Mentoring Lessons- Handling ConflictsSample

Organisational policy

Have you been part of a team or board that has asked someone in senior leadership to resign?

On one occasion, the board of directors of a significant sports ministry asked the board chairperson to resign. The issue was around divorce. It took two long, tension-filled years to try to resolve. The board agreed that the chairperson should disqualify himself from leadership or step aside for a period. They believed having a divorced chairperson was a wrong model for this ministry. (We are not arguing that divorce is right or wrong here.)

The problem could have been resolved quickly if a resignation policy had been written into the sports organization’s by-laws. Unfortunately, the by-laws didn’t address the issue and the chairperson wasn't willing to resign, so it became a very disruptive issue.

What next? Considering the situation, you would think that the immediate action would have been to add a divorce policy to the by-laws. Wrong! Nothing was added.

Tragically, the chairperson went through a second divorce, and despite not having a written policy, the board removed the chairperson. The chairperson didn't go quietly or peacefully which led to a very unhappy board for a long time.

The failure to think thoroughly through the by-laws was a painful mistake. It also cost my long-term friendship with this board chairman.

Scripture to ponder – 1 Corinthians 16:14

Everything you do should be done in love.

Key Lesson: Organization policy should help you in messy and painful times when things go wrong. Could there be gaps in your policies? Ask leaders of other agencies or a church if you can review their by-laws to see what your board may have missed.