By Ruth Masterson, Exponent Philanthropy
You won’t find bullies on every board, but, when you do, they can be very disruptive—creating surprisingly high levels of stress for fellow board members and damaging the integrity, effectiveness, and impact of the board’s work.
Be careful not to assume the other party to any difficult conversation is a bully. Some people engage in bullying behavior only in certain situations, such as on the board but not at home. Others have developed a strong, regular habit that permeates all their relationships. In either case, if you find yourself face-to-face with someone who is bullying you or others on your board, use your recognition of the behavior as a first step toward managing your response and helping your board thrive.
Recognize a Bully
Although some bullies have low self-esteem, most have a combination of high self-esteem and deep shame; they use aggression to distract others from aspects of themselves they don’t want others to see.
