Controlling the Board

People being people, a boardroom will often see controlling behaviours. Sometimes it will be genuinely innocent – the enthusiastic director who simply wants their beliefs to prevail, the CEO who wants to see their proposal go through. Other times less so, with conscious manoeuvring, even at times a Machiavellian push to obtain an outcome by fair means or foul.

None of this is surprising; it’s part of how humans interact. But it does need managing in the boardroom, to prevent dominance and help ensure discussions are inclusive and decisions well-weighed. Here we look at some good practices that will help a Chair to manage unacceptable bids to control the discussion, and some things to avoid.