Board Shorts Podcast

In an era of rapid technological advancements, shifting regulatory landscapes, and evolving stakeholder expectations, traditional governance models may no longer suffice. It's time to rethink our approach and ensure that our governance practices are aligned with our organisation's unique needs and strategic goals. My guest today is Dr Dean Blomson. Dean is a highly experienced strategy and transformation advisor, having previously served as a consulting partner with several global consulting firms. He has a strong interest in improving decision quality (and the probabilities of success), having been involved in leadership and governance over major capital commitments (M&A, capital projects, transformations), program disciplines and delivery. Dean has a PhD in board governance of mergers and acquisitions, operates his own independent strategic advisory business, is a board director, and a part-time professor and regular teacher of executive MBAs. Our conversation in this episode centres around the findings of a collaborative, thought-provoking research project in 2021 that Dean led and co-authored with EY’s Global Centre for Board Matters into Board Governance Models of the Future. Specifically, we'll delve into the following questions: What is fit-for-purpose governance? How does it differ from the often adopted "governance by default"? What factors make governance "fit for purpose" or not? What are the key attributes of effective governance? How can we identify the signs that our governance practices are outdated or ineffective? What are the warning signals that should prompt us to take action? How can boards and organisations evolve their governance practices to be more fit for purpose? What are the best practices and strategies to adopt? What are the common pitfalls to avoid when modernizing governance? How can we navigate the challenges and ensure a successful transition?   By the end of this episode, you'll have a clear understanding of fit-for-purpose governance and be equipped to assess your Board's current practices. Join us as we explore how to build a strong foundation for long-term success. Links Mentioned and Useful Resources Connect with Dean on LinkedIn EY’s Global Centre for Board Matters into Board Governance Models of the Future Thinking outside the governance box to the board of the future: Exploring “fit-for-future-purpose” governance operating models (Corporate Board: Role, Duties & Composition, Volume 17, Issue 2, 2021, Virtus Press) Risk Governance & Control: Financial Markets & Institutions / Volume 13, Issue 3, 2023, Virtus Press For an overview of Dean’s fit-for-purpose governance model, I recommend watching the following webinars and downloading the slide resources. Does governance need a reboot? Governance 4.0? How to determine if your governance is fit for purpose How to think differently about whole of business governance   Thanks to our sponsor BoardPro Visit boardpro.com/boardshorts and use the promo code boardshorts – all one word, lowercase – to get a 30-day free trial AND 20% off the price of your first year on any plan.

As an aspiring board director looking to start or elevate your career, it’s critical for you to understand your Unique Value Proposition (UVP). It is the key to unlocking your potential and securing a coveted board seat. In this episode, I break down the essential ingredients that make up a compelling UVP by examining seven key categories, including: Professional Expertise and Accomplishments Career Experience Network and Connections Board Experience Personal and Lived Experience Wealth Passions and Interests I’ll help you to understand how to identify your unique strengths and tailor your UVP to resonate with specific boards. Remember, your UVP is a dynamic tool that can be adapted to different opportunities. By clearly articulating your value, you can position yourself as a valuable asset to any boardroom. Useful Links Developing your UVP [article] Demonstrating Your UVP [article] Mastering your UVP with Joanna Bloor [podcast]

In this episode, I dive deep into my preparation for a Board interview that landed me a coveted spot on the Stroke Foundation Board. From extensive research and note-taking to crafting a compelling story, I share my step-by-step process for securing Boardroom success. Here are the highlights: Preparation is Key: Conduct thorough research on the organisation, its Board members, and the specific role you're applying for. Create a detailed preparation pack, including notes on selection criteria, questions to ask, and relevant information. Use resources like the organisation's website, annual reports, and social media to gather information.   Tailor Your Application: Align your resume and cover letter with the specific requirements outlined in the candidate information pack. Highlight your relevant experiences and skills, emphasizing how they align with the organisation's goals. Use the language from the candidate information pack to demonstrate your understanding of the organisation.   Interview Tips: Prepare for a variety of questions, including those related to your experience, skills, and understanding of the organisation. Practice your answers and be prepared to provide specific examples. Be confident and articulate your value proposition. Ask thoughtful questions to demonstrate your interest and engagement.   Additional Tips: Consider the questions the panel members might ask and prepare accordingly. Be prepared to share information about yourself beyond your professional experience. Rely on your existing knowledge and experiences to guide your responses.

Are you tired of applying for Board positions without success? In this episode, I delve into the common reasons why you may be struggling to secure a board role and provide practical solutions to overcome these challenges. Key Takeaways: Personal Missteps: Understand the common mistakes people make in their Board applications, interviews, and positioning. External Factors: Learn about the uncontrollable circumstances that can impact your Board journey, such as timing and competition. Actionable Strategies: Discover effective strategies to improve your chances of landing Board roles, including tailoring your applications, networking effectively, and understanding Board dynamics. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting your Board journey, this episode offers valuable insights to help you achieve your Board goals. Links Mentioned in this Episode Sphere of Control, Influence, Concern  Weak/Generic ApplicationHow to make your Board Resume Boardroom-Worthy | Ep. 94 Wrong PositioningDeveloping your Unique Value Proposition  Demonstrating your Unique Value Proposition Wrong BoardSetting and Calibrating your Board Goals | Ep. 49How to Set a Board Goal Flunked InterviewHow to Prepare for a Board Interview Questions to Ask at a Board Interview

Are you ready to unlock your board career potential? The time is now. Too often, aspiring board members get stuck in the 'getting started' phase. In this episode, I’m breaking down the barriers and providing actionable steps to launch your board journey. Three steps to starting your Board career: Understand the Commitment: Before joining a board, be clear about the responsibilities, time commitment, and personal risks involved. Know the legal and ethical obligations and if you're comfortable with the interpersonal dynamics of board work. Set a Board Goal: Determine the type of board you want to join based on your experience, skills, and aspirations. Don't overthink this step, but focus on setting a direction for your board search. Define Your Unique Value Proposition (UVP): Clearly articulate the value you can bring to a board. This will help you stand out as a competitive candidate and attract suitable opportunities. Useful and Mentioned Links Know what you’re getting into Setting your Board Goal Getting clear on your Unique Value Proposition Course: Break into the Boardroom  

Are you tired of falling short in your Board applications? If you’re aspiring to join a Board but struggling to stand out in the competitive landscape, this episode is for you. In this episode, I dive deep into the art of crafting a Board Resume that truly impresses. Discover simple yet effective strategies to make your application shine among a sea of candidates. What I cover: Three questions to ask before writing your Board Resume. Two things everyone needs for a Board Resume that opens doors. The problems with Board Resume that’s stopping you from getting you onto a Board. What to do once you have a standout Board Resume. Two tips to ensure your resume actually gets written!   Links Mentioned in this Episode Board Talk Facebook Community Understanding your Unique Value Proposition [article] Setting and Calibrating your Board Goals [podcast] Build Your Board Resume [course]

Delve into some of the proposed changes to the ASX Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations. With a focus on gender balance, diversity, and material ESG risks, I offer a comprehensive analysis of the evolving landscape of corporate governance in Australia. Key Takeaways: Gender Balance and Diversity: The proposed fifth edition introduces measurable objectives for gender diversity on boards, including a minimum of 40% female (or 40% male) representation. While this is a significant step forward, why is there a lack of discussion around a 50/50 gender split and the potential for pushback on ‘soft quotas’ from key stakeholders. Material ESG Risks: The recommendation to disclose material environmental and social risks has been expanded to include governance risks, along with the importance of considering these risks within the broader context of an organisation's business model and strategy. The Balancing Act: The episode explores the ongoing tension between global idealistic evolutions and Australian practicalities in corporate governance as a result of macroeconomic events and stakeholder submissions on the final shape of the principles. This episode provides valuable insights into the current state of corporate governance in Australia and the potential implications of the proposed changes. Listeners will gain a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing boards and organisations as they navigate the evolving landscape – and ‘community expectations’ – of corporate governance. Mentioned Links Find all versions and available submissions of the ASX Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations here: https://www.asx.com.au/about/regulation/asx-corporate-governance-council BoardPro Article: Setting Up, Using, and Leveraging a Board Skills Matrix  Stroke Foundation: FAST

Today we're diving into the world of artificial intelligence and its potential impact on board secretaries.  Joining me is Suzanne Rowe, the founder of Board Support Services, a company that provides governance support to organisations across Australia. With her many years of experience in corporate governance, Suzanne offers a unique perspective on the role of AI in the boardroom. In this episode, we explore the pros and cons of using AI for board secretariat activities. We discuss the importance of understanding what AI can and cannot do, the risks involved, considerations for legal obligations and duties, and the human element that's still essential for accurate board meeting minutes. This episode will provide valuable insights into how approach using AI to streamline your board administration while maintaining high standards of governance. Join the conversation: Share your thoughts on LinkedIn using the hashtag #BoardShortsPodcast. Mentioned Links: LinkedIn – Board Support Services Company Page LinkedIn – Suzanne Rowe

Do you leave writing your board resume to the last minute, rushing to produce something that you’re not quite happy with? GenAI may seem like a helpful solution. But, is it? I used Google’s Gemini to write my Board Resume and in this episode I share what happened. Key Takeaways: GenAI is not a silver bullet: While it can assist in writing board resumes, it cannot fully replace human judgment and expertise. Human input is crucial: GenAI requires specific instructions and context to produce relevant and effective content. Editing is essential: AI-generated text often needs refining to align with personal style and tone. Focus on quality: A well-crafted board resume is more important than a quickly generated one. Overall, I conclude that while GenAI can be a helpful tool, it should be used in conjunction with human effort and understanding to create a strong board resume. Mentioned Links Build Your Board Resume program – enrol before 15 September 2024 Board Resume articles and resources

Giselle McLachlan is someone I have met through my relationship with BoardPro (a Board management software provider). Giselle is an experienced Board Member from New Zealand, having started on Boards as part of her leadership role. From there, she has built a Board portfolio while leading Grounded Governance, a governance training, advice, and education organisation. Her and I share a similar human-centred view of corporate governance; we touch on this a lot in this conversation because it underpins everything that we do as Board Members. In our conversation Giselle also shares: Her interesting and varied Board journey What she loves about Board service and the value the team can bring to organisational success How she built a portfolio career, balancing Board service with the need to earn an income Her analogy of Governance yoga and how discomfort and stretch are necessary Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable How your network will help you build your Board career The challenges that come with a Board role The essential skills of great Board Members (including her handy R3 framework) Powerful questions to ask yourself and your Board The human element in being a high performing Board member and a high functioning Board team And, her down-to-earth advice for aspiring and emerging Board Members, from Board pay to the importance of saying no Connect with Giselle on LinkedIn Grounded Governance   Join the priority waitlist for the new Build Your Board Resume program   Thanks to our sponsor BoardPro Visit boardpro.com/boardshorts and use the promo code boardshorts – all one word, lowercase – to get a 30-day free trial AND 20% off the price of your first year on any plan.

Wellbeing in the workplace is a topic that has been around for a while. But with new positive duties for company directors in Australia, psychosocial safety in the workplace is the latest evolution in workplace health and safety obligations. Board Members are well-aware of their responsibilities to the physical safety of their work force. However, directors now must proactively manage hazards that could create harmful levels of psychological injury. These injuries may include anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and sleep disorders. It will help boards to see these positive duties as an opportunity to embed a strategic workforce wellbeing program; one that moves the needle for employees and for the business bottom line. How an organisation does this is the domain of Dr Clint Strahan, a Partner at Exsona, where they help organisations elevate the human experience at work. Clint has spent his career in consulting and senior leadership roles applying the principles of organisational psychology to help businesses, and the people within them, perform at their best. His PhD research on accountability and employee engagement in Australian mining provided a foundation for effective strategies and interventions designed to develop leadership capability & drive business performance. He led high-performing Talent Acquisition and L&D departments in the insurance industry for 7yrs and brings that internal, real-world perspective to his consulting work with clients. Clint and I discuss Workforce wellness and wellbeing: what it is and what it isn’t. How workforce wellness addresses psychosocial hazards. How to best address poor performance and incentivise high performance. Ways to measure employee wellbeing to understand how your organisation is performing with psychosocial safety and workforce wellbeing. Simple strategies that all organisations (even small organisations) can introduce to leverage psychosocial safety and workforce wellbeing for a tangible ROI. How to create the business case for investment into workplace wellness and wellbeing programs. Experimenting with workplace wellbeing activities to find what works and moves the needle forward. Clint’s views on recent comments about employees literally taking up arms for their early-stage tech company employer. This isn’t a soft and fluffy wellbeing conversation. There’s a lot of valuable information in this conversation; I took a page of notes and made some key points to ask at my next board meeting. Enjoy this conversation with Dr Clint Strahan.  Useful and Mentioned Links For regulatory codes and guides for psychosocial hazards/management, refer to SafeWork Australia and your industry peak body.  Connect with Clint on LinkedIn Clint’s Organisation: Exsona Access the Psychosocial Hazards Checklist 

Creating and sustaining an engaged and motivated group of individuals is critical in any business context. The boardroom is no different.  What is often the case, though and I’ve experienced this first-hand, is we expect board members to show up, but what we get are human beings. Human beings that are very smart, used to being in charge, and leading other humans. But, when placed in the context of the boardroom, lack of board experience, board dynamics, and internal politics influence how well those humans can collaborate and produce valuable outcomes for an organisation. These forces are unique to the boardroom, but not unique across all boards.  It takes a special toolkit to effectively work with and leverage value from the individuals who make up the board of directors while at the same time minimising the impacts of negative board dynamics and politics. It also takes a special leader to utilise this toolkit consistently; preferably proactively, yet sometimes reactively.  Effectively and efficiently integrating, activating, and motivating board members is much easier through the appreciation and use of – what I call – people-first principles and a purpose-focused board. Using this I AM framework, this episode shares smart and practical techniques that all boards can introduce to create and maintain an engaged, empowered, and energised board.  Specifically, I will share: ·      Techniques to integrate and onboard new board members so they deliver value fast. ·      Methods to activate board members and ensure they are working on the right things at the right time. And, ·      Approaches to tap into board members’ motivations to sustain their board participation.   Webinar and WhitePaper Creating and Sustaining a High-Performance Board https://www.boardpro.com/resource-centre/webinars/creating-sustaining-high-performance-boards   Board Induction Resources New board members - the first 100 days: https://www.boardpro.com/resource-centre/webinars/new-board-members-the-first-100-days Conscious Governance TV: https://www.consciousgovernancetv.com/conscious-governance-tv-home

My guest for this instalment of the Boardroom Insider of the Month series is Anna Hurley, Project Manager of the Hurley Hotel Group and Publican of the Marion Hotel. Anna’s day job includes oversight of the Marion Hotel, the construction of the new Hotel Panorama, and overseeing various capital projects and investments across the 9 hotels and various property interests of the Hurley Hotel Group, founded by Anna’s parents almost 50 years ago. As part of the many hats Anna wears, she sits on the board of the South Australian Motor Sport Board, the body that runs motor sport events in South Australia including the flagship event the Vailo Adelaide 500 (which many of us still refer to as “Clipsal”). Anna also sits on the Executive of the Australian Hotels Association's SA Branch, the primary body representing the commercial interests of hoteliers in South Australia. Find out more about the Hurley Hotel Group Conversation Highlights In my conversation with Anna, we discuss her pathway to the boardroom, how she sees her extensive hotel and tourism sector expertise benefitting the Boards she sits on, the advice she is reluctant to give to aspiring and emerging board members, her biggest Board career challenge so far, the value she gets from her board service, the negative aspects of board service that no one talks about, her idea of the essential skills of great board members, and what the future of corporate governance needs to incorporate. Useful Links from this Episode Podcast: Asking Better Questions in the Boardroom with Greg Bustin | Ep. 21 Podcast: Previous Boardroom Insider of the Month Episodes Course: Boardroom Bootcamp

The CEO-Board relationship often persists despite mutual frustration; each doing or not doing things that inevitably get up each other’s noses. This normalisation of Board-CEO tension is helpful to a point; however, it can lead to negative outcomes for the board, organisation, customers, and stakeholders if left unchecked. Issues between the Board and CEO frequently stem from a handful of easily managed root causes. However, these are not ferreted out, examined, worked through, and resolved. This conversation discusses five of the most common root causes of a strained Board-CEO relationship and shares easy actions for a CEO and Board to implement for a thriving relationship to blossom and sustain. For this conversation I am joined by some previous international guests who I invited back to the Board Shorts Podcast, Sabrina Walker Hernandez and Patton McDowell. These guests bring their own experiences as being both CEOs and Board Members, and are currently working with senior leaders and board members in profit-for-purpose organisations (AKA non-profits or not-for-profits), so they are deeply attuned to the topics we cover in this episode.

Investing in governance education is something that all board members and boards will consider multiple times during their Board career. There are so many options available: for individual board members and for boards; and so many other considerations to make: in-person or online, free or paid, formal or informal. In this episode, I hope to equip you with some tools and considerations that you can use when you or your board next invests in governance education.   Links Mentioned in this Episode Boardroom Bootcamp BoardPro Article: How I Keep up to date as a Board Member   Further Reading [article] Most Boards Don’t Budget for Director Development. Here’s what that means for you. [article] How to Choose the Best Director Development Program for You [article] The Value of Informal Director Education [article] The Value of Formal Director Education