... to ask for your suggestions on dealing with people you just do not "mesh" with?

[ShtoppenDerFloppen]

I sit on the board of a local chapter of a large charitable organisation. There are a couple of individuals on the board I just do not see eye to eye with, and the board seems to be very split, with one half on the side of the "popular" person the one who holds the most power and then the rest of us.

Because the board is so evenly split, we are not accomplishing much at meetings aside from petty quarreling. It stresses me out, so I usually just go quiet.

So you have any tips for dealing with difficult people? It is starting to feel like I am back in secondary school again.

Be professional. State your opinions clearly. Don't make any responses seem personal. Don't rise to anything.

Thank you. I do do that, but find that I leave every meeting feeling very unsettled. I know my input is important, but I am starting to dread going...

don't get pulled into anything that makes you uncomfortable, sometimes it's better to let the biggest mouths make themselves look stupid when it goes pear shaped. try not get caught up into the petty politics.