Dealing with difficult or lazy Board Directors is a common theme when working on several Boards. There will always be a few Board Directors that don’t turn up to meetings, are under-prepared for Board Meetings, or have a track record of trying to derail the meetings with sidebar issues. You will encounter these problems, and in my opinion, it is essential to call out these issues early and not let them become a regular occurrence. Peer-to-peer pressure can work very well to keep rogue Board Members in check. Strategies can include providing feedback on the impact that the behaviour is having on the other members, getting the Chair to speak to the Board Member privately, and annual debriefing and feedback sessions may also assist to create a high-performing professional Board of Directors.