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The Art of Navigating High-Stakes Conversations with Senior Leaders

Insights from governance expert Laura Higgins FCG on effective communication with executives and board members In today's fast-paced business environment, governance professionals face the challenging task of bridging communication between executive teams and boards. Navigating these high-stakes conversations requires skill, preparation and emotional intelligence. Laura Higgins FCG, founder and director of The CoSec Coach, brings over 20 years of experience in governance leadership roles within FTSE100 and FTSE250 organisations to shed light on this critical aspect of governance work. As a respected governance professional and Fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland, Laura has dedicated her career to...

Reclaim Your Time: How Assistants Can Boost Productivity

These insights were shared by Lucy Brazier during the recent iBabs webinar, The Dynamics of Organising Meetings. According to Harvard Business Review, executives spend approximately 23 hours per week in meetings, and unfortunately, half of that time is considered wasted. This sobering statistic highlights an urgent need for organisations to rethink meeting management. Crucially, the power to transform this costly inefficiency lies with one person—the executive assistant. Lucy Brazier OBE, author of the award-winning Modern Day Assistant and CEO of Marcham Publishing, champions the idea that assistants are the ultimate guardians of executive productivity. This article will explore practical insights...

Accessible Governance: Breaking Down Barriers to Strengthen Your Board

This article is based on the "Accessible Governance: How to strengthen your board" webinar, delivered in partnership between NCVO and iBabs. In a climate where 60% of charity boards are currently carrying vacancies, making governance more accessible has never been more crucial. During a recent webinar hosted in partnership with iBabs, Sally Stephens, lead governance consultant at NCVO, shared valuable insights on how organisations can simplify board processes, reduce complexity and empower trustees. Why accessible governance matters Governance is fundamental to leading organisations effectively. As Stephens emphasised, "Without good governance in our organisations, we simply cannot move forward." Yet many...

How to Write Committee Meeting Minutes + Template

In the governance structure of a higher education establishment, committees are essential for feeding into the council and advising on its key responsibilities. To do so, bodies such as the audit and risk committee, strategy and investment committee and ethics and values committee must bring together experts in their field to discuss, debate and make decisions based on the most pressing issues within their remit. They then help the council put in place policies, procedures and strategies to drive the institution forwards.  This requires a robust meeting procedure that begins with a clear and focused agenda, continues through an expertly...

6 Strategies to Increase Clinical Effectiveness and Improve Patient Outcomes

Together with patient safety and experience, clinical effectiveness is an essential element of any healthcare organisation. The ability to turn learning, experience, evidence and research into better outcomes for patients and service users is key to the success of such bodies, but it requires careful planning, innovative thinking and the ability to overcome challenges to meet these goals.  With tight budgets and increased demand on services due to a range of factors, the need to strategise effectively is more important than ever. For example, NHS England has ambitious targets for reducing the time patients spend waiting for treatment. In December...

How to Write a Committee Meeting Agenda + Template

Higher education establishments need a robust system of governance to ensure the smooth running of the organisation, now and into the future. Within this structure, you might find a Council, Senate and executive board, each with their own committees and sub-groups. With each committee charged with overseeing and advising on key areas of the university or college’s operations and strategy, it is essential that meetings are efficient and effective. You need to create the most fertile environment for a productive session that results in decisions and actions that make a tangible positive difference to the place of learning.  Behind every...

Understanding the 7 Pillars of Clinical Governance in Healthcare

Clinical governance is essential for creating a framework in which healthcare organisations can align their efforts to enhance outcomes for patients and service users. It provides a lens through which healthcare boards must view their decision-making to ensure their organisations deliver high-quality care as a matter of course.  However, in order to break down the concept of clinical governance into manageable and actionable elements, there are the 7 pillars of clinical governance on which organisations must focus their efforts. Each of these pillars plays a role in improving patient safety, improving care, maintaining transparency and creating an efficient and effective...

How to Organise an Effective MDT Meeting + Template (NHS)

A multidisciplinary team (MDT) meeting in the NHS is not only a valuable opportunity to develop the best possible quality of care for patients, but also a productive environment in which stakeholders can learn from each other and share expertise. This may include consultants and other specialists who do not have a patient of their own to discuss, but who want to make themselves available to support their colleagues and improve patient outcomes in general.  The outcomes of an MDT meeting are literally a matter of life and death, which is why NHS entities need to ensure they run as...

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