Tools & template

A board member agreement is an internal document that clarifies the obligations, roles and responsibilities of board members, as well as their rights and the company’s expectations of them. It also formalises the agreement of the director to abide by these requirements.  Why is a board member agreement important? The aim of this document is to encourage effective service across the board, maintain focus on the aims and objectives of the company and protect directors and the organisation in the event of any legal issues.  Having a robust board member agreement for each individual on the board is an important […]

Webinar SummaryDavid Allen, author of Getting Things Done, provided valuable insights into improving productivity and organisation. Allen shared his GTD methodology, which focuses on capturing, clarifying, organising, reviewing and engaging with commitments and tasks. The webinar highlighted that the brain is not designed to hold an unlimited amount of information, necessitating the offloading of tasks and reminders into an external system.  By implementing this methodology, individuals can achieve a clearer and more focused mindset, leading to increased productivity and effectiveness in meetings and daily work.  Key highlights: This article takes readers through the key points covered in the webinar and […]

The onboarding process is essential to engage new starters, whether they are coming into an entry-level position or joining the board of directors. The Brandon Hall Group found that a robust onboarding process leads to increased retention by 82%. When you appoint a new director, you need them to hit the ground running and be committed for the duration of their term. And a board orientation checklist plays a key role in onboarding new directors effectively.  In this article, you will discover more reasons why board orientation is important, what the checklist is and how to create a document that […]

Whether you’re a chairperson or a company secretary, the chairperson’s report is an important part of this leadership role. For the purpose of this article, a chairperson may also be referred to as a president or chair – generally speaking, we’re referring to the presiding officer of your organisation, board, committee or assembly. But what are the rules, regulations and expectations behind writing a chairperson’s report? Does it have to be written by the chairperson themselves? What are the reporting requirements? How often should one be written? Let’s take a look at everything you need to know about preparing a […]

An executive director (ED) is a board position within a corporation or non-profit organisation that’s also an employee within the business itself. Executive directors hold immense responsibility and are part of the inner operations of the business – the title is interchangeable with chief executive officer, or CEO.  The CEO is involved in the day-to-day running of the business. They have their own KPIs and targets to hit as part of their role and are paid a salary – their remuneration package may also include commission or performance-related bonuses. The functions of an executive director differ from non-executive directors. The […]

Meetings can be busy and, with so many discussions and topics to cover, it’s easy for quick actions and verbal agreements made during the meeting to be forgotten. But this can affect productivity and waste precious resources, such as time, effort and energy. Board meetings held in this way may mean that research and projects take longer to complete. This is often due to missed deadlines or miscommunication from either side. If the action’s notes and due dates aren’t clear, it’s not possible to follow up or chase on these items. So, how can we, as directors and secretaries, prevent […]

Whether you’re a brand new director or filling a position in a new business, there are plenty of roles and responsibilities to get to grips with. Even with the best succession planning possible, filling a previous board member’s shoes can feel overwhelming and daunting.  In essence, each board member and the board of directors as a whole have a range of fiduciary duties (or legal duties) to fill. The primary role of a board is to push a business toward its goals. Having these duties outlined and agreed upon helps ensure that members act with the best interests of the […]