Episode 20: The Increasing Complexity of the Modern Boardroom

In this episode, Paul takes a backseat to his colleague Aisling Blackmore who recorded this webinar with William Rae and Elaine Crichton from Inspiring Scotland in late 2023. 

(Please note, there were some sound issues during this recording)

Inspiring Scotland is a UK-based charity that identifies and solves problems on a national scale, working together for a Scotland without poverty or disadvantage.

The episode brings together lived experience leadership, models for inclusive decision-making, and stakeholder-focused governance. Prepare to challenge conventional thinking by exploring both personal growth and crucial changes within the boardroom environment to foster inclusivity and safety. 

William is a board director and Chair who brings lived experience of learning disability. Elaine, from Inspiring Scotland, delivers inclusive governance training. 

Here are some links:

• Join Future Directors for FREE
• Follow and Connect with Paul (LinkedIn)
• Connect with Aisling Blackmore (LinkedIn)
• Check out Inspiring Scotland
• Connect with William Rae
• Connect with Elaine Crichton

Can you believe we are four episodes away from the Magic 100?!?

This is a wonderful in-depth chat between two people obsessed with board governance. 

Jess Bulger is a proud Wiradjuri woman from Tumut in NSW, Australia. She is the CEO of the Australian Indigenous Governance Institute and Co-Chair at Outward Bound Australia. She cares deeply about indigenous leadership, capacity building and seeing communities thrive. 

In this wide-ranging conversation between two governance geeks, Paul and Jess cover:

• The importance of language. Is it First Nations, Indigenous, or Aboriginal?
• Is Indigenous Governance singular or does it take many forms?
• What can companies do to engage their indigenous stakeholders better?

Here are some links:

• Join Future Directors for FREE
• Follow and Connect with Paul (LinkedIn)
• Connect with Jess (LinkedIn)
• Check out AIGI (Australian Indigenous Governance Institute) 

Are you looking to build a board of directors from scratch or enhance your existing board composition? If so, then this episode is the one for you. 

This ep features a recent conversation between Paul and special guests, Rosie and Lucy Thomas from Project Rockit. A few years ago, these two sisters worked with Paul to enhance the board composition of their social enterprise. 

The chat dives deep into their thinking, their blindspots, the Future Director's process and how it all came together. We also touch on the lessons learnt and how it's all going in the boardroom. Fascinating stuff!

Here's some links:

• Join Future Directors for FREE
• Follow and Connect with Paul (LinkedIn)
• Check out Project Rockit

As we see big brand companies like Qantas and OpenAI go through what we can safely say from the outside is a bit of a ‘governance crisis’, it has brought up the need to be very clear about what is board leadership and why is it different to other leadership roles.

In another bite-sized episode of Paul by himself (guests are back soon), he will give you a twist on the usual elephantish analogy.

SPOILER ALERT. Elephants are excellent swimmers. 

But, what has this got to do with the Modern Board Leader? You'll have to listen to find out...

In a world of ever-evolving organisational governance, where boards serve as the nerve centre of decision-making and strategy, it is surprising how often the simple question of PURPOSE remains unanswered.

Boards of directors, entrusted with steering companies through complex waters, frequently grapple with their roles, often searching for their true north.

In this short episode, Paul is back to help deconstruct why boards need a unifying force that guides them, in alignment with the company’s values and long-term vision.

In this special episode, we share a recent recording of Paul hosting a live webinar on the subject of AI, its impact on boardrooms, policies, governing and the role of board directors themselves. 

Is it a risk, an opportunity, or (spoiler alert) both?

In this episode, Paul discusses:

• What is AI, Generative AI and what stage are we at?*
• How to develop an AI Governance Policy for your company or organisation...that will keep pace the rapid changes in AI
• How you should (and shouldn't) use AI inside the boardroom 
• What could the future hold for AI Governance?

*Note. This was recorded in late 2023. The world of AI is changing so fast that some facts will be out of date when you listen. Can't be helped :)

On the back of episode 89, we've been looking at another study. This time by Monash University in Australia, which delved deep into board diversity and inclusion.

They interviewed remarkable women from diverse backgrounds, and what they unearthed is a wake-up call for every boardroom across the world.

In this episode, Paul is back to quickly distill the main points of this latest study and what it means for you, your board and for the wider industry. Warning, he has some strong opinions on this one...

Another year, another survey of board directors. Does this one show us anything new?

Earlier this year, the Global Network of Director Institutes released their “The Future of Board Governance” report. The GNDI is a collection of 24 national governance institutes from North and South America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Africa and the Middle East, with combined memberships of 150,000.

In this episode, Paul briefly covers the main findings of the report and the implications for boards and companies. 

In a special episode of the podcast, we take a look at how to navigate the 'Voice to Parliament' Referendum in your boardroom. For our non-Australian listeners, this won't mean much unless you keep up to date with First Nations affairs globally. 

In this webinar (converted to podcast), Paul was joined by author, Uluru Statement from the Heart signatory and Yes23 Spokesperson, Thomas Mayo, and CEO of the Australian Indigenous Governance Insitute, Jessica Bulger. 

They explored this crucial topic, delving into the significance of acknowledging First Nations communities and how (and why) boards can play a role.

Thomas explores the historical struggle for regocognition, whilst Jessica provides an important context and perspective on the principles of effective Indigenous governance.

You'll finally hear a panel discussion featuring Paul, Jessica, Thomas and Future Directors' Head of Programs Aisling Blackmore, talking about how boards can engage, listen, and respond to society and social issues. 

More from Thomas: 
Website: https://www.thomasmayo.com.au/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-mayo-70774378/

More from Jessica:
AIGI Website: https://aigi.org.au/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-bulger-3993925b/

More from Paul: 
Website: https://futuredirectors.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/futurepaulsmith/

More from Aisling: 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/acblackmore/