy tension between company leaders and the board helps surface risks and improve decision-making. However, skepticism can cross into counterproductive territory when criticism becomes disruptive, adversarial, personal, or hostile. Such behavior can undermine collaboration, erode trust, distract leadership, and impede strategic execution. Boards should distinguish between principled challenge and damaging antagonism, calibrate their oversight style, and address individual members whose conduct harms governance or company performance.

Read at Harvard Business Review