Boardroom Behaviours: Navigating egos and diffusing boardroom tension

Stop the tug-of-war between dominating voices and stubborn silence. Learn how to diagnose behavioural triggers, and apply practical strategies to restore focus, balance and constructive deliberations.

Ineffective meeting behaviour can oscillate between aggressive competitiveness and behavioural blind spots. Even the most experienced boards can be paralysed by individual directors’ behaviour, a challenge often amplified in virtual or hybrid meetings.

This session explores how AICD’s Boardroom Mastery psychologist and experienced directors examine boardroom behaviour to improve dynamics and decision‑making. Participants will explore the psychological “why” behind difficult behaviours such as aggression, withdrawal and emotional toxicity, and learn how these patterns undermine collective effectiveness.

The session will focus on:

• The Anatomy of Ego: Diagnosing the psychological triggers behind boardroom competitiveness and withdrawal.

• Early Warning Signals: Identifying subtle shifts in behaviour before they escalate into toxic habits.

• The "Silence" Trap: Strategies to re-engage directors who have psychologically checked out.

• Tactical Interventions: Proven scripts and techniques for calling out bad behaviour in real-time.

• The Self-Correction Audit: Recognizing your own behavioural "dark side" under high-pressure conditions.

Directors will gain a clear roadmap for intervention, ensuring personal derailment never compromises your collective fiduciary duty. 

Prior to the webinar you may wish to complete this self-assessment to understand your dominant behaviours.

This webinar is part of a series on Boardroom Behaviours. The skills and strategies covered will be of benefit to all from starting to very experienced directors covering chairing specifically.