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My recommendations for diffusing this challenge with your advisor's communication:
1) Meet informally as an e-board, sans advisers. Among your collegiate officers, make a list about what you love about your advisory board and executive committee's working relationship. And then, make a list of things that need improvement. This could be items that the collegians are responsible for, as well as items the advisers could improve on. The idea is to help the chapter function better and to help officers enjoy their office and do well.
2) At next e-board, when you get to New Business, announce that you would like to discuss Advisor and Collegiate Communication.
3) Bring out your list and tout the accomplishments of your advisers.
4) After praising everyone for what is going on RIGHT, list your concerns, citing specific examples but doing it in a contructive way, with your voice calm and kind and professional. Don't turn accusatory. (Think of yourself in the real world, having to tell your upper management that there is a challenge in communication. You want to come off as confident and wanting to solve the problem, not point fingers and be accusatory. By generalizing this as a group, you aren't calling anyone on the carpet and making them feel put on the defensive, making them less receptive to resolution).
** List a recommended solution for EACH communication challenge. (IE: It challenges the chapter's faith in the Exec Board when the advisory board sends an email to the whole chapter roster that conveys E-Board isn't doing it's job and is going to get in trouble and E-Board members removed from office. It makes the chapter members feel anxious and worried and lessens their respect and trust in the Exec Board to protect and do good for the chapter. We would like to propose that if the advisory board is addressing a challenge with a member of Exec, or the Exec Board as a whole, that this come in the form of a personal meeting or phone call, or email solely to the Executive Board. By communicating in this way, the chapter members will not feel uneasy about Exec Board, the Advisory Board, and other internal issues. Keeping chapter members confident about the abilities of Exec Board and Advisory Board will make us stronger as a chapter.)
5) End on a high note. Thank the advisory board for volunteering their time for you and that you all look forward to a bright future of good communication and productivity together.
6) Your advisors will appreciate your maturity and recommendations and together, you can discuss how to solve the challenge. Also, by NOT ganging up on the one advisor causing the primary challenge, you will have the entire advisory board on your side. MAKE SURE YOU RECORD ALL YOUR PRAISE/CHALLENGE/RECOMMENDATION AND OUTCOME IN THE MINUTES. These minutes should be copied on a regular basis to your International Officer contact. She does read these! If the challenges continue, document them in your minutes. This way, you have record.
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