How to manage strong personalities in meetings

Dominant personality types are often task-driven people – they want what they want and don’t really care how they get there. When dealing with them in meetings, focus on facts and deliver solutions. It’s best not to try and brainstorm ideas with them. They don’t like subjective thinking. Strong personalities are not a 'bad thing' by default. Often, they are why someone has become so successful in business. But on big teams with important responsibilities, you will find many strong personalities side by side. It’s great when it works well and disastrous when it doesn’t. Don't leave it unaddressed if you think someone’s strong personality is hampering the work of your board meeting. What kind of strong personalities are there? We don’t want to get too bogged down in behavioural studies here, and these links are valuable resources if you’re looking for more information. But in board meetings, below are some common personality types you may come across. “..but back to my idea” Good directors will arrive at board meetings confident about new ideas. But some will be so confident that they won’t have the time or interest to listen to anyone else’s. These people will talk at length about their idea. If the conversation drifts away, they will bring it back. Is the idea good or not? That’s up to you; you’re the expert. The important thing is you will likely not stop hearing about it. This could easily harm the flow of the meeting and remove room for discussion. “... yeah, that won’t work” It’s like the above, except it’s not promoting someone’s idea; it’s dismissing others’. Negative comments like this are absolutely a show of dominance. If they frequently surface from one repeat offender, it can cause serious personal issues and a lack of progress in meetings. “... let’s just get it done.” It’s helpful in certain situations, but sometimes, those who try and get proactive fast can be hard to hold back, even if the situation calls for more discussion. “... sorry, I’m rambling” It’s more unintentional, but it can come across as very dominant. Talkers who let themselves run free can eat up a meeting time with input that isn’t actually relevant to the issues on the agenda. How to manage strong personalities like these The antidote to runaway personalities is structure. Board activities must be rooted in structure so that strong personalities stay grounded in strategy. In practice, this means: Having a timed agenda for meetings. Decide on the items for discussion and how long you will spend discussing them. Having a good, qualified chair. Good chairs know how to balance the ideas and personalities displayed at board meetings. Agreeing on a code of conduct. These can help stamp out practices like time-wasting and being overtly hostile. Agreeing on a voting system. This ensures that no matter how dominant someone gets in meetings, decision-making rules are set in stone and remain independent. Craft a good culture. It’s hard to measure but crucial to get right. Good cultures come from respect, listening and open minds. They help ensure nobody gets to dominate board meetings. This takes time and the right group of people to build correctly, but it’s a significant advantage when it happens. In summary Strong personalities on boards can be great. But if they overwhelm fellow directors, there is a problem. Ensuring a proper structure is the way to ensure you only get the best from strong personalities.

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