Have you ever won a sports competition? Then you know that focus is essential in sports. You have to have a goal and go for it. This weekend around 15,000 runners will experience that during the Rotterdam Marathon. Good focus is also essential in meetings. Did you know that the average maximum attention span is only 45 minutes? All the more reason to make speed a top priority, also in meetings! Luckily, when it comes to meetings, we can learn from runners!Methods to optimize the lap times of your meetings: Tip 1: Set a clear course The Netherlands is truly...
'Ask a company secretary': Nicola Reynolds of Turn2Us
There's no better source of advice than an expert in the field.With that philosophy in mind, we interviewed Nicola Reynolds, Board Secretary at Turn2Us, a national charity in the UK that provides financial support to help people who have fallen on hard times get back on track.We talked about what she has learned during her time as a board secretary, how she handles some of the more challenging aspects of the job, and much more. It was great to speak to Nicola because she herself wasn’t aware that “Board Secretary” was a possible career path until she took on the role herself. “I kind...
A board secretary’s guide to writing effective board meeting minutes
Writing minutes for a board meeting is a deceptively difficult and time-consuming task. It is often undervalued, especially by executives. Board meeting minutes capture what was discussed and decided during a meeting, what actions must be taken, who must take them and when. However, minutes are not just an administrative formality, but are in fact a vital aspect of any board meeting. Good minuting is considered as an important and very specific skill for board secretaries. This article provides board secretaries and directors with the best practices regarding developing board meeting minutes. Furthermore, you will be provided with expert insights...
9 tools to help you become a more effective board member
Unlock your true productivity with these 9 tools “Until we can manage time, we can manage nothing else.” ~ Peter Drucker As a board member, you have the responsibility to keep the organisation on the road to success. But that doesn’t mean trying to squeeze more hours in a day to get there. On the contrary. Management quality has been shown to improve dramatically when its leaders are grounded and balanced, instead of overworked and constantly overwhelmed. A good board member is one that: Focuses on results Keeps the big picture in mind Makes the best use of their time Luckily, with the...
How board secretaries can create an effective agenda for board meetings
An agenda is the backbone of any board meeting. It sets the tone, helps prevent board members from getting distracted or off-track and contributes to an effective board meeting. At least, that’s if you have a great board meeting agenda. But a lot of board meetings take place with a not so great agenda. The result? Long meetings, that often go off-track and are nothing close to productive. As a board secretary, you have the responsibility to create an agenda for your board’s meetings that facilitates efficiency. This guide is here to help you. 1: Make the objective clear Every...
How NHS boards can make their operations more effective
Ask yourself: “How do you make sure your organisation is running effectively? To deliver the best healthcare, every part of the organisation needs to run smoothly. And that starts with a healthy board. Your board sets the direction, it makes the important decisions and it keeps the interest of everyone aligned. So when your board is running effectively, it sets the tone and the effectiveness will trickle down to the rest of the organisation. An effective board Being effective means focusing on doing the right things, instead of doing things right. And especially because most boards don’t have that much time...
The dangers of email every NHS board member should know about
A lot of internal communication across board members within NHS organisations happens through email. A medium that has been around for decades. Everyone knows how it works and safety is guaranteed, right? But is email as secure as we think it is? In this article you will learn what the possible dangers of email are and how to protect your board from these threats. NHS reliance on email communications According to Daniel Reynolds, director of communications at NHS Providers, the NHS is too reliant on email for communications. This is worrying, especially because recent cases like the WannaCry attack and other ransomware attacks...
iBabs Joins Euronext: Powering the Future of Efficient Meetings
We're thrilled to share some fantastic news with you: iBabs is now part of the Euronext family! Today, on 10 July 2017, Euronext, a leading pan-European exchange, announced its acquisition of a majority stake in iBabs. This marks a groundbreaking step in our journey to streamline and secure the governance and meeting processes across organisations, big and small. What does this mean for you, our valued customers? Simply put, it's all about taking your meeting experience to the next level. iBabs has always been at the forefront of providing easy-to-use, efficient, and secure board portal solutions. Joining forces with Euronext...
