Tools & templates

You may have heard the famous quote, “give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe,” supposedly by Abraham Lincoln.  It highlights the importance of planning and preparation in order to do the job effectively. And that is the case with an annual operating plan in business. It is a document that, when prepared correctly, will create the framework your business needs to achieve its goals.  This article helps you create the document, providing an annual operating plan template on which to base yours.  What is an Annual Operating Plan...

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...