What are some strategies for building rapport and alignment with your board chair?

Building alignment with your board chair involves regular and open communication. This strategy ensures that both you and the board chair are frequently updated on each other's views, concerns, and suggestions regarding the organization's direction and governance. By fostering an environment where thoughts and feedback can be shared freely and without judgment, you establish a foundation of trust and mutual respect.

🔑 Regular and transparent communication is essential for preventing or resolving conflicts within the board. It fosters an environment of trust, collaboration, and accountability among board members. Additionally, establishing clear channels for communication, such as regular meetings, email updates, or shared documents, ensures that everyone stays informed and aligned. Encouraging open dialogue and active listening allows board members to express their perspectives and concerns, facilitating constructive discussions and decision-making processes. Effective communication practices also promote transparency, ensuring that all stakeholders are aware of important developments and decisions within the organization.

> inform the board chair regularly about critical issues, challenges, and opportunities, and be transparent about both successes and failures > adapt your communication style to the board chair's preferences, because some may prefer concise updates, while others may appreciate deeper dives > schedule regular one-to-one meetings with the board chair and anticipate their concerns and questions before they reach out > be aware of the board chair's priorities and expectations for the organization, as this could involve discussing the board's strategic vision and risk tolerance > coordinate your individual goals and priorities with the board chair to ensure the board's strategic direction is aligned.

Building rapport and alignment with your board chair hinges on open communication. Regularly update them on the organization's goals, challenges, and achievements. This transparency fosters trust, respect, and a shared understanding. Proactive communication also clarifies roles and allows you to solicit valuable feedback, addressing concerns before they become conflicts.

Communication is vital for preventing or resolving conflicts within a board. Regular and open communication with the board chair and members is essential. Sharing your goals, expectations, challenges, and achievements helps everyone stay on the same page and fosters transparency and understanding.

✒️ Understanding and empathizing with board members' perspectives can help uncover underlying issues and motivations behind conflicts. It's crucial to create a safe space where individuals feel heard and valued, encouraging open dialogue and constructive feedback. Practicing empathy promotes trust and cohesion, facilitating the resolution of conflicts through mutual understanding and compromise. Additionally, fostering a culture of empathy can enhance board dynamics and promote effective collaboration, leading to better decision-making and organizational outcomes.

When it comes to working with a Board - or any leadership team - your emotional intelligence will be appreciate far more than your subject matter expertise. Yes, you need to have the bandwidth to deliver, but the manner in which you do so will go so much further. And, when it comes to EI, my first recommendation would be to always listen to understand and NOT listen to respond. Trust me, it makes a difference!

By putting yourself in their shoes, you gain insight into their perspectives, motivations, and concerns. Acknowledging their contributions and expertise fosters mutual respect and trust, laying the foundation for constructive dialogue and collaboration.

🔆 Emphasizing common goals and values during board conflicts reinforces unity and purpose. Reflecting on the organization's mission and vision can recenter discussions on overarching objectives, fostering collaboration towards shared aspirations. Furthermore, highlighting shared values cultivates a sense of camaraderie and mutual respect, reinforcing the foundation of trust essential for effective governance. By aligning perspectives with the organization's ethos and objectives, conflicts can be reframed as opportunities for growth and alignment rather than sources of division, leading to more constructive outcomes and strengthened board cohesion.

Conflicts are a natural and foreseeable occurrence in any relationship. As such, the best way to handle them are to determine the general mission and values (Principles) that will be the centerpiece and then, when questions and disagreements arise, the discussion and debate are about how previously agreed to Principles should be interpreted in the situation. You'll still have disagreements, but the discussion will be to add clarity and transparency to the Principles and not to debate subjective opinions and beliefs.

Organize strategic alignment sessions where you and your board chair discuss the organization’s mission, vision, and strategic objectives in detail. Use these sessions to clarify any differences in perspective and find common ground on how to achieve long-term goals. In fact, do this with other board members and the CEO. Get alignment.

💠 Negotiation and compromise are crucial skills in resolving board conflicts. Maintaining a constructive and empathetic approach fosters an environment conducive to finding mutually beneficial solutions. Clearly articulating needs and priorities facilitates understanding and collaboration among board members. Exploring diverse perspectives and considering various options enhances the likelihood of reaching win-win outcomes. Additionally, embracing flexibility and creativity encourages innovative problem-solving, leading to resolutions that advance the organization's mission and objectives. Ultimately, negotiation and compromise strengthen board dynamics, promoting cohesion and effectiveness in governance.

My add to this one is to ensure any "compromise" that results from the conflict don't create confusion in the ranks regarding the mission and values of the Company. Harmony is great, but not at the expense of clarity and alignment on the mission and values.

cultivate a collaborative working relationship with your board chair. While there will be times you may need to negotiate, strive to build rapport through open communication and mutual respect. Be an active listener and communicator, clearly outlining your priorities while considering theirs. Seek solutions that benefit both of you and the organization as a whole.

Assuming the conflict is only on opinions and not values, I would suggest compromise can be reached. Speaking from personal experience, I found that the best way to resolve conflict is to apply the wisdom provided through the Bible. First, approach the person with whom you have the conflict 1:1 and, humbly, try to understand their perspective. If you can't find resolution at this point, seek to bring another party into the conversation to help mediate and bring resolution to the situation. Note that if the conflict is regarding values, the process of resolution may be very different and bring into consideration a number of other considerations.

Learning is the great outcome from all difficulty. The other thing to remember is that your learning may be more valuable when it is applied to help others avoid those painful moments instead of learning in the same classroom!

Organize a dinner the night before board meetings. Strategically seat board members to encourage mingling, and invite key members of your leadership team for exposure. Focus on getting to know board members personally – interests, families, perspectives. Don't turn it into a strategy session, use it as an opportunity to connect. As the evening progresses, you'll likely get opportunities for one-on-ones, and there you can go deeper while preserving group dynamics.

Rather than approaching your board chair with problems and expecting solutions, foster a collaborative environment where you work together to co-create solutions. This builds a stronger partnership and leverages both perspectives. When presenting challenges or opportunities, invite your board chair to collaborate on finding solutions. Approach these discussions as a partnership, where both of you contribute ideas and work together to develop a path forward. I usually get to broach these in informal settings, over a dinner/lunch. In fact, I do this with other board members.