When ego takes the night off...
“When they skip the meeting, the Wi-Fi works, the coffee’s hot, and somehow… everyone agrees.”
Silence Is Golden (Especially When They’re Absent)
You ever have that one board member where, the minute they text “Can’t make it tonight,” your shoulders drop an inch?
The meeting flows. Decisions actually get made.
Nobody plays Devil’s Advocate Who Forgot They’re on the Same Team.
You get through a full agenda without someone saying, “Well, back in my day…” like you’ve accidentally joined a historical reenactment.
It’s almost… peaceful.
And yet, here’s the kicker, you want them to show up when it’s time to do the work.
They’re capable. Experienced. They could move mountains if they’d just stop arguing about the gravel.
But somehow, every discussion turns into a courtroom drama.
The what-about’s, the that-won’t-work’s, the we-tried-that-in-2004’s.
By the end, you need a drink, a deep breath, and maybe a therapy highland cow.
The Real Problem: It’s Not Personality, It’s Permission
Here’s the truth, most fairs don’t have bad people.
They have bad boundaries.
When ego strolls into the room wearing “experience” as a crown, collaboration takes the backseat.
And before long, your best volunteers are checking their watches instead of their emails.
That’s where structure steps in.
Because systems aren’t just about schedules, they’re about sanity.
Why Systems (and Boundaries) Save Sanity
You can’t out-nice dysfunction.
You can’t out-organize chaos built on ego.
But you can build systems that don’t depend on who’s in the chair:
- Clear job descriptions so accountability isn’t optional
- Agendas that stop meetings from becoming open mic night
- Codes of Conduct that remind everyone that “passion” is not a hall pass for bad behaviour
- Boundaries that act like bumpers, keeping the mission on the road and the drama in the ditch
That’s what Fair Systems That Work exists to fix.
Because chaos isn’t character, it’s a lack of structure.
And when you fix the structure, even the Chaos Coordinators start showing up on time, taking notes, and, brace yourself, playing nice.
The Bigger Picture
When your board runs with real systems, it’s not just about smoother meetings.
It’s about protecting your people.
Because burnout doesn’t just happen from workload, it happens from disorganization.
When people feel like they’re set up to fail, they stop showing up.
When they feel supported, heard, and scheduled with purpose, they thrive.
And that’s how you protect your legacy, not just from chaos, but from apathy.
From Chaos to Calm
Imagine this:
Meetings that stay on track.
Directors that collaborate instead of compete.
Volunteers who actually know where they’re supposed to be.
No shouting matches.
No eye rolls.
Just clarity, accountability, and maybe, dare we say it, progress.
So next time your board sits down, ask yourselves one simple question:
“Are we running on systems, or surviving on sarcasm?”
If your fair’s running on hope instead of structure, it’s time for a Fair Systems Audit.
Let’s make this the year you protect your people and your sanity.
👉 Book your Fair Audit conversation and let’s build systems that work, chaos not included.
Let's Get to Work
Kryssie ❦
