But what if that mindset is holding back real strategic value?

In this webinar, we challenge the traditional view of risk and explore how Boards and executives can reframe it as a driver of innovation, opportunity, and competitive advantage. Drawing on leading-edge governance practices, you’ll discover how to shift risk from a passive reporting function into an active strategic conversation, one that uncovers hidden opportunities, informs better decision-making, and even creates new revenue pathways. 

If you’re ready to move beyond box-ticking and start using risk as a tool to shape the future, this session will show you how.

This webinar addresses the critical onboarding gap that leads to silence, overreach, and uneven contribution, helping Boards unlock capability, reduce friction, and improve early Director effectiveness from day one.

Developed from many thousands of interviews with chairs, directors and CEOs, these techniques support directors across their first 12 months on a board. It will provide insight into how boards actually operate, how decisions are shaped, and how directors can add real strategic value without overstepping into management.

With rising living costs, is volunteering becoming a privilege only some can afford? Could paying directors improve diversity, inclusion, and the skills around the table,  or would it change the culture of volunteering altogether?

Why come along? In this 45-minute webinar, we’ll explore the key questions boards are grappling with:

• Fees, honorariums, or simple reimbursement?
• How cost-of-living pressures shape who can serve
• What funders and stakeholders might think
• And whether payment strengthens or strains good governance

If this is a conversation your board needs to have,  or you’re unsure how to navigate it,  join us on this webinar for a practical, thoughtful discussion.

Stop guessing your way to the Boardroom. Learn the essential steps to start your Director journey on the right foot and move further, faster toward your first appointment.

The path to your first board role often feels like a maze that you’re trying to navigate in the dark, but it doesn't have to be. This webinar provides the clear roadmap you need to navigate the journey to the Boardroom with confidence. We will break down the specific steps required to move further, faster, while revealing exactly what Boards are searching for in candidates today. Join us to ensure you're starting on the right foot and building a journey that leads you directly to the Boardroom table

Every director knows AI is coming—but few know how to push it onto the agenda. Boards dismiss it as premature, irrelevant, or a management issue. This webinar equips you with a persuasion toolkit: five compelling arguments, tested rebuttals to objections, and a practical next step. In half an hour, you’ll leave ready to frame AI as a governance necessity, not a tech distraction—ensuring your board takes action before competitors, regulators, or crises force it.

This isn’t about turning directors into AI experts—it’s about equipping them to persuade. With five tested arguments and objection handling, participants gain a clear pathway to move hesitant boards into meaningful AI discussions.

An annual board work plan can enhance your governance strategy and streamline board operations. A meticulously crafted board calendar is crucial for ensuring that meetings are balanced, comprehensive, and smoothly executed.

Tailored to fit the unique needs and evolution of your organisation, the annual plan facilitates effective governance by offering a clear roadmap of responsibilities and key focus areas for the year.

Not only does it empower board members to align personal schedules with their board duties, but it also minimises repetitive discussions and ensures all tasks are thoughtfully addressed. Drive strategic progress and organisational success with this indispensable planning resource.

Join us for this free webinar and discover how the board annual work plan can elevate and streamline your board discussions.

Includes: Bonus minute taking guide, and minutes template for attendees.

Are you taking the preparation of your minutes seriously and do you know why you should?

Inquiries into organisational misdeeds and collapses invariably point to the shortcoming in board meeting minutes that might otherwise have explained and justified the decisions directors had taken. That scenario underlines only one of the reasons for the importance of having a thorough record of the board’s deliberations.

Join our webinar to discover how meticulous board meeting minutes can safeguard your organisation and ensure transparency in critical decision-making processes. Don't miss this opportunity to elevate your governance standards!

We will guide you on the new compliance obligations your society must meet, including updates to governance structures, officer duties, constitutional requirements, and how this may impact operational activities.

Whether you're part of a sports club, cultural group, community organisation or any other member based association, the webinar will help you understand what’s changing, what’s required, and how to prepare with confidence.

No plan survives contact with reality   

The best strategy is one where there is a fearless discussion with directors and senior executives about what's not working and what we have missed.

Join us for insights on to how to use each Board meeting as a mini review of the strategic plan and strengthen the strategic focus of the Board (and possibly making your Board meetings shorter). And techniques for an annual review (also short and focused with the Board and senior executive) which can be both an opportunity to reflect on the strategies, and a great induction opportunity for new Directors.

Focus only on those strategic items that matter

Do your meetings tend to get unfocused or off-track, or are they a sound use of time, focusing on strategic items that move your organisation forward?

Provide your directors with clarity on what they should do with each paper, and reduce the amount of time wasted on ineffectual discussions. 

Resources include a strategic board meeting guide and a strategic agenda template

If you’re curious about developing your chairing capacity or want a taste of the frameworks and tools included in the full courses, this is the perfect place to start. 

What You’ll Learn in This Free Webinar

Attending this webinar will give you practical insights into what makes an exceptional chair. This will help you to:

• Lead meeting with greater clarity, confidence, and control.
• Build stronger relationships with your board and executive team.
• Handle challenging dynamics with composure and fairness.
• Lift your board’s overall performance and culture

Board members and senior leaders of today must manage power dynamics, geopolitical risks, and economic uncertainty. This webinar covers effective stakeholder influence and negotiation amid changing alliances, trade issues, and regulations. With expert and participant insights, plus real-world case studies, this 45-minute introductory session focuses on:

• the impact of improved preparation
• using a multi-scenario negotiation approach
• building credibility individually and organisationally
• applying reception psychology to conflict management and decision-making
• validating and understanding your negotiation style
• finding actionable strategies for personal growth

This webinar will help you better navigate the spectrum of issues around board fees and, in particular, to understand issues relating to the quantum ($) of fees.  

The webinar will be helpful whether your organisation has been paying fees for years or whether you are still considering whether to pay fees.

If you are a director, you need to be aware of how to:

• Raise issues around Board fees without seeming self-serving, and while being sensitive to the culture of the organisation, especially if it is NFP.
• Make board fees a natural part of the organisation strategy, structure and culture (not an embarrassing issue that is avoided)
• Be confident about market norms and the possible approaches related to Board fees, and how to select the right mix for your organisation
• Understand stakeholder issues, perceptions and concerns regarding Board fees

Most boards take health and safety seriously when it comes to physical risks, but it can be hard to know where to start when it comes to measuring, monitoring, and reducing mental harm.

Join us to explore what psychosocial risk is, how it differs from psychological safety, and what good governance looks like when the risks come from culture, workload, or behaviour rather than the physical environment or tools.

Whether you're on a board or in a leadership role, this webinar will help you understand, manage and govern one of the least visible – and most critical – areas of risk.

A well-crafted CEO report is more than an update—it’s your most powerful communication tool. The best reports don’t just inform the board; they align directors around priorities, highlight risks, and spark meaningful discussion about the future. Whether you’re leading a nonprofit, small business, or growing enterprise, the right structure helps transform data into insight and insight into action.

What You’ll Learn in This Free Webinar

In just 45 minutes, you’ll learn:

• How to structure your CEO report for clarity, focus, and impact.
• Which key metrics and insights boards value most.
• How to balance operational detail with strategic foresight.
• Tips from governance experts on writing concise, high-trust summaries that keep your board engaged.

1. Clarify the Governance–Management Boundary
Help you understand the often-blurred line between governance and management, especially in contexts where organisational size, complexity, or external pressures create tension.

2. Explore the Impact of Organisational Context
Examine how factors such as the size of the organisation and the presence of crises influence the roles, responsibilities, and boundaries between board and management.

3. Align Expectations for High Performance
Provide strategies to align the expectations of both the board and management so they can work together effectively toward shared goals.

4. Equip Leaders with Practical Tools
Offer practical insights and frameworks that directors, chairs, and executives can use to balance competing priorities and foster constructive collaboration.

Whether you're a board member, executive, or team leader, this webinar will empower you to turn the S of ESG into opportunities for growth and strategic alignment.

Objectives:

• Gain board-ready insights on how to integrate the Social (“S”) pillar.
• Understand investor and regulatory expectations shaping the future of ESG.
• Access practical frameworks and real-world examples.
• Identify opportunities for competitive advantage.
• Equip your board to lead with transparency, ethics, and impact.

Are you facing complex questions around strategy, governance or AI? How about risk and resilience, culture, or representation? In this session we’ll address the stickiest issues facing each of these areas, as voted by you, on the day.

To surface the biggest challenges, we’ll use 'Group Wisdom', a technique developed by Peakbalance to take your collective input on the fly. It’s instant, anonymous and will allow us to address the ‘unspeakable’ things.

We’ll then turn to the mighty Julie Garland McLellan, CEO of The Directors Dilemma to share her insights into tackling these most vexing of issues.

If you’re wondering where the real challenges are likely to lay in your governance journey, this is a webinar not to be missed. Your perspective will be captured in real time and we can’t wait to see what is (really) challenging boards in the year ahead.

• Understand how key governance principles are defined around the world.
• Gain practical tools to improve compliance, leadership, and board culture.
• Reflect on your own role and responsibilities in light of global best practice.

Led by governance expert Tracey Cross and joined by international panellists Miranda Flury and Steve Bowman, this webinar offers an opportunity to benchmark, reflect, and reframe how we do governance – locally and globally.

• Manage difficult personalities while maintaining professionalism.
• Re-establish standards of conduct and accountability.
• Support constructive, value-adding dialogue at the board table.
• Protect the reputation of both the board and the organisation.

Whether you’re a seasoned chair, an experienced company secretary, or an executive navigating these challenges for the first time, this session will provide the clarity and tools you need to ensure your board stays focused, productive, and respected.

Join our Sports Governance Essentials webinars to gain practical knowledge and insights for running your sports organisation and leading effectively and with confidence. Perfect for all directors: starting out, seasoned or aspiring. 

Are you on the board and leading a large sports body or a small local club? These Sports Governance Essentials webinars are packed with practical tips and tools for directors of all levels. We’ll cover how to run productive meetings, the key responsibilities of directors, and how to use board papers to drive informed decisions.

We’ll also dive into crucial topics like understanding your constitution, managing conflicts of interest, and ensuring legal compliance—all in a clear, easy-to-follow way. Plus, we’ll provide key strategies for chairing meetings productively, so the balance between strategy and operations is properly managed.  For those of you more experienced come along as you never know what gem may be dropped; governance learning never stops! Questions are very welcome throughout the sessions, giving you the chance to get the answers you need.

This webinar will help boards understand how to attract, engage, and support the next generation of directors by aligning governance practices with evolving expectations.

From biased hiring tools to disappearing entry-level roles, AI is already reshaping who gets hired, who thrives, and who leads next. Shadow AI use is bypassing governance, widening inequality, and introducing costly security risks, often without board visibility. Women, early-career talent, and underrepresented groups face disproportionate displacement. This webinar is about sharpening awareness - you’ll leave with the right questions to ask, early warning signs to watch, and a clearer understanding of the workforce changes quietly taking shape under your leadership.

Who should attend?

This webinar is essential for board members, CEOs, senior executives, and governance leaders who want to understand the hidden workforce and governance risks AI is creating in their organisations.

We are all currently operating in an environment of significant change, however how many of us are reviewing our organisational culture to ensure it is still aligned to our Strategy and fit for purpose. This webinar will assist you to ensure a common understanding of what culture is and how to identify a culture that drives organisational success.

This webinar is aimed at board members, CEOs, senior management and anyone who has accountability for organisational Culture.

This webinar unbundles the key steps to developing a Strategy using the tools of foresight to better inform Strategic Priorities and long term plans.

• Understand the components of Strategy according to the International Standard ISO37000
• Learn how to identify the signals of the future that exist today
• Learn how to identify the drivers of change that are impacting on your operating environment
• Learn how to use these futuring tools to inform your Strategy development process, including identifying opportunities and risks.

This webinar is aimed at board members, CEOs, senior management and anyone who has accountability for organisational Strategy.

These sessions will guide you through the key changes and new compliance obligations your society must meet, including updates to governance structures, officer duties, constitutional requirements,  financial reporting and how this may impact operational activities.

You'll learn why re-registration before the April 2026 deadline is critical, the risks of inaction, and how to practically update your constitution and operational practices. Whether you're part of a sports club, cultural group, community organisation or any other member based association, these two webinars will help you understand what’s changing, what’s required, and how to prepare with confidence

Is your board aligned, effective, and paying directors fairly?

Join Governance Expert, Giselle McLachlan and Strategic Pay’s Michelle Read for an evidence-backed session on how boards across New Zealand and Australia should be paying and performing in the boardroom. This practical, engaging webinar explores the latest governance and director remuneration insights to help your board plan, pay and perform with purpose.

We’ll cover:

• Trends and insights for director remuneration
• Best practice for board evaluations, skills matrices, and succession planning
• The role of the Chair in setting tone, performance expectations, and pay discussions

Perfect for directors, executives, and governance professionals wanting to lift boardroom practice and ensure governance processes are future fit.

These sessions will guide you through the key changes and new compliance obligations your society must meet, including updates to governance structures, officer duties, constitutional requirements,  financial reporting and how this may impact operational activities.

You'll learn why re-registration before the April 2026 deadline is critical, the risks of inaction, and how to practically update your constitution and operational practices. Whether you're part of a sports club, cultural group, community organisation or any other member based association, these two webinars will help you understand what’s changing, what’s required, and how to prepare with confidence. 

Join us for 45 minutes of insights, practical tools and easy-to-implement techniques aimed squarely at helping Directors think strategically. From personally being strategic, cultivating your strategic mindset, techniques you can use even when everyone around you is in the weeds, through to the latest strategies in designing Board agendas, Board papers and shaping Board discussions. For CEOs, Executive leadership teams, new Directors, and experienced Chairs.

Whether you're a new director or have years of board experience, it's always important to understand, know and remember what being a director means when it comes to duties, roles and responsibilities. This session is a straightforward look at what the law expects, how responsibility sits with you as an individual, and the difference between staying in your lane and overstepping.

We’ll cover key principles of good governance, risks to be aware of, and how to think clearly about your role—especially given that no situation will ever occur twice and your decisions will depend on facts, circumstances and your knowledge of your role.  If you want to contribute with confidence, this is the place to start.

Learn how boards across Australia and New Zealand are building fluency, oversight, and safeguards to steer their organisations through the AI era with confidence.

With 76% of companies already using AI—including 69% deploying generative AI—the risks are real, and the responsibilities are rising. Directors are now expected to foresee and govern the ethical, legal, and strategic impacts of AI.

In this session, we’ll unpack the evolving regulatory landscape, share practical tools to map AI use across your organisation, and explore how leading boards are managing shadow AI, black box decisions, and compliance threats. If you’re a Chair, Director or executive leader, this is your briefing on how to govern AI risk without outsourcing your judgement.

In this timely and practical webinar, we’ll explore how boards can bring clarity and alignment to their oversight of Human Resources. You’ll learn how to navigate the grey areas, establish appropriate boundaries, and ensure your governance approach supports both organisational strategy and workforce wellbeing.

What you’ll take away:

• A clearer understanding of the board’s responsibilities in HR matters
  
  
• Practical guidance for navigating areas like executive performance, succession, culture, and workforce risk
  
  
• Tools to align your HR oversight with your board’s purpose, structure, and risk appetite

Whether you're a board member, chair, or executive working closely with the board, this session will equip you with insights to govern with confidence in one of the most nuanced areas of board responsibility.

Governance doesn’t happen in black and white. It lives in the grey zone—where strategic direction and risk oversight intersect. This space is complex, often unclear, and highly dependent on your board’s unique context.

In this practical and thought-provoking session, we’ll unpack how boards can navigate the grey zone with clarity, alignment, and confidence. You’ll learn how to interpret and apply strategic and risk oversight in ways that support sound decision-making and forward momentum.

Join us to explore:

• What the “governance grey zone” really means—and why it matters
  
  
• How boards can balance strategic opportunity with risk mitigation
  
  
• Practical tools to align your oversight with your organisation’s purpose and priorities

Whether you’re a director, chair, or executive supporting the board, this webinar will sharpen your understanding of governance at the intersection of strategy and risk—and help your board lead more effectively in uncertain times

Who should attend?

If you’re a leader in a small or medium-sized business, compliance can feel overwhelming, expensive, or like something only big corporates need to worry about. But the truth is, the risks are real—and so are the opportunities to get it right without over-engineering your approach.

This webinar will show you how to build a compliance program that’s fit-for-purpose: practical, cost-effective, and aligned with the size and stage of your business. You’ll walk away with clarity, confidence, and a toolkit you can apply immediately to protect your business, your reputation, and your future growth. If you’re unsure where to start—or worried you’re missing something—this session is for you.

"With 55% of board packs over 200 pages" (AICD), directors have limited time and little signal in the noise. AI can help you focus on what matters and show up sharper than ever.

Most directors and executives spend hours preparing for board meetings only to get lost in hundreds of pages of reports.

But what if AI could help you prep faster and smarter? This webinar shows how leaders are using AI to summarise complex board materials, and explore new insights to shape better questions, without compromising confidentiality.

You’ll see how to save time, sharpen your focus, and ask better questions that drive real outcomes. Whether you’re an executive reporting to the board or a director seeking clarity, this session is your shortcut to smarter board prep.

• The real opportunities AI brings to board admin
• The silent risks hiding in AI-generated transcripts and drafts
• How AI could impact confidentiality, legal privilege, and discoverability
• Why minute-taking ≠ transcription and what boards must protect

This webinar will focus on how to develop an Adaptive Cyber Security Strategy for your organisation and will include:

• The role of the board in cyber security governance
• Creating resilience in the face of constant change
• Shifting form reactive to proactive operations
• Moving beyond compliance to threat informed decision making
• Workforce readiness and business first focus

We will use recent examples of our work (AGLX) and cases from other organisations to illustrate our points and will provide the ‘Adaptive Cyber Security Guide’ to participants at the end of the session.

In this practical and insightful session, we’ll explore how boards and management can strengthen collaboration through clearer roles, better communication, and a shared focus on purpose. We’ll focus on the critical relationships especially between the Chair and Chief Executive, and how mutual respect and alignment can drive better outcomes for everyone.

Whether you’re a director, executive, or work closely with both, this webinar will give you tools and insights to improve the dynamics at the board table

This webinar will show you how to write board reports that bring clarity, direction, and focus to your boardroom conversations. You’ll learn how to highlight what truly matters, frame information for strategic discussion, and support informed decision-making without overwhelming your board with unnecessary detail.

Whether you’re preparing reports for governance, strategy, or performance, this session will help you elevate your reporting to ensure the board stays focused, aligned, and engaged with the issues that really count.

Join Giselle McLachlan, Lynda Carroll, and Fiona McKenzie as they unpack best practices for leading with confidence, fostering productive discussions, and managing board dynamics effectively. Whether you're a seasoned chair or stepping into the role for the first time, this session will equip you with the insights and tools to drive stronger governance outcomes.

Is your board still relying on paper-based processes or scattered digital files? Transitioning to a board portal can streamline governance, enhance security, and improve board efficiency—but where do you start? Join us for this insightful webinar as we break down the key steps to successfully moving to board management software.

Learn best practices, avoid common pitfalls, and discover how a well-structured transition can save time and simplify board administration. Whether you're exploring your options or ready to make the shift, this session will provide the guidance you need. 

Behind every high-performing board is a Company Secretary who ensures seamless governance, regulatory compliance, and strategic alignment. As the trusted adviser to directors, the Company Secretary holds a unique position—balancing corporate authority, ethical integrity, and practical judgement to navigate complex governance landscapes.

Whether in a listed company, a not-for-profit, or a government entity, this role is far more than just administrative; it is pivotal in shaping decision-making, mitigating risks, and upholding the organisation’s reputation. However, with great influence comes potential for conflict—demanding discretion, diplomacy, and deep technical expertise.

Join us as we explore the multifaceted responsibilities of the Company Secretary and uncover how this role can elevate board effectiveness, enhance corporate governance, and steer the organisation towards long-term success.

Success with your organisational goals is entirely dependent on the performance of your people. Learn how boards can enable improved management practices and set expectations around work design and organisational culture. This can support increased wellbeing, innovation and productivity, in addition to reducing worker burnout and unwanted turnover.

Workplace practices can also have a positive impact on wellbeing well beyond the workplace, ultimately making our communities more resilient and contributing to society’s psychosocial health and prosperity

AI enables boards to concentrate on value-added activities by automating tasks and enhancing decision-making. Join us to learn how to implement practical use cases of AI, such as custom AI tools and personas that will boost your productivity and help you guarantee future-ready governance.

You will learn how AI integration strategies enable boards to embrace innovation, improve efficiency, and navigate challenges in a rapidly changing governance environment. You will get actionable tips on developing AI policies and overcoming the challenges of implementing them to ensure smooth board integration

We communicate in story. We view the world through default narratives. We need to believe. Strong, consistent stories bind our organisations. Our purpose or just cause, well told, will bring us closer to and connects us with our stakeholders. 

Outside your organisation people form their own stories about you and your activities. You can contribute both positively and negatively to that narrative. Certainly, you should not let others frame your story for you without a coherent attempt to influence its direction.

But remember there are two sides to every story and that a story only has meaning from the perspective of the recipient not the teller.

Take a moment to reflect on how your organisation’s story is being told, received, and understood—by attending our free webinar this month.

Boards must be equipped to lead with foresight, agility, and strategic clarity. This webinar offers an invaluable opportunity to enhance your governance toolkit and deepen your understanding of effective crisis management and strategic oversight. Whether you’re a board member, chair, or senior executive, you’ll gain actionable insights to help you:

• Strengthen your governance skills: Learn how to anticipate risks and ensure your board is prepared for the unexpected.
• Enhance decision-making: Discover strategies to improve crisis response and align boardroom decisions with long-term organisational sustainability.
• Build organizational resilience: Explore practical approaches to fostering a culture of adaptability and proactive risk management.
• Gain expert insights: Hear from seasoned professionals who will share real-world examples and best practices for leading through uncertainty.

Don’t miss this chance to sharpen your strategic thinking and contribute to stronger, more effective boardroom leadership.

This panel will present specific experiences and ideas that can help your board develop a more effective strategic orientation and promote a culture of thinking "24-7 strategic thinking" to stay ahead of change. These tools can help your organisation be ready and confident to confront the challenging decade ahead, whatever awaits. 

In this webinar, you’ll gain the knowledge and practical insights needed to design a board that doesn’t just follow but leads with purpose. You’ll discover effective strategies for identifying and recruiting the right members, building a dynamic, diverse board, and creating a framework for ongoing success. Learn how to set your advisory board up for impactful collaboration, ensuring they bring true value to your organisation and play a critical role in achieving your long-term vision.

In this webinar, you’ll gain the knowledge and practical insights needed to design a board that doesn’t just follow but leads with purpose. You’ll discover effective strategies for identifying and recruiting the right members, building a dynamic, diverse board, and creating a framework for ongoing success. Learn how to set your advisory board up for impactful collaboration, ensuring they bring true value to your organisation and play a critical role in achieving your long-term vision.

• Directors, including executives-directors, nominee directors and shareholding directors
• CEOs who aspire to great governance from the board they have, rather than the board a textbook might recommend
• Company secretaries who want to add value and support their directors

In this webinar, we’ll explore how the friction of conflict can fuel groundbreaking ideas and better board decisions. Using a model of participatory decision-making, we’ll unpack the different phases that are needed to turn disagreements into innovation. You’ll hear inspiring examples from diverse fields and gain actionable tips. 

Whether your challenges involve budgets, strategy or team dynamics, this session will equip you with tools to embrace conflict, navigate tough discussions, and emerge with creative solutions that align with your mission and values.

Board culture challenges come in many forms, and the impact can be devastating.

• misalignment of purpose and desired outcomes
• passion for purpose vs strategic priorities
• control vs inclusion
• inexperience vs skills and capabilities
• bias and assumption vs open-mindedness,
• and failure to uphold and role model the organisation’s culture and values.

The impact of your board culture, good or bad, will impact your board members and flow through the organisation. It will show up positively or negatively in trust, wellbeing, confidence, alignment, engagement, and effort.

Don’t miss this session where nothing is off limits. Culture expert, Georgia Henry, will share insights from her experience and strategies for overcoming culture challenges in the boardroom. 

Key points:

• Learn how to leverage AI as a governance co-pilot to tackle boardroom challenges and improve strategic decisions.
  
  
• Move beyond AI's theoretical potential to actionable steps that can be applied in real-world governance scenarios.
  
  
• Gain fresh perspectives for more informed decision-making through AI integration.
  
  
• Receive the building blocks and tools to embed AI into daily governance processes, keeping your board ahead of industry trends.
  
  
• Explore governance themes and adopt essential AI tools to boost overall boardroom effectiveness.

This session will equip you with the tools to conduct a powerful and constructive CEO review. Learn to tackle tough questions, establish meaningful KPIs, align them with strategic priorities, and link performance to incentive payments.

• Prepare for challenging conversations and set a robust framework for the next 12 months.
• Ensure your CEO appraisal is not just a formality but a driving force for organisational success.

Dean, supported by the panel, will delve into why it is crucial for any organisation to develop a business-wide governance model that doesn’t necessarily start with the board and its requirements but ultimately supports these effectively and efficiently. Dean will touch on his research into enterprise governance design, plus his prior BoardPro presentation from 5 September (“Bespoke governance”: How to determine if your governance is fit-for-purpose). 

Learn the three keys to strategies:

Vision/Purpose, Strategic Plan, and Operational Plan—and how to align board agendas, reports, and discussions to drive strategic outcomes and address common boardroom challenges. Are you ready to transform boardroom dynamics today?

BONUS: Includes a strategic board meeting agenda guide and MS Word template

Focus only on those strategic items that matter

Do your meetings tend to get unfocussed or off-track, or are they a sound use of time, focusing on strategic items that move your organisation forward?

Provide your directors with clarity on what they should do with each paper, and reduce the amount of time wasted on ineffectual discussions. 

Focus only on those strategic items that matter

Do your meetings tend to get unfocussed or off-track, or are they a sound use of time, focusing on strategic items that move your organisation forward?

Provide your directors with clarity on what they should do with each paper, and reduce the amount of time wasted on ineffectual discussions. 

You will also learn practical tips and actionable strategies for negotiating stakeholder alignment and building commitment to the organization’s success. Our expert presenters, Fiona McKenzie , and Steven Bowman will guide you through proven frameworks to identify key interests, mediate conflicts, and create a shared vision that resonates with all stakeholders. 

Whether you're a board member, executive, or team leader, this webinar will empower you to turn stakeholder challenges into opportunities for growth and strategic alignment.

This webinar will guide you through creating and utilising a skill matrix for director succession planning and onboarding. We will cover key elements such as identifying essential skills, assessing current directors, and planning for strategic recruitment and training.

Dealing with these situations in a timely manner is imperative for the ongoing success of a board. This webinar will provide a framework so that you can confidently prepare for and engage in difficult – but constructive – conversations.

How directors conduct themselves at the board table has a big influence on the success and effectiveness of meetings and thus on the performance of the organisations they serve.  Indiscretions can be small and aggravating or big and adversely influential from subverting good governance practice to blatant bullying and everything in between.  However everyone is responsible for their behaviour and should understand they will be called to account if the rules of engagement aren’t adhered to.

This session will address meeting etiquette, what it encompasses, the place of the code of conduct or board charter, and the role of the chair in setting and maintaining standards.

Register for our free Webinar

What role do you have on the board?*
Board Chair
CEO - Executive Director
Board Member
Company Secretary
Executive
Administrator / Board Secretary
Governance Specialist

14th August 2024

When bridging the gap, Chairs and CEOs should be considering the strategy design process and preempting the execution gaps. Join us to discuss the two most important facets:
1) An iterative CEO led Strategic Design process with the Board and,
2) A rigorous Execution Cadence led by Management.

This webinar will cover how to tackle common pitfalls of misalignment, lack of engagement, and inadequate traction.

Our expert speakers will guide you through the intricacies of constitutional analysis, offering practical insights and real-world examples. You'll have the chance to ask questions, and gain valuable resources to help you navigate the complexities of constitutional amendments.

Whether you're a board member, legal advisor, or organisational leader, this webinar is tailored to provide you with the tools and knowledge you need to make informed decisions. By attending, you'll be better equipped to address potential challenges and ensure that your constitution reflects the evolving needs of your organisation.

Register now and be part of this essential discussion! Take the first step towards a more robust and adaptable constitution. We look forward to seeing you there!

Listen to our webinar  recording to discover how meticulous board meeting minutes can safeguard your organisation and ensure transparency in critical decision-making processes. Don't miss this opportunity to elevate your governance standards!

• Gain insights from experienced panellists on distinguishing governance practices in early-stage companies from those in larger, public corporations.
• Understand the unique demands of startup boards, including the need for flexibility, effective risk management, and investor relations strategies.
• Learn how addressing these specialised demands can bolster investor confidence and enhance capital strategies in early-stage ventures.
• Acquire practical knowledge to navigate the dynamic governance landscape of startups and optimise board performance for sustainable growth.

This webinar will provide invaluable insights into effective leadership, governance structures, and best practices driving mission-driven success. Don't miss this opportunity to elevate your understanding of nonprofit leadership and governance excellence.

Join us for 45 minutes of insights, practical tools and easy-to-implement techniques aimed squarely at helping Directors be strategic.

From personally being strategic, cultivating your strategic mindset, techniques you can use even when everyone around you is in the weeds, through to the latest strategies in designing Board agendas, Board papers and shaping Board discussions.

For CEOs, Executive leadership teams, new Directors, and experienced Chairs.

The other is to create committees to which to delegate all manner of work and tasks. But are all committees created equal? Are they all necessary and fit for purpose?  This webinar will consider how to construct and enable committees to do the work and provide support to the board as designed and required.

The other is to create committees to which to delegate all manner of work and tasks. But are all committees created equal? Are they all necessary and fit for purpose?  This webinar will consider how to construct and enable committees to do the work and provide support to the board as designed and required.This webinar will look at the role of committees in the good governance of boards and organisations and how a board decides what committees it needs to have and for what purpose. The session will cover matters including;

• Committee structure,
• Internal governance
• Membership
• Drafting of charters or terms of reference.

In addition, the importance of to whom and how committees report their recommendations will be noted, as will the work necessary to support committees and enable them to function as intended and expected. Finally, the question will be whether or not a committee is actually required or would a working group suffice instead?

Discover the benefits of maintaining an up-to-date matrix to ensure you select the most suitable directors and avoid common pitfalls that could lead to costly mistakes.

Learn how to refine your approach by incorporating business acumen and strategic insight into your board's composition. Moreover, Nicholas and the panel will illuminate the increasing significance of behavioural traits in today's board dynamics. Don't miss this opportunity to enhance your board's effectiveness and governance standards. Sign up now to secure your spot.

This session is dedicated to empowering you with advanced techniques and actionable strategies to enhance your visibility and attractiveness to boards seeking new members. Learn from seasoned board members and industry experts how to effectively network, leverage your unique skills, and position yourself as an indispensable candidate.

If you're serious about securing a board role swiftly, this webinar is the key to unlocking opportunities and achieving your goals with precision and speed. Join us and take a significant step towards making your boardroom aspirations a reality.

Dean will be guiding us through a comprehensive exploration of where and how the current corporate governance model is showing significant signs of ‘wear and tear’. Dean will draw on his research conducted with Ernst Young into board operating models of the future, considering first whether the current, prevailing governance model has passed its use-by-date for many companies, and why.

Is the board operating model design, originally intended for the needs of the late 1800’s, relevant and ‘workable’ today? He will outline the forces at play facing companies in the main, and from that, consider a set of implications for future board models.

Dean, supported by the panel, will discuss the areas of ‘common pain’, how to recognise and being to address the possible fracture lines that boards should be aware of.

Embark on a transformative journey to the boardroom with our exclusive two-part webinar series, designed to illuminate the path towards a successful board career. Discover the strategic insights and practical guidance necessary to navigate the complexities of securing your first board position. Through these webinars, you'll gain access to a replicable blueprint for breaking into the boardroom and securing your ideal role.

Whether you're just beginning to consider board service or are actively seeking to land your first board position, this series will equip you with the essential tools and knowledge needed to turn your aspirations into reality. Join us to unlock the door to influential board roles and begin shaping the future of governance.

Imagine if...

• All the Directors who undertook your Board induction were confident and prepared at their first meeting.
  
  
• Each of your new Directors was asking the right questions, reading and participating in all Board papers and discussions.
  
  
• All new Directors were enthusiastic about their tenure, and brought fresh insights to the table, even if they are volunteers with little to no formal experience.

Complacency can be a killer.  “We’ve always done it this way” is a solution to nothing, yet it is so often cited as a reason for continuing with the status quo – even when the status quo is not working.  Board evaluations are the cornerstone for assessing, improving and refining a board’s performance. By delving into a variety of evaluation methods, boards can pinpoint and identify both commendable practices and areas needing attention.

Such insights bolster cohesive teamwork and enable more informed strategic choices, leading to better decision-making. Join us to explore a variety of evaluations options, turning them into catalysts for board and organizational excellence.

Focus only on those strategic items that matter

Do your meetings tend to get unfocussed or off-track, or are they a sound use of time, focusing on strategic items that move your organisation forward?

Provide your directors with clarity on what they should do with each paper, and reduce the amount of time wasted on ineffectual discussions. 

1. Process and preparation of board packs 
2. Use of portals and technology 
3. Security and privilege  
4. Managing your mention in the minutes

Join us to explore open techniques for dynamic strategy creation, formulation and execution. Discover how to harness the power of diverse insights, overcome cognitive biases, and build buy-in for strategic transformation.

We'll delve into specific tools and their role in anticipating disruptions, emphasising transparency, collaboration, and diversity throughout your strategy process. Learn how embracing open strategy can lead to faster implementation, and a competitive edge in a rapidly changing business landscape. Don't miss out on this opportunity to revolutionise your approach to strategy and drive your organisation forward.

A key factor in building positive board dynamics

We have all been on those boards where there is a person who just seems to disrupt the flow, sees the world differently or consistently seeks out opportunities for conflict. How we respond to these situations is a key factor in building positive board dynamics. While a skilled Chair helps, every board member has a responsibility for the success of the meeting and the quality of the decisions made. Learn about the key ingredients of effective board dynamics and how these contribute to high quality decision-making. 

However, on the flip side, culture can be the greatest risk to productivity, execution of strategy, compliance, reputation, and financial sustainability. Many of the indicators of culture risk are not visible to boards who are responsible for all the associated risks and negative impacts.

In this webinar you will learn about the impacts of technology on business models, and how it is not necessarily the technology that drives change or creates risk, but the business model.

We will look how risk and strategy are defined, and how by looking at risk through a more strategic lens helps with strategy execution. We will draw on lessons from industries that have been disrupted by technology to predict the impacts of AI. We will look at tools to help make your risk analysis more strategic, as well as looking at how Chat GPT can used be propel your risk analysis. We will finish by providing an overview of Flipview as a platform that helps bridge the gap between risk and strategy.

Culture is one of the most widely discussed and poorly understood concepts in organisational life. This webinar will:

• Clarify what culture is and isn’t (it isn’t employee engagement)
• Provide meaningful shared language for future discussions
• Allow leaders to clearly see the culture of any group
• Simplify the way to take action on shifting culture

Late reporting can kill the CEO either through director frustration and getting little or too much information, or the organisation facing threats to its future that are ignored through late reporting of trends, issues, or strategic implications.

Key Takeaways

Learn how can you can maximise your reporting impacts through;

• Ensuring the board receive your material in a timely manner
• Help focus the board through the design of your executive reports
• What directors need to know versus what they want to know
• The two questions that must be answered in any board report
• The two reporting issues that kill a CEO

This webinar is aimed at CEO's and executives who wish to gain more effectiveness and efficiency with their board reporting.

Extreme Inequality   

There are about half a million governing bodies in Australia, many of which are small and local. Board members contribute a meaningful portion of the total volunteering effort across the country. Less than 10% of board members are paid. Within the organisations that pay their directors, there are several clusters of well-paid roles. These will be identified during the webinar, along with the attributes of prospective directors for these roles

Once targets have been clearly defined, the CEO should be able to produce a report that clearly and easily gives the board the information they need. As a rule, the first two pages should be enough for board members to gather a broad understanding of the position of the business, without having to read any further. 

Historically, corporate governance was primarily concerned with fiduciary responsibilities and compliance. Boards often consisted of uniform groups of individuals with similar backgrounds, experiences, and worldviews. While this homogeneity may have supported unity and seamless decision-making, it also led to a restricted perspective, causing overlooked opportunities and stagnation.

As we ventured into the 21st century, the business world started to face new and intricate challenges that demanded more multifaceted and nuanced decision-making. In this complex environment, diversity quickly surfaced as an essential component of competent governance.

In the early days, the initial push often centred around demographic representation, especially gender, as many countries faced severe imbalances, with women significantly underrepresented in leadership roles. As businesses expanded globally, the need for cultural and international perspectives became more pronounced, leading to broader definitions of diversity. Governments and regulatory bodies began to intervene, establishing guidelines, regulations, or even quotas in some countries to promote diversity. With growing social consciousness, businesses began to recognise diversity as an ethical imperative and a strategic advantage, rather than just a compliance issue.

Shareholder activism also played a crucial role. Investors started to exert their influence, utilising tools like shareholder resolutions, proxy voting, and direct engagement with corporations to foster change.

The pursuit of board diversity is not just a fleeting trend but a vital part of modern corporate governance. It's a journey that requires understanding, commitment, and action from all stakeholders. By embracing diversity in its fullest sense, corporations can not only enhance their performance but also contribute to a more equitable and inclusive world.

Experienced directors will turn to and read this paper first. It sets the context for every other paper in the pack.

As such, it's a wonderful opportunity to prepare your board to be totally effective during the upcoming meeting.

However, many CEOs struggle, when faced with the tyranny of a blank screen, to put down their thoughts in a compelling and clear fashion that will engage the board and help to prepare them for a highly effective meeting.

Ideally your board report should serve two purposes:

1. to inform the board of the key changes that have occurred during the period since the last board meeting
2. to engage the board in providing advice and assistance to the CEO

Whilst many CEO reports do a good job with the first objective, most CEOs struggle with the second simply because they do not wish to put on record the areas that they are finding difficult. But here’s the problem, directors find it hard to read a report that is packed with information but that has no call to action or stimulus for creative thinking. Directors greatly prefer a report that has something in it for them to do.

Let’s look at each function in turn. And then let’s explore some tips to help you write quickly, effectively, and succinctly.

Are you a Board member, senior executive, or someone deeply involved in strategic planning? Then, you can't afford to miss the replay of our recent webinar: "How to Continually Refresh Your Annual Board Strategy."

Why Watch the Replay?

Gain insights from some of Australasia's leading experts in business strategic planning and governance.

Learn how to use each Board meeting as a mini-strategy review, making your meetings not only more effective but possibly even shorter.

Discover techniques for running an annual review that serves as both a reflective exercise and an excellent induction opportunity for new Directors.

Key Takeaways:

1️⃣ No Plan Survives Contact With Reality: Understand the importance of fearless discussion with directors and senior executives about what's working and what isn't.

2️⃣ Focused Half-Day Strategy Review: Learn how to run an effective and focused half-day strategy review that can revolutionize your approach to strategic planning.

3️⃣ Strengthen Strategic Focus: Take away practical tips on how to reinforce the strategic orientation of your Board, ensuring that the organization stays agile and aligned with its mission.

Watch the Replay here https://boardpro.wistia.com/medias/owulzrbkal

Don't miss this chance to elevate your Board's strategic planning process! Share this with anyone who might find it useful.

In this highly practical session you will gain an overview of AI tools relevant to those serving on Boards. Through a live demonstration, you'll see firsthand how AI-powered tools can revolutionise your Board operations and enhance the effectiveness of your Board members.

Gain valuable insights and walk away equipped with actionable knowledge, ready to implement these tools immediately after the session.

There seems to be something inherent in the human DNA that has us think, feel and act busy. And we’re now grappling with unfettered activity-on-steroids, with our always-on internet-connected environment, turbo charged by COVID.

This is no more evident than in workplaces – and New Zealand workplaces are no exception. 

Includes: Bonus minute taking guide, and minutes template for attendees.

Are you taking the preparation of your minutes seriously and do you know why you should?

Inquiries into organisational misdeeds and collapses invariably point to the shortcoming in board meeting minutes that might otherwise have explained and justified the decisions directors had taken. That scenario underlines only one of the reasons for the importance of having a thorough record of the board’s deliberations.

Key Takeaways

There are only 11 (or so) opportunities for your board members to come together for their cyclical board meeting in a year. This webinar will help you;

• To see how a strategic agenda can be constructed with ease
• Learn how to keep your board focused 
• Minimise the amount of unnecessary information going to your board

In this podcast, you will learn how to create a concise and coherent strategic board meeting agenda.

It starts with the Board understanding their overall purpose and role within the organisation and then cascading that down through the CEO position and relationship using proactive and practical methods to ensure organisation success.

Learn from Lisa Cook, Simon Telfer and Lynda Carroll how to build a powerful working relationship with your CEO. Understand where it can go wrong and the seven things that every board can do to get it right.

Download the webinar white paper here

In this interactive webinar, Dr Dean Blomson and our expert panel will discuss the following issues:

• Important themes coming out of recent research and direct experience;
• Why soft skills and self-awareness really matter and why critical challenge is the best defence;
• Key questions to ask, at each major stage, so that destruction of shareholder value does not happen on your watch;
• How boards and management need to become M&A match fit.

Watch the full webinar here or download the webinar presentation slides

Discover the power of benchmarking to evaluate your board's strengths and weaknesses, driving meaningful change. Learn why benchmarking is crucial for interpreting board survey results and how it enhances understanding. Explore key areas of board effectiveness supported by research and how a benchmarked survey can facilitate improvement. Focus on critical aspects to enhance governance, increase impact, add value, and create a lasting legacy.

Download the presentation slides.

Why Listen?

• Better Boards means Better Organisations
• Learn how to pick a good board survey from a bad one
• Find out why benchmarking can make all the difference
• Learn how to use a benchmarked report to drive change on your board
• Get a FREE short benchmarked report of your own board’s effectiveness

Research has shown that hubris is the chief enemy of learning and development of boards and, therefore, of the long-term survival of the organisations of which directors and trustees are custodians. Hubris makes people deaf to learning and threatened by it. If hubristic people hold sway on a board, rational, objective decision-making can be compromised, along with effective risk management.

At this webinar, learn how to eradicate hubris in the boardroom and pave the way for better decision-making, improved risk management, enhanced reputation, and a commitment to continuous growth and innovation by the board.

Download Peter Allens Research Paper

Why Listen?

Hubris is the greatest hindrance to learning and development in the boardroom and, therefore, board effectiveness. In the podcast, you will discover:

• What hubris looks like in the boardroom
• Why the 'fight' to remove hubris is a fight for board effectiveness
• The benefits of shedding hubris
• How to eliminate hubris from the boardroom
  
  

Good governance is an active choice

It starts with us – as individual board members and as a board – to make the time and have the intention to create a system that supports the board and board members towards governance excellence. Effectively shaping the four interdependent pillars of board effectiveness :
1) People,
2) Information Architecture,
3) Structures and Processes,
4) Group Dynamics and Board Culture ,
will help you to achieve and sustain board effectiveness.

Download the topic white paper

Why listen

If you’re ready to take action towards building an effective board, this podcast will help you to:

• Understand what a high performing board is.
• Discover how to take meaningful action towards building a high performing board.
• Learn how the four pillars of board effectiveness help to create and sustain board effectiveness.
• Hear real world case studies on how to apply the four pillars of board effectiveness.

This podcast is best suited best for Board Chairs, Board Members, Committee Chairs, Committee Members across all types of organisations and boards/committees.

Why listen?

Listen to this podcast if you: 

• are on the board, or want to be on the board of a NFP or community group
• want to learn about how to be more effective on that board and make the most impact for your community
• want access to practical tools and templates to make your board work easier

This podcast is aimed at board members of non-profit and community organisations, Chairs, board advisors, Chief Executives and General Managers of non-profit's, those who want to be appointed to boards and anyone interested in the performance of non-profit boards.

Whether you're a business owner, company chair, CEO, board member, company secretary of administrative support, or simply interested in learning more about governance, we believe you'll find this webinar informative and engaging.

Did you know that employees spend a staggering 85% of their time in meetings? Unsurprisingly, this constant interruption to workflow has a detrimental impact on productivity, resulting in inconsistency and unpredictability. Even top executives are dissatisfied with the effectiveness of decision-making processes, with 61% expressing their frustration, especially during meetings.

The negative effects of unproductive meetings are widespread, with executives reporting that more than half of their valuable time is wasted in meetings that fail to contribute effectively to decision-making. However, change is in the air. An insightful survey conducted by McKinsey highlighted that 80% of executives are now considering or have already implemented changes in meeting structures and frequencies to adapt to the evolving work landscape in the wake of the pandemic.

The undeniable truth is that efficient use of meeting time translates into better decision-making. This, in turn, drives key performance indicators (KPIs), shapes future strategies, and paves the way for long-term growth. But how can we maximize the potential of meetings, considering their integral role in our workflows and organizational structures? How can we foster high-value collaboration and optimize the limited time we have?

Join us in this thought-provoking video as we explore actionable techniques and best practices to reclaim your time and transform your meetings into productive powerhouses. Discover innovative approaches to meeting management, effective communication, and decision-making that will revolutionize your team's productivity and drive your organization towards success.

Don't let unproductive meetings hinder your progress any longer. Watch now and unlock the secret to achieving more with fewer meetings!

Download the Webinar presentation

Every director will recognise the feeling of frustration when their board is stuck in a loop of disagreements, unable to make a decision, or struggling to remain focus on the decision rather than the impediments to progress. Few directors have a toolkit of actions they can take to remedy the situation and help the chair to regain the meeting’s momentum.

Learn how to focus the board on the issues rather than the dissent and how to make your meetings meaningful opportunities to share and develop ideas in this online professional forum

Download the Webinar presentation

In today's volatile business world, effective crisis management is crucial for leaders. Our enlightening webinar helps you develop this vital skill, ensuring your organisation's long-term success and reputation. Learn from experienced professionals how to expertly navigate crises, maintain strong communication, and make sound decisions under pressure.

Download the Resource guide

Join Raelene Castle for a cutting-edge webinar that will delve into the world of boardroom technology. Discover how innovations like AI tools, board software, document signing tools, and meeting AI are revolutionising the way board members work together, communicate, and make critical decisions.

Download the Presentation slides

You'll also learn best practices for creating effective board packs, including tips on presentation, content, and timing. Don't miss this opportunity to enhance your skills and improve your organisation's decision-making.

Download the Presentation slides

Download the Presentation slides

Whether you're a business owner, company chair, CEO, board member, company secretary of administrative support, or simply interested in learning more about governance, we believe you'll find this webinar informative and engaging.

Inquiries into organisational misdeeds and collapses invariably point to the shortcoming in board meeting minutes that might otherwise have explained and justified the decisions directors had taken. That scenario underlines only one of the reasons for the importance of having a thorough record of the board’s deliberations.

Download the Presentation slides

Board engagement is a critical aspect of the success of a board. This includes engaging with potential new directors when recruiting, engaging with other board members, engaging with staff and senior executives, engaging with stakeholders to gather perspectives and understanding of the sector, and engaging before and after meetings.

Download the Presentation slides

Board engagement is a critical aspect of the success of a board. This includes engaging with potential new directors when recruiting, engaging with other board members, engaging with staff and senior executives, engaging with stakeholders to gather perspectives and understanding of the sector, and engaging before and after meetings.


Download the Presentation slides

We expect board members to show up, but what we get are humans

Working with this fact, effectively and efficiently integrating, activating, and motivating your board members becomes much easier through the use of people-first principles and a purpose-focused board. This webinar will walk you through smart and practical techniques that all boards can introduce to create an engaged, empowered, and energised board.


Download the Presentation slides

Why attend?

Every board has the opportunity to leverage its inherent potential by attending this webinar. Specifically, this webinar will help you:

• Develop strategies to integrate and onboard new board members to deliver value fast
• Understand how to activate board members and ensure they are working on the right things at the right time
• Learn how to tap into board members’ motivations to sustain their board participation

The success of your CEO comes down to having a solid connection between the board and the CEO. But how does a board do that while avoiding the common mistakes that destroy this critical relationship?

It starts with the Board understanding their overall purpose and role within the organisation and then cascading that down through the CEO position and relationship using proactive and practical methods to ensure organizational success.

Download the Presentation slides

Engagement practice continues to professionalise in our Australasian context. It has emerged from the fields of public participation and project management and is becoming increasingly valued. It integrates with aligned fields including communications, public relations, marketing, planning and evaluation. Due to significant drivers of change over recent years, many organisations are facing an increasing need to collaborate. This includes partnering, alliancing and co-governance approaches. Having a quality engagement approach produces clear benefits for organisations and communities. It is one of the best risk management mitigations you can apply to both external and internal organisational engagement. 

Download the Presentation slides

It's the blueprint for building your organisation in any given year. You wouldn’t build a house without architectural drawings. Unfortunately, many SME/NFP CEO’s run their organisation's with only a sketch of what they are building.

This webinar is aimed at CEOs of commercial and not for profit organisations with revenues between $2M and $40M and a functioning management/leadership team (i.e. 3+ managers) who don’t have a strong track record of strategic and operational planning

Download the Presentation slides

Download the Presentation Slides. 

It starts with us – as individual board members and as a board – to make the time and have the intention to create a system that supports the board and board members towards governance excellence. Effectively shaping the four interdependent pillars of board effectiveness :
1) People,
2) Information Architecture,
3) Structures and Processes,
4) Group Dynamics and Board Culture ,
will help you to achieve and sustain board effectiveness.

What you'll learn;

If you’re ready to take action towards building an effective board, this webinar will help you to:

• Understand what a high performing board is.
• Discover how to take meaningful action towards building a high performing board.
• Learn how the four pillars of board effectiveness help to create and sustain board effectiveness.
• Hear real world case studies on how to apply the four pillars of board effectiveness.

The concept of the 'Future Director' is a destination for all directors – regardless of age or tenure, aspiring or experienced – to become the relevant modern board members the world needs now, as well as into the future. They are fit for purpose, which at a basic level means being a leader who is self-aware and highly effective at creating the conditions for good decision-making and stewardship.

Download the topic whitepaper

Know where the risks are in your organisation

Internal controls are limited by a number of factors including the very payment systems used to make payments themselves. Understanding that these limitations exist is an important part of governance and will help inform board members in understanding where risks exist in their organisation.


Download the topic whitepaper

• Where should a Board start?
• How do we know what culture we require as a Board?
• What culture do we currently have, and what needs to change
• How should a Board monitor and measure culture and cultural change?
• How does the Board sustain a focus on culture over time?

Learn how;

• To gain clarity on how to clearly articulate the required culture
• To understand the boards role in ensuring the appropriate culture throughout the organisation 
• The board can appropriately monitor and measure culture through the organisation
• To deal with major organisational culture when it goes horribly wrong

The success of any organisation, including NonProfits (NFPs) will be dependent on the quality of its leadership. This starts at the board level, given that it is the board that is responsible for setting the tone of the organisation’s culture.

Download topic whitepaper

Do your meetings tend to get unfocussed or off-track, or are they a sound use of time, focusing on strategic items that move your organisation forward?

Provide your directors with clarity on what they should do with each paper, and reduce the amount of time wasted on ineffectual discussions.

Download the topic whitepaper

Download Understanding Board Dynamics Presentation

A key factor in building positive board dynamics

We have all been on those boards where there is a person who just seems to disrupt the flow, sees the world differently or consistently seeks out opportunities for conflict. How we respond to these situations is a key factor in building positive board dynamics. While a skilled Chair helps, every board member has a responsibility for the success of the meeting and the quality of the decisions made. Learn about the key ingredients of effective board dynamics and how these contribute to high quality decision-making. 

For various reasons, the quality of the minutes and the protection of their integrity, once approved and signed off, are treated with considerable gravity. Boards should pay closer attention to both the recording and approval of their minutes than is often the case.

Download the topic whitepaper

Why? Because there are many pitfalls to avoid and it can get tricky. CEOs who are pressed for time often assume that everything the board members need can be found in the team’s documents. 

It’s also not uncommon for CEOs to believe that it’s frustrating for directors to read a document that duplicates what has already been laid out in the board pack. For these reasons, CEOs don’t always think it’s necessary to write a report. 

They think they can just verbally say what they need or provide bullet points. However, that’s not enough. When CEO reports are done well, they provide chief executives with opportunities for reflection and it allows them to tap into the expertise because it answers many questions. 

For one, CEO reports give board members insight into what’s on the CEOs’ mind, which is something the board needs to be truly effective and benefit the organisation as much as possible. 

Imagine if...

• All the Directors who undertook your Board induction were confident and prepared at their first meeting.
• Each of your new Directors was asking the right questions, reading and participating in all Board papers and discussions.
• All new Directors were enthusiastic about their tenure, and brought fresh insights to the table, even if they are volunteers with little to no formal experience.

Download the topic whitepaper

In many instances, Board schedules are treated as an agreed set of dates that the Board will meet, with little or no thought given to the larger strategic issue of the specific focus for each of those Board meetings. As the most important tool of the Board, meeting cycles require more advance planning and alignment with the strategic, risk, governance and operational requirements of the organisation. The role of Board committees also needs to be reviewed and integrated into the Board meeting cycle. Gone are the days when Board committees met just prior to the Board meeting, as it was convenient for all concerned. 

The organisations we govern have responsibilities that require round the clock decision making. Boards can only make decisions when they convene formally for board meetings.

Do we expect our staff to sit around waiting for us to turn up to make everyday kinds of decisions? Of course not, and so, we have to delegate authority to them to act on our behalf when the board is not in session.

When we delegate to our chief executive, do we give them a blank cheque to make whatever choices take their fancy? No, we don’t do that either! We give ‘policy’ guidance which fully realised is a very effective and necessary form of ‘remote control device’ but far too often neglected by boards of all kinds.

Diversity of Thought adds value when facing complexity. Boards should therefore aspire to a higher level of Diversity of Thought than other organisational groups. This requires boards to consider their composition based on Diversity of Thought, alongside the typical skills, experience and representative diversity 

A fit-for-purpose startup board provides a great platform for supercharging your growth – but early stage boards can be scary for founders and directors.

Join us to discover how experienced startup directors operate, and what you should be looking for when you form your company’s first board. We’ll talk through the value of having a board early on, and where that board should focus its time and attention to support the business. 

The best strategy is one where there is a fearless discussion with directors and senior executives about what's not working and what we have missed. 

Join us for insights on to how to use each Board meeting as a mini-review of the strategic plan and strengthen the strategic focus of the Board (and possibly making your Board meetings shorter).

And techniques for an annual review (also short and focused with the Board and senior executive) which can be both an opportunity to reflect on the strategies, and a great induction opportunity for new Directors.

Strategy is about having a clear focus on the future you are trying to create, being aware of different future possibilities, understanding the current environment, analysing what this means to your organisation, and then choosing what needs to be done based on this analysis, in advance of needing to act.

You don’t want to be nine pages in and still wondering if the new marketing program is delivering results. Nor do you want to be forced to search old minutes for the performance targets you agreed to. Unfortunately, with poorly structured and unfocused CEO reports this sort of scenario is all too common. It’s frustrating!!

Wouldn’t it be great if the first pages of the CEO’s report provided a concise summary of the business’ performance and needs, then it clearly outlined the key areas you need to prepare for? It would certainly reduce some of your frustrations and make things easier going to the next meeting.

Good news for SME’s and Nonprofits! Producing a CEO Report that delights the board, is very achievable, with a few key principles you will learn from this podcast.