Resolving Tensions Within Board Meetings

Never underestimate the power of a good Chair

Board meetings are where strategy meets scrutiny. They are essential for governance, accountability, and oversight. But they are also places where tensions rise between executives and non-executives, the chair and the CEO, and even among board members themselves. Handled well, those tensions sharpen thinking and drive better decisions. However, when mishandled, they stifle progress, fracture relationships, and cripple performance. 

So, what really causes tensions in the boardroom? And more importantly, how can they be resolved so boards can do what they are designed to do: guide, challenge, and protect the organisation? 

How do board tensions occur?

Ego and expertise 

Many boards suffer from members who feel the need to “prove their worth.” They dive into detail, bring challenges for the sake of challenging, or allow personal agendas to dominate discussion. Instead of adding value, this behaviour creates noise and undermines executive focus. 

Blurred roles 

Executives live the business daily. The Board and Non-Executive Directors (NEDs) are there to provide oversight, not to manage. Yet the lines blur when subcommittees pull executives into parallel reporting structures, creating “them and us” dynamics. The question of who answers to whom becomes politicised - especially when executive leaders feel torn between loyalty to their CEO and responsibility to the board. 

Information gaps

When boards lack access to high-quality data, or when executives fear oversharing, trust erodes. Boards left scrambling for incomplete information feel exposed, and that frustration quickly turns into tension around the table. 

The chair–CEO dynamic

Every effective board depends on a functional partnership between chair and CEO. Where trust is low, or politics interfere, board meetings become combative rather than collaborative. The CEO is left unprotected, and the organisation is caught in the crossfire. 

Why healthy tensions matters

Not all tension is bad. In fact, the right level of constructive tension is vital. Boards are not designed to be “one team.” They are collectives of individuals tasked with oversight, governance, and challenge. The goal is not harmony at all costs, it is rigorous debate that strengthens decision-making without undermining the executive’s ability to deliver.

The test of a strong board is whether tension sharpens strategy, or whether it paralyses it. 

Practical ways to resolve board tensions

1. The chair as arbiter of trust

A skilled chair creates the conditions for honest debate without allowing egos to derail the agenda. They contract directly with the CEO to ensure alignment, then hold the board accountable for its own behaviour. Never underestimate the power of a chair who can balance authority with diplomacy. A good chair unravels the issues but does so in a way that helps people maintain their professional integrity and allows the board to air and address their grievances. 

2. Subcommittees that do the heavy lifting

When remuneration, audit, risk, or compliance committees work effectively, the boardroom is not the first time contentious issues appear. Subcommittees should thrash out details, build recommendations, and bring clarity to the main board, reducing unnecessary confrontation.

3. Cohesive executive presence

Executives must resolve disagreements before entering the boardroom. A united front signals professionalism and confidence. Airing internal disputes in front of non-executives only feeds politics and undermines credibility.

4. Radical transparency

Boards thrive when executives share openly, even when the news is uncomfortable. Transparency builds confidence and avoids the destructive spiral of concealment, suspicion, and micromanagement.

5. Shift from ego to enterprise

The board’s role is not to demonstrate individual brilliance but to steward the organisation. Members who bring value (rather than noise) elevate the board’s effectiveness. Those who use the platform for self-interest or political manoeuvring diminish it. 

Culture as the invisible hand

At its core, the tensions in boardrooms are cultural. Culture is the pattern of behaviours that are encouraged, discouraged, or tolerated over time. If defensiveness, politicking, or ego-driven interventions are tolerated, they will shape the tone of every meeting. If trust, transparency, and shared accountability are encouraged, tensions can be harnessed as a positive force. 

Boards rarely see themselves as “a team” - nor do they need to. But they must cultivate a culture of respect, clarity, and trust if they are to fulfil their purpose. That responsibility sits squarely with the chair, in partnership with the CEO, supported by board members who recognise that their influence is not about them, but about the health of the organisation they serve. 

The Culture Impact view

The web of relationships in a business guides every decision. Nowhere is this truer than in the boardroom. Board tensions will always exist, but whether they destroy value or create it depends on culture. 

At Culture Impact, we help leaders and boards optimise the patterns of behaviour that drive performance. We build the systems, processes, and trust structures that turn board tensions into a source of strength. Because when boards work well, organisations thrive. 

Would you like to bring your board together to air conflicts or differences? Our two-day programme gives executives the space and tools to reflect, strengthen their communication, improve alignment, and build trust. 

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