The term pot-stirrer is used in the association world to describe someone who causes problems behind the scenes. While it is a board member’s responsibility to share their opinions and vote their conscience, it is destructive when someone keeps all the players in a boiling caldron of discontent.
A pot-stirrer is usually quiet in meetings, but talks to board members privately expressing his/her concerns. The way this is done, it can become accusatory. Sometimes this person will create dissent between two people. The situation easily turns chaotic.
Obviously, this is very destructive to the organization. It creates schisms, unrest and negativity – all behind the scenes. It is difficult to resolve because of hurt feelings and anger.
Pot-stirrers have a way of identifying key players, and becoming very friendly towards them. Then, they use this relationship as a pretense for “sharing” a nugget of negative info (not always true) said or done by another board or staff member.
This type of behavior is very difficult to deal with, and it falls on the president to resolve it.
If a person is known to behave this way, don’t invite them to your board. This is easier said than done because pot-stirrers are not easily identified.
Unfortunately, many times the behavior is not attributed to an individual; the board just later finds itself in chaos.
Here are a few ways to deal with a pot-stirrer.
- Create a board culture of transparency.
- If you observe that two board members are routinely at odds, bring them together. That allows for direct dialogue, and that may reveal the pot-stirrer’s role.
- If you get the sense that there is something going on behind the scenes, try to find out more and bring the parties together.
- It is hard to remove a board member for this kind of behavior. Setting up a meeting with the pot-stirrer can help. The topic should be focusing dialogue on issues at board meetings, rather than behind the scenes.
- Sometimes it is effective to give the pot-stirrer a project to do that keeps them occupied with a chance to control some aspect of the association, and perhaps excel.
Pot-stirrers will always be with us. We need to be watchful for the symptoms of their presence.
