Director behaviour shapes board effectiveness. It shapes whether conversations are candid or closed, whether people are curious or defensive, and whether challenge is thoughtful or performative.

We’ve spent 20 years inside boardrooms working with public and private companies, and new and experienced directors. One thing is consistent: directors are smart, committed – and sometimes frustrated by each other’s habits. Through hundreds of governance reviews, director and board evaluations, and search processes, we’ve noticed certain patterns get in the way of great board conversations, quietly wearing down momentum, clarity, and trust.

We’ve identified four patterns of frustrating behaviours and offered ways to spot and shift them. The good news is that these habits, described below, are common, fixable, and usually unintentional.

Poor Preparation

Boards do their best thinking when everyone is ready to contribute. Being ready means showing up prepared and staying grounded when things get tense.

Even experienced directors can fall short in their preparation. Sometimes it’s time pressure, sometimes it’s confidence, but when people arrive unprepared or react poorly under scrutiny, it slows the conversation, drains trust, and weakens decision-making.

When Preparation Slips

What we see:

Most directors take prep seriously. But now and then, someone shows up unready – asking questions that are covered in the board package or needing extra time to process the basics. It not only slows down decision-making, it can signal a lack of respect for fellow directors and management.

What to watch for:

Directors who ask vague or repetitive questions. Not having an opinion, viewpoint, or questions prepared ahead of the meeting.

What helps:

Set the tone: preparation is table stakes. Chairs can model it, and boards can name it by adding a question about preparedness to their annual feedback cycle. If the behaviour is widespread, check whether materials are landing too late, too long, or too dense. Engage in open discussions of expectations for preparation during in camera sessions.

Productive Participation

How directors show up in discussion matters just as much as what they say.

Most boardroom misfires aren’t malicious – they’re habits. A director repeats someone else’s point, but louder. A question about an issue veers into the personal, or a response turns defensive. These moments might seem small, but over time they can slow decisions, discourage diverse views, and chip away at trust.

When Comments Don’t Add Value

What we see:

Saying “I agree” can be helpful; it indicates alignment and can build momentum to a decision. But to simply re-state a comment with no added insight is just taking up airtime. Repetition lengthens discussions, dilutes impact, and can even come across as an attempt to claim credit for someone else’s idea.

What to watch for:

“As Shireen said…” followed by the same argument. Long monologues that add no new input. Missed opportunities to invite dissent or fresh thinking.

What helps:

Signal alignment quickly, then move on. Chairs can redirect with a quick “thanks – anything to add?” or balance the speaking order to make space for quieter voices. Set a culture where conciseness is rewarded.

When It Gets Personal

What we see:

Disagreement is part of good governance. But when dissent or challenge turns personal – or is taken that way – it shuts down productive tension. Directors questioning someone’s background, motives, or experience rather than focusing on the issue. Respondents reacting defensively to a constructive question because they are feeling attacked. Either way, trust is damaged, and the board is less effective.

What to watch for:

Defensive posture or closed body language. Questions that feel like character judgments. “You wouldn’t understand.” Responses that assume the question was personal (even if it wasn’t).

What helps:

Reframe challenge as a sign of care, not conflict. Stay focused on the issue, not the individual, and avoid “you” statements. Ask for the question to be repeated for clarity. Debrief tough meetings and conversations later – privately and calmly. Chairs should watch for repeat patterns and offer feedback early.

Stuck Thinking

Tradition has value, as does experience. But when either becomes the default lens, boards risk missing what’s needed now.

Directors with long tenures or rich executive track records bring institutional memory and deep judgment. But they can also lean too hard on what worked before. Whether it’s defending legacy practices, or applying outdated playbooks, this kind of stuck thinking slows innovation and shrinks the board’s field of view.

When Precedent Takes Precedence

What we see:

Boards often take pride in their legacy. But when tradition blocks reflection or becomes the primary reason for doing something, it narrows the board’s perspective. This tends to show up when a director resists change without engaging with the rationale behind it.

What to watch for:

“That won’t work here” or “We’ve always done it this way.” Dismissiveness toward new approaches without clear reasoning. A slow pace of change, despite shifting context.

What helps:

Start with context. What’s changed around us? What’s no longer serving us? If the resistance is concentrated in a few directors, seek feedback and insight from others first to build momentum. Boards can also adopt from “zero-based budgeting” thinking: what would we do if we weren’t tied to precedent?

When You’re Living in the Past

What we see:

Past experience is powerful – but it’s not always portable. Some directors return too often to what worked in their management career or their sector of expertise when approaching new issues. While these stories and lessons can be useful, they can also crowd out more relevant or current thinking.

What to watch for:

Frequent references to past companies or personal leadership experience. Prescriptive advice based on old models. Difficulty connecting the organization’s unique context.

What helps:

Invite reflection: “How is this situation different?” Recognize and value lived experience, but encourage directors to update their thinking as well. Ongoing board education helps keep perspectives fresh and grounded in today’s landscape.

Dynamics Outside the Room

Sometimes board tension doesn’t show up in a meeting, it shows up in the margins – emails, side calls, alliances.

It’s reasonable and often healthy for directors to connect one-on-one, build rapport, or clarify their thinking between meetings. But when those conversations shift from insight-sharing to influence-building – especially with an eye to sidelining others – the board’s trust starts to fracture.

When People Play Politics

What we see:

Politics show up when directors focus more on winning than governing. A director might be pushing for a particular agenda, gaining support for a major decision, or advancing their personal ambitions. The tactics are subtle: back-channeling, early alignment, closed-door discussions, but boards feel the impact through increased tension and surprise in the boardroom, and a sense that decisions are being made elsewhere.

What to watch for:

Side conversations before key decisions. “United fronts” that feel rehearsed. Reduced generative discussion that feels like it’s occurring between “camps.” Directors aligning privately, then staying quiet in meetings.

What helps:

Strengthen alignment on purpose, values, and process – these are the board’s best guardrails. Name expectations: big decisions get made in the room, with the full board. If a pattern starts to form, raise it early and privately with the chair.

Closing Thought

Nobody gets it right every time. But the strongest boards build a culture where habits are noticed, named, and nudged.

If you see yourself (or someone else) in one of these patterns, don’t judge. Get curious. What’s driving it? What’s missing? We have found that engaging in a director feedback process can help to surface these habits and many directors aren’t even aware of the impact they’re having on their peers. Reach out to us for help on how to introduce director feedback if you haven’t done it before. A few honest insights can go a long way.

Great directors aren’t perfect. They’re honest – with themselves and with each other.