Join Claire Braund (Founder of Women on Boards and CEO of Women on Boards in Australia) and Fiona Hathorn (Founder and CEO of Women on Boards in the UK) when they get together to reflect how things have changed in the world of the boardroom since they first talked about launching in the UK back in 2012. 

Join Claire Braund, founder of Women on Boards and CEO of Women on Boards in Australia, and Fiona Hathorn, founder and CEO of Women on Boards in the UK when they talk about how to approach writing a Board CV. They also share some of their tips on what to consider when applying for board roles. 

Be motivated by Celia Pronto's story as she talks with Rachel Tranter about her route to the boardroom. With expertise in marketing, consumer and digital within the retail, travel, hospitality and technology sectors, Celia provides us with some great insight into how she has succeeded and as a result how you might go about achieving your boardroom aspirations. 

All You Could Possibly Need To Know About The Future

In this latest episode of Boardroom Hustle, Paul Smith talks to Dr. Fern Evitt, a highly esteemed strategist, expert innovation specialist, futurist, business improvement consultant, start-up advocate and a Ph.D. in open innovation. Dr. Evitt has extensive experience in tech, collaboration, transformation management, and leading companies into the future with the best possible outcomes.

Dr. Evitt is a fascinating guest due to her naturally futuristic perspective on life and business, and if you've ever found yourself wondering what it is a futurist actually does, then this podcast is for you. Dr. Evitt discusses futurism, social scientists, the importance of long-term viewing, a disrupted board dynamic and how to build knowledge and awareness around the future.

They also touch on things like:

• The difference between Applied Futurism and Predictive Futurism
• How far forward should a board focus to get the best results?
• How to futureproof your boardroom
• What to do when you come across someone who refuses to accept change
• Technology's impact on companies, their mechanics, responsibilities, and roles
• The perils of 'short-termism'
• Negative narratives around futurism, and why it isn't all dystopia and evil robots
• Receptive ways of teaching, and how Dr Evitt incorporates them into her work
• How institutions can build better trust with all stakeholders

Links:

Future Directors Website: https://futuredirectors.com/

Paul Smith LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/futurepaulsmith/

Anna Byrne LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-byrne-13901262/

Dr. Fern Evitt LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-fern-evitt/

Welcome to the final instalment of Boardroom Hustle for 2018! Our guest this episode brings such motivation and positivity that it's truly the perfect way to end the year; esteemed board director and entrepreneur, Cassandra Kelly.

Cassandra is a very highly experienced international board director, acknowledged by the US Directors & Boards journal as a director to watch, listed in the Top 10 Chairpersons of Australia, and noted as one of Australia's most influential business woman.

Cassandra has a zest for life that inspires awe in just about everyone. She's a champion for equality and diversity, aiming to bring humanity back to leadership in a time where it's severely lacking. Fearless in doing what she feels is right and brave in standing up for what she believes in, Cassandra shares a wealth of intelligent insight with us in an episode so full of quotable material it's been hard to pick just a few.

Discussing subjects such as how to bring fun and humanity back to the boardroom, improving a lacklustre board, the importance of culture in the boardroom and shifting gears to drive faster towards diversity, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

They also touch on topics like:

• How the role of a director has evolved over time
• Should the board pack be redesigned? In what ways could that be done?
• Why board roles are no longer a comfy resting place for the C-Suite
• The importance of cultivating an inspiring culture within the boardroom, and creating a knock-on effect that inspires the entire company too
• Simple tactics Cassandra employs in order to bring humanness to the forefront of boards
• Observations towards how board dynamics are shifting, the glacial pace in which this shift is occurring, and effective ways you can speed up the change
• How to bring out the best in your colleagues, and why it's so important to do so
• Changing the entire feel of the boardroom by simply choosing hugs over handshakes
• Clever advice for start-ups regarding governance, compliance, and the things they should be focusing on
• The important aspects that should be embedded in the DNA of any business, that many people often simply forget about
• Three things you need to start encouraging within your boardroom that will increase your performance tenfold (and they’re super easy, too!)

Links:

Future Directors Website: https://futuredirectors.com/

Paul Smith LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/futurepaulsmith/

Anna Byrne LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-byrne-13901262/

Cassandra Kelly LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassandrakelly/

Cassandra Kelly Website: http://www.cassandrakelly.com/

On the latest episode of Boardroom Hustle, co-hosts Paul Smith and Anna Byrne talk to Brian Stafford, the CEO and President of Diligent Corporation, whose company provides governance management software to almost half a million users and organisations worldwide, making it the largest in the world. Diligent is a portal that allows simple, functional cloud management with security, allowing boards to mitigate risk while enabling effective governance in a way that’s easy, yet empowering.

Paul and Anna talk to Brian about a wide range of topics, including the increasingly demands on board directors, the need for more technology knowledge in the boardroom, the driving motivation behind why people seek out directorships in the first place, and how that motivation changes over the years. Furthermore, they answer a common question so many novice board directors have; what’s the best time to speak up as a new board member?

If you’re wondering how to use technology to advance your board, or how to be seen and heard as a first-time board director, then listen to this episode, where you’ll also find the answers to other burning questions like:

• What are the benefits of having new directors who don’t have any prior boardroom experience?
• At what point in your board career should you feel comfortable speaking up in meetings?
• What’s the biggest hurdle new directors are most likely to come across, and how can they overcome it?
• What is the one thing many boards know they need to improve on?
• What trends are being seen in the ways boards communicate?
• How can you use technology in a way that keeps your board data and information secure and safe?
• Is there a ‘right number’ of boards you should sit on? At what point are you sitting on too many, and in what ways can that impact your effectiveness as a director?
• What are some of the things Brian is excited about regarding future technology in the boardroom?

Links:

Future Directors Website: https://futuredirectors.com/

Paul Smith LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/futurepaulsmith/

Anna Byrne LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-byrne-13901262/

Brian Stafford LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-stafford-048aba1/

Diligent Corporation: https://diligent.com/

Some of the brightest minds in the boardroom feel out of their depth when it comes to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) topics, but few readily admit to it. That’s why unique individuals like our latest podcast guest, Crystal Dilworth, are essential.

Dr Crystal Dilworth is a science communicator, presenter and business consultant, recognised worldwide for her work in translating very complex technical jargon that comes with STEM industries into simplified language that just about anyone can understand. Her wildly successful TEDxYouth talk, “The Myth of the Scientist”, TV and movie roles have seen her excel in an industry that has long seemed mysterious and enigmatic. She’s interviewed some of our most famous STEM celebrities, including Elon Musk.

Now, she gets to be on the other side of the mic.

Through Crystal’s work, she is able to facilitate dialogue, build consensus and create understanding around the science side of business, removing that mystery. Breaking down barriers is her forte, and she has a knack for making science enjoyable all. This ability comes at a time when science and technology are infiltrating all aspects of our lives, and having even a very general understanding of them is imperative to progress.

Do you want to know how you can better understand and appreciate science and technology? Listen to this episode.

Co-hosts Paul Smith and Anna Byrne also quiz Crystal on things like:

• The communication problems most often seen in boardrooms
• How and why these problems occur, and what we can do to diminish them
• How information can so often be misconstrued
• The lack of any deliberate structure around how professionals in business communicate with one another, and why this creates new difficulties
• What are the more imaginative ways we can teach new information in boardrooms?
• When does communication become exclusive in the boardroom?
• How your board can enhance communication skills and take them to the next level
• The benefits of better communication
• How generational gaps can create communication errors
• Crystal’s tips and recommendations for anyone struggling to become more literate with STEM concepts

Links:

Future Directors Website: https://futuredirectors.com/

Paul Smith LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/futurepaulsmith/

Anna Byrne LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-byrne-13901262/

Crystal Dilworth Twitter: https://twitter.com/PolycrystalhD?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Crystal Dilworth LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/crystal-dilworth-phd-4405659b/