Boardroom Productivity

Clear and Effective Board Papers in Six Steps

In a recent webinar on writing effective board papers, Josh Dowse from Clarity Thought Partners and Head of ESG and Sustainability at SenateSHJ, outlined the six fundamental stages of creating and delivering effective board papers. Here are some key discussions from this webinar to assist you with the preparation of your board papers. Writing effective (and welcome) board papers is a challenge. Breaking it down into these six steps is the key to clarity and getting the result you want.

Streamlining the Work of the Board

Most of the directors on not-for-profit (NFP) boards are unpaid. Many have full-time jobs, other directorships and family obligations. Putting the time they donate to good use is respectful as well as beneficial to the organisation. “Some boards waste a lot of time on management issues so directors must be very clear about their role and where their responsibilities end”, says Sallie Saunders, Principal Consultant with Building Better Boards and an experienced board member.

The Board Portal: An essential part of your boardroom?

The adoption of online board portals is part of a growing trend of embracing e-governance in both non-profit and corporate boardrooms. The expanded use of technology in the boardroom can be very cost-effective, boost efficiency and is a real time-saver for both board members and support staff. It also opens up in-your-own-time opportunities for directors to communicate and collaborate outside of board meetings. This article will hopefully clarify how board portals work, and help you to make a more informed decision about whether your organisation could benefit from a greater use of technology in the boardroom.

How Well Is Your Board Managing its Scarcest Resource?

As a board, the time spent together in meetings is scarce and managing it well is important for your productivity, director engagement and governance effectiveness. You only have a few hours together a month and it is important to use that time well. Even if your meetings run smoothly, attention to how you use time can help your board be more productive and effective. Time is the scarcest resource; if it is not managed, nothing else can be

Mindfulness in the Australian Boardroom – Do Less and Accomplish More!

Mindfulness has made big inroads into the executive space but it’s yet to gain serious traction in the Australian boardroom. That’s not surprising, given the conservative nature of the boardroom. The main reason is that directors are generally unaware of the value proposition, personally and collectively. Meanwhile, offshore, there is a global revolution in process – Mindfulness is being advocated by high profile business leaders and adopted by elite corporate organisations, business schools and medical institutions.

Improving Your Board’s Productivity and Performance with Neuroscience

Productive meetings are central to board effectiveness and Director satisfaction. Productivity in a board context is not just about efficiency. It should also be demonstrated through the value add the board delivers. High-performing boards know that unproductive meetings waste time and money and can adversely impact decision-making. In the non-profit sector, unproductive meetings can drain already limited resources. Common actions boards apply to improve productivity in the boardroom include: streamlining agendas, delegating to committees, prioritising issues and modifying board packs (to name a few).

Is The iPad Invited To Your Board Meeting?

The arrival of the iPad at board meetings is welcomed by many. Its ability to quickly distribute documents, make annotations and generally support meetings in paperless format (usually via a secure board portal) represents undeniable savings in time, money and environmental costs, not to mention the convenience of being able to quickly distribute those last minute additions to the agenda. The iPad even has its own special board meeting application. So why has ANZ banned iPads in board meetings?