Get On Board Australia Blog
Information, support, and resources for new and aspiring board members.
Featured Content
Joining a Board
Joining a Board
Break into the boardroom with these tips, resources, and recommendations from experienced board members.
Boardroom Basics
Boardroom Basics
Resources and information to get your head around the many facets of being an effective board member.
Board Member Best Practice
Board Member Best Practice
All about delivering value to your board and organisation, and thriving in the boardroom.
All Posts
What do Shopping Trolleys have to do with Integrity?
Integrity. It’s something that, as board members, we believe that we have, and it’s something
Succeeding and Leveraging a NFP Board Role | Ep. 28
How do you succeed as a not-for-profit board member? How can you effectively leverage
Mastering your Unique Value Proposition with Joanna Bloor | Ep. 27
When you meet someone new, how do you answer the question ‘What do you do?’ It’s a simple
Governing Well in a Human Relations Crisis with Julie Garland McLellan | Ep. 26
There is no shortage of corporate misconduct in the most senior ranks of some of the largest
Board Shorts Podcast: Learning Beyond Learning | Ep. 25
At the beginning of this year – 2020 – I went back to school to study a Master of
The Gift of Struggle with Bobby Herrera | Ep. 24
I’m not sure if you’ve felt it, but I’ve been feeling and noticing this mood or appetite,
Creating & Leveraging Diversity In The Boardroom with Amy Bottoms | Ep. 23
The conversation about board diversity generally starts and stops at gender balance. That’s
How the Best Boards are Leading Through COVID-19 with Julie Garland-McLellan | Ep. 22
We are ALL in the situation where we are learning to lead through a global pandemic and deep
Asking Better Questions in the Boardroom with Greg Bustin | Ep. 21
The key to getting better answers to help solve problems or seize opportunities is to ask
Board Shorts Podcast: The Financial Risks of Being on a Board | Ep. 20
As board members, we open ourselves up to risk – financial and otherwise. But how do you
Board Shorts Podcast: Your First 100 Days | Ep. 19
The first 100 days in any significant leadership position provides a critical point in that
Board Shorts Podcast: A Better Way to Board Succession Planning | Ep. 18
My 10+ years in the boardroom has given me a valuable perspective on board succession planning
Board Shorts Podcast: The Strategic Advantages of Risk and Crisis Management | Ep. 17
In this episode of the Board Shorts podcast I am joined by David Campbell. David is an expert
Board Shorts Podcast: How to Prepare for a Board Interview | Ep. 16
Preparing for a board interview is a little bit like preparing for a professional job
Board Shorts Podcast: How Your Constitution Impacts or Enables Your Board Composition and Recruitment | Ep. 15
This episode of Diary of a Board Member is about a topic that has been on my mind a lot lately
Board Shorts Podcast: Risk and Protection for Board Members | Ep. 14
In this episode of the Board Shorts podcast I am joined by Merlin McCloy from M2M Risk and
How to Improve Your Boardroom Financial Skills
As a board member, you always have one eye turned towards the financials. There is a large
Board Shorts Podcast: NFP vs. Corporate Boards | Ep. 13
This podcast episode is an answer to a question asked by Get on Board Australia community
Your Board Search: Using Board Search Firms
Board search firms support larger organisations and governments to recruit new board members.
Your Board Search: Using Board Registers
Your board search activities will benefit from you taking a multi-faceted approach to finding a
Your Board Search: Demonstrating Your UVP
In my previous article I talked about developing your unique value proposition (UVP) that you
Your Board Search: Developing Your Unique Value Proposition
Much of your board search centres around marketing yourself. Think of yourself as the
Your Board Search: The Importance of Values Alignment
If you’ve ever found yourself in a group of people feeling like you don’t fit in, that they
Board Shorts Podcast: Boardroom Insider of the Month – Liz Savage | Ep. 12
This podcast episode is part of a regular series called Boardroom Insider of the Month. In
Your Summer Board Reading List Sorted
I love using the down time over the summer break to catch up / get a head-start on my reading
When a Board Member Cheats, Everyone Loses
I was watching the cricket the other night as Australia sadly lost *another* match. The [male]
Board Shorts Podcast: Boardroom Insider of the Month – Andrea Slattery | Ep. 11
This episode is part of a regular series on the Board Shorts podcast called Boardroom Insider
Building Your Board Career: How to Select Events to Attend
’Tis the season to be attending many functions. The combination of long days, warm nights, and
Five Things Every Board Member Needs to Know
Hindsight is a wonderful thing. A decade of serving on boards across two states, six
Board Shorts Podcast: Boardroom Insider of the Month – Michelle Pole | Ep. 10
This episode of the Board Shorts Podcast is the first in a new series called Boardroom Insider
On Influence and Conflict in the Boardroom
I was doing some research for another article that I had planned to write and something a
What to do when you think you’re on the wrong board
A colleague of mine gave me a crises call a few weeks ago about a conundrum she was having. She
Board Shorts Podcast: It’s about More than Just Getting on a Board | Ep. 09
There are a lot of places and people urging and helping you to get on to a board. Some,
How to Handle an Underperforming Director
Having a warm body filling a seat at a board table without them returning any value to the
Board Shorts Podcast: Governance Basics for Board Members | Ep. 08
In today’s episode of Diary of a Board Member, I share a topic that has recently come up
Five Essential Questions to Ask in a Board Interview
The questions that you will ask during a board interview will vary based on the board and
You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know
“The more I learn, the more I realise how much I don’t know.” Albert Einstein The things
Board Shorts Podcast: Etiquette in the Boardroom | Ep. 07
Today’s episode is all about Etiquette in the boardroom: why manners always matter, and I’m
The Most Common Board Resume Mistakes
I’ve had the privilege of helping some phenomenal aspiring board members develop a compelling
Board Shorts Podcast: Why Wellbeing needs to be on the Board’s Agenda | Ep. 06
In this episode of the Board Shorts podcast Ruth Morgan shares her expert opinion on why
Board Shorts Podcast: Managing Frustrations in the Boardroom | Ep. 05
Frustrations are a given any time you bring a group of people together to work on something. At
Building Your Core Board Skills
In surveying board recruiters, the feedback they gave was overwhelming – they want to see
A Lesson in Patience
Pursuing a board opportunity is an exciting and nerve-wracking experience, particularly if it’s
The Worst Pieces of Advice I’ve Heard as a Director
It’s a shock and surprise to new board members. The people they end up sharing the boardroom
Five Things to Consider About Your Board Resume Referees
Today’s question comes from a reader via Facebook: “Something that I’m wondering about
Yes, You Do Have Something to Offer a Board
This post has been on my mind for some time now as I feel it addresses an important need for
SANFL Moves to Increase Diversity on Club Boards
SANFL is kicking off a program to improve diversity on SANFL club boards, with a key goal of
Five Things I Wish I Knew Before Joining a Board
We live life forward, and understand it in reverse. Wouldn’t life be so much easier if we did
How to be of Service to your Fellow Board Members
I believe that everyone is a leader. Regardless of whether you wear a specific title or have a
Changing the Face of the Boardroom: Lisa Smith
In this interview series, we take a look at life as a ‘non traditional’ board member and the
Career Choices that help your Board Career
The pathway to the boardroom often seems to be unclear, reserved for a secret network, and
The Value of Formal Director Development
Last week I wrote about the enormous value – and competitive advantage – from
The Value of Informal Director Education
It’s quite easy, as a new or aspiring board member, to get caught in the trap of thinking that
Most Boards don’t Budget for Director Development. Here’s what that means for you.
It’s an unfortunate reality. The people governing and directing organisations are not
You need more than a great board resume to get on a board
Jane has a great board resume. She went the extra mile and invested in getting the help of a
How to Write a Cover Letter for your Board Resume
I was surprised when I surveyed board recruiters (people currently on boards who are tasked
Five Ways to Craft an Impactful Board CV
Writing your board resume can be an overwhelming process. It’s something that, when you’re
Book Review: Simply Said by Jay Sullivan
Let’s face it; most of us can do with improving our communication. Whether it’s written or
Five More Considerations when Networking for a Board Position
I hope you caught last week’s post on five considerations when networking for a board position.
Five Considerations when Networking for a Board Position
Your personal and professional network is where the majority of your board opportunities will
How to Choose a Board to Join
In last week’s post I recommended that you share with your network the type of board and/or
How to Best Use Your Network to Help You Find a Board Position
I’m often contacted by aspiring board members to ‘keep them in mind’ should a board
An MBA and your Board Career
I get a lot of questions from MBA students about what subjects they should do as part of their
Five Things to do Before You Join a Board
As much as I advocate for entering the boardroom before you think you can; I also strongly
How to Know When You’re Board Ready
A board career seems very attractive. From the outside, a board position looks prestigious and
Five Self On-boarding Strategies
A lot has been said about how boards can on-board new board members. With all that has been
Don’t Take it Personally
Hands up if you’ve ever felt personally offended or the ‘victim’ of something someone says to
Book Review: Execution by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan
I’ve set myself the goal of reading three books every two months: one personal growth,
Five Steps to Better Not-For-Profit Director Recruitment
I was recently interviewed by our friends over at AICD for an article on building
How to Choose the Best Director Development Program for You
People often ask me which is the best investment into director development they should be
Five Questions to Ask About Your Board Recruitment
I’ve recently been recruiting new board members for a board and will be presenting to a group
Changing the Face of the Boardroom: Kea Dent
In this interview series, we take a look at life as a ‘non traditional’ board member and the
Fighting Fair in the Boardroom
Far too often, in many aspects of our life, we avoid discomfort like the plague. I believe that
Age Diversity is the New Gender Diversity
Why is it that board members are usually of a certain age (in fact, an average of 62.4
Changing the Face of the Boardroom: Asoka Basnayake
In this interview series, we take a look at life as a ‘non traditional’ board member and the
The Four Things Every Board Member Wants on Their Board
The more I talk to other board members and company directors, the more I learn that there are a
Board Shorts Podcast: Managing Conflict in the Boardroom | Ep. 04
Given that conversations around the board table can get a little heated and some issues can
Changing the Face of the Boardroom: Gemma West
In this interview series, we take a look at life as a ‘non traditional’ board member and the
Bullying in the Boardroom
At what point does a robust conversation become bullying behaviour? I can imagine that it
Three Things to Consider about your Board Resume
I recently surveyed a handful of board recruiters on what they look for from new potential
Business Owner is Boosting Her Boardroom Potential with Boardroom Bootcamp Scholarship
Justine May, owner of talent management organisation for chefs and foodies (Chef’s Ink) and
How to start Building your Personal Board Brand
Do you ever wonder what people think when they hear your name? It crosses my mind often. The
It’s not what you know, it’s who you know
I was given the wise advice this morning that now was the time to be investing in building my
Diversity and Innovation
Imagine an organisation that is facing significant industry change now and into the near
Board Shorts Podcast: Innovation in the Boardroom | Ep. 03
A conversation with special guest Noel Verma, Senior Manager at PwC and Boardroom Bootcamp
Changing the Face of the Boardroom: June Magasu
In this interview series, we take a look at life as a ‘non traditional’ board member and the
Changing the Face of the Boardroom: Anita Keestra
In this interview series, we take a look at life as a ‘non traditional’ board member and the
Five Questions to ask your Board about Innovation
The future may be uncertain, but one certainty is that innovative thinking is needed for any
Changing the Face of the Boardroom: Marie Skrodzki
In this interview series, we take a look at life as a ‘non traditional’ board member and the
Board Members… Innovate Yourself
Over the past couple of months I have written about the need for innovative and entrepreneurial
Infographic: Good Board vs. Bad Board
I’ve had my fair share of good boards and bad boards. It’s an unfortunate reality
Changing the Face of the Boardroom: Vicky Welgraven
In this interview series, we take a look at life as a ‘non traditional’ board member and the
Five Questions to Ask Yourself Before Joining a Board
Being asked to join a board is a wonderful feeling, and a HUGE ego stroke. It’s also really
Bringing Entrepreneurial Thinking into the Boardroom
Recently I wrote a post on Dynamic Business about why entrepreneurial thinking is needed in the
Changing the Face of the Boardroom: The Mr.Perfect Board
In this interview series, we take a look at life as a ‘non traditional’ board member and the
Mining GM Ready to Get on Board with Boardroom Bootcamp Scholarship
Maria Joyce, a general manager with MEC Mining has been announced as the inaugural recipient of
Book Review: King Pin
In a true “Adelaide moment”, I met Sarah Bartholomeusz through a friend of a friend. I was
Changing the Face of the Boardroom: Nicole Nader
Many times I am told by aspiring board members that they feel like they are not qualified for
Board Members are People Too
I’ve had a pretty average start to my board year. However, I’ve now reached a point where I can
Five Questions to ask about your Stakeholder Relations Activity
I recently wrote about the art of using stakeholder relations for improved business outcomes.
The Art of Stakeholder Relations for Better Business Outcomes
Depending on your organisation, stakeholder relations can mean a light touch with a couple of
Board Shorts Podcast: Increasing Board Diversity | Ep. 02
Earlier in March we celebrated International Women’s Day, so there has been a lot of
Performance vs. Philanthropy: Setting Your Priority
I have the pleasure of sitting on the board of an organisation that has two core purposes:
Five Questions to Ask your CEO
The board’s only staff member is the CEO (or equivalent, such as Executive Officer, or General
How to Improve Board Diversity
I recently wrote about my thoughts on board diversity. To follow on from that post, I thought
How to Build Your Self-Awareness in the Boardroom
The more time I spend in the boardroom, the more obvious it becomes about what separates a good
Board Shorts Podcast: Six Steps to Starting Your Board Career | Ep. 01
One of the most commonly asked questions I get is “how do I get on a board”. And it makes
Towards True Board Diversity
For a long time now I have not weighed in on the boardroom diversity debate. I think I have a
Five Questions to Ask About The Financial Reports
Your most important responsibility as a board member is to make sure the organisation is
Selecting a Chair for your Board
One of the most important tasks for a director is selecting a Chair (or President) to lead the
Five Questions to ask About Your Strategy
Strategy is one of the board’s most important areas of responsibility: from setting the way
Six New Year Goals for New and Aspiring Board Members
It’s that time of year again when we begin to reflect on the year that was and cast our minds
Director 101: What to Wear at Your First Board Meeting
When I was preparing for my first ‘proper’ board meeting, I was freaking out over what to wear.
Five Questions to Ask About Your Board Culture
Much like your workplace, the culture of a team environment has a great effect on your –
The Power of Persistence for a Company Director
Over the past few weeks I have asked my husband twice what my next post should be about. Twice
You Don’t Have to be Elite to Get into the Boardroom
If there was an award in my high school for “the person least likely to succeed” I would have
Director 101: How a Board Meeting Works
Before I went to my first board meeting I thought that it was just going to be like any other
How to Know When it’s Time to Quit a Board
The irony that this post is on a website that encourages new and aspiring directors to ‘Get on
Five Must-Know Things About Corporate Governance
If you’ve recently joined a board, or are thinking about doing so in the near future, you’ve
Five Habits Every Board Member Should Develop
As a board member you have to know a little bit about a lot of things. It can be a little
Seven Director Search Techniques that the Best Boards Use
Last week I shared some techniques for boards to maximise the opportunity that an empty board
The Way Most Boards Think About Director Recruitment is Broken
Best practice is a wonderful thing… in theory. How many of us actually practice it though
Building Trust on a Board
Recently I wrote that trust was the number one thing that every board needed to be high
What Boards Will [hopefully] Look Like in 10 Years
Boards are not the first place that comes to mind when you think about how they have changed in
In Focus: Asset Protection for Company Directors
Throughout June we have been sharing articles and resources about asset protection for company
The Number One Thing That Every Board Needs
Over the past couple of months I have been consciously giving some thought to what makes a
What most people don’t know about becoming a company director
Regularly talking with aspiring company directors is one of the best parts of my job. It also
In Focus: Boardroom Diversity
Throughout May we have been sharing articles and resources about diversity in the boardroom. It
Five Common Mistakes Made by Board Members
Let me start by saying, I’m not here to throw stones. I have made these mistakes myself. And I
Ten Steps to Building a Board Portfolio | Part Two
Last week I posted the first five steps that I took to achieve my current board portfolio (you
In Focus: Board CVs
Throughout April we have been sharing articles and resources focused on preparing a board
Ten Steps to Building a Board Portfolio | Part One
Aspiring company directors frequently ask me about what I did to gain my board positions. I’m
Where to Find a Board Position
I’m often asked by aspiring company directors where they can find their first board position. A
In Focus: Social Media in the Boardroom
During March we have been sharing articles and resources focused on the relationship between
Why You’ll Never be Ready to Join a Board
I was recently discussing with a friend about how we felt after we first joined a board.
Social Media in the Boardroom – Notes for Board Members
On Tuesday 22 March a group of new and aspiring company directors came together to hear board
The Benefits of Having Your Staff Join a Board
In this day and age when organisations are flatter and middle-management positions are becoming
The Board Member as CXO
I was sitting at the CFO Symposium in Adelaide earlier this week and one of the sessions really
In Focus: Recruiting and Reviewing Board Members
Throughout November we shared articles and resources focused on finding, recruiting, and
A Little Thanks Goes a Long Way
A board colleague and I recently had a conversation about volunteer directors and the often
Three Mistakes I’ve Made as a Board Member
Mistakes are meant for learning, not repeating. And this is the mantra that I carry around with
In Focus: Information Security and Cyber Security
Over the past month we have shared articles and resources around the board’s role in cyber
The Role of the Director
This post comes from a request from the Get on Board community to share an outline and position
Workplace Health & Safety Notes for Board Members
A group of fledgling board members received a workplace health and safety (WHS) update from
In Focus: Getting Your Voice Heard in the Boardroom
Throughout September we shared articles and resources around personal presence and getting your
An Important Community Message
I don’t usually use this platform for personal reasons. But, as I often say, some rules are
In Focus: Succession Planning
Throughout August we have been sharing articles and resources around succession planning –
Personal Presence in the Boardroom
Organisations run by a Board encounter a mix of personalities, experience and skill-sets when
Q&A with Chair of GBG2, Karen Percival
Karen Percival is Chair of our second Adelaide-based group for new and aspiring company
In Focus: Hiring, Firing, and Paying a CEO
This month we have been taking a deep-dive into hiring, firing, and paying the CEO. A CEO can
Hiring a CEO: how important is industry experience?
Just how much weight should be placed on industry experience when determining a CEO
The Board’s Role in CEO Succession Planning
If the proverbial hit the fan tomorrow, would your organisation be able to continue at all, let
Why You Should Date Your Board
We are often told to make deeper connections with our loved ones through spending quality time
Book Review: Fierce Conversations by Susan Scott
For the longest time I have known about Susan Scott. And for about the same length of time I
Signs That it May be Time to Sell the Business
Knowing the right time to exit a business is often times a more important decision than
In Focus: End of Financial Year
The month of June brings with it the end of financial year – a time of year where many
The Lessons I’ve Learned: Colin Dunsford AM
Learning from the experience of others is one of the powerful learning tools that members use
Finding and Recruiting Board Members
Finding great board or committee members can be a challenge for many organisations. I see this
Self Promotion in the Boardroom
Within boardrooms all around the world you will have no trouble finding plenty of company
In Focus: Strategy and the Board
Throughout May we have be sharing information about strategy and the board. Whilst the board
Five New Financial Year Resolutions that Could Change the Business
What does the board wish for the business this coming financial year? Less uncertainty? More
Surviving your First Board Meeting
I’m sitting here at Adelaide Airport waiting to board a plane to Sydney for my first board
Kate Gould on Gender Equality and How to Get on a Board
Kate presented at our Adelaide information breakfast on Tuesday 5 May about gender equality on
In Focus: Risk Management
Over the past month we have shared a lot of information around risk management on our Twitter
Seven Steps to Prepare for a Board Meeting
Sitting on many boards and committees has given me plenty of meeting preparation practice. I’ve
Developing Boardroom Presence
In my circle of new and aspiring directors, there have been many questions about developing
The Role of the Company Secretary
Even in my short board career, I have recognised that having a competent and efficient company
In Focus: Financial Statements
Knowing how to read and understand financial statements is one of the most important
Board Registers to Join Today
There are a number of organisations that provide a centralised registry for people who are
Role of the Chair
A handful of very public cases bought against company directors have shown us that the Chair of
Your Game Plan for Getting on Board
Today I am sharing some insights from presentation I gave to the South Australian Chartered
Why should I join a board? Part Two: Benefits
Earlier this week I shared a post looking at your intentions behind your desire to become a
Why should I join a board? Part One: Intentions
Joining a board seems to be de rigueur for anyone and everyone at the moment. There are plenty
In Focus: The CEO and Board
For this month’s ‘In Focus’ segment we’ve rounded up content from
Managing a Friendship when you sit on the same Board
A friend of mine (lets call her Jane) recently told me about a situation she is experiencing on
Three TED Talks for New and Aspiring Company Directors
The career advice you probably didn’t get by Susan Colantuono I got tingles when I listened to
The Role of a Board Member
The legal responsibilities and requirements of company directors are essentially laid out in
Book Review: Accountability. The Key to Driving a High-Performance Culture by Greg Bustin
“Lack of accountability is the single greatest obstacle facing even the most experienced
Three reasons to NOT join a board
One of the most important questions aspiring directors must ask themselves is ‘why do I want to
The New Director Toolkit
Remember when before a new school year started you would be given a list of things that you
Director Due Diligence
You may have seen the term ‘due diligence’ peppered around various posts on our blog. And
How to Approach an Organisation about a Board Position
Over the past couple of months we have shared a lot of tips and information around attaining
Director Learning and Development: What is it?
In our last post we shared why continued learning and development was important and necessary
Director Learning and Development: why you and your board need it
Continuous formal learning, training, development, and education are vital activities that all
Preparing your Board Resume
Preparing a traditional cv or resume is something that we are all pretty familiar with.
The Seven Qualities of Great Board Members
Even though I have only spent a relatively short amount of time on boards, I feel that I can
Five tips to Network for a Board Position
The process of finding a board to join is a little like dating: you have to work out the board
The importance of your personal brand as a new or aspiring company director
Having a strong and consistent personal brand is essential for gaining and maintaining a
Three places to start a board career
Landing your first board position can seem elusive. However, there are a number of
Questions to ask at a Board Interview
Recently I shared with you my board interview preparation tips, and promised that I would share
How to Prepare for a Board Interview
This past week I reached mecca for board hopefuls – I was approached to join a board, and have
Q & A with Get on Board Group 1 Chair Nicole Swaine [Part 2]
In this second part of our interview with new Adelaide-based Get on Board group Chair Nicole
Q & A with Get on Board Group 1 Chair Nicole Swaine
We sat down with new Adelaide-based Get on Board group Chair Nicole Swaine to get to know her
The Eight Big Things That Lead to Success
As honest as it is simple, this TED video by Richard St. John delivers to you in just
6 Steps to Kick-Starting your Board Career
So, you’ve graduated from university, notched up a few years of experience in your chosen
Is your board working at the right level?
Do you ever feel bogged down in the nitty-gritty of every tiny detail at board meetings? Does
How to be an Effective Board Member
Being informed and up-to-date about what is happening in your organisation is a minimum
Board of directors, management committee, advisory board, or board committee: Where are you sitting?
On our website we use the term ‘director’ and ‘board member’ to include everyone
I’m a new company director, now what?!
The resolution has been passed and you are now officially a company director (or an advisory