Board Management

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...

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...

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...

The annual planning process is essential for a company to be able to meet its goals. There is pressure from key stakeholders to deliver short-term wins, but the Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance warns that this shouldn’t be at the expense of working towards the bigger picture.  In an article by Martin Lipton of law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, he remarks that directors are uniquely placed to extract the benefits of annual planning. He says: “Boards are empowered to help shape the longer-term direction of the business and should guide management to see around corners, balance...

A diverse board helps companies find innovative solutions to complex problems. Traditionally, directors have been largely been in the same age demographic group. This means that they often bring similar experiences and insights to the boardroom, leading to a narrow scope when it comes to decision-making. By bringing diverse perspectives to the table, you present a challenge to the orthodoxy and uncover new strategic options.  Thankfully, boards are becoming more diverse. In some cases, this is being led by mandatory quota legislation. For example, Belgium and the Netherlands require 33% of board members to be women, with that figure standing...

iBabs’ State of Meeting Management 2024 report provides fascinating and insightful meeting productivity statistics from a survey of more than 2,000 respondents. The participants comprised stakeholders with a range of roles in meetings at organisations including corporate giants, government bodies, non-profits and healthcare providers. Key findings The goal was to produce business meeting statistics that offer a complete view of the meeting landscape, focusing on both the qualitative and quantitative aspects of meeting management. We explored every stage of the meeting lifecycle, from preparation to execution and follow-up, ensuring our data was robust and reflective of current trends and challenges. ...

KPMG refers to board engagement as “perhaps the top challenge for boards today,” stating that “devoting quality time to strategy and thinking about the future have never been more challenging or important as technology, innovation, and other forces disrupt and undermine business models and strategic assumptions with startling speed and impact.” In order to keep directors engaged, it is important to create a corporate culture that prizes hard work and accountability. As Austrian-American business consultant Peter Drucker said “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” And, to create a culture that allows the business to flourish in a positive manner, high-performing boards...

Determining the optimal board size for an organisation is a delicate balance. Companies must consider the requirements that they have of directors, in terms of the range of skills and experience they offer, with the effect that larger boards will have on boardroom dynamics.  Small boards may lack the dissenting voices that are required for rigorous decision-making, but a large board may also be far from optimal. A study by Dirk Jenter, Thomas Schmid, Daniel Urban for the London School of Economics found that, for German firms that are subject to board size requirements, having “excessively large” boards can reduce...