| July 2010 enews |
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To be successful, organisations need a combination of effective executive leadership and good governance: that's why I view Board Development as a vital part of our work in strengthening leadership in the cultural sector. Sir John Tusa, Chair, Clore Leadership Programme Welcome! During the past couple of months BoardConnect has been putting together some important plans and activities for the future. They include:
BoardConnect Symposium From 4th to 6th November we will be presenting the BoardConnect Symposium at Brisbane’s South Bank. The Symposium will comprise up to a dozen sessions scheduled from Thursday afternoon to Saturday. (If you don’t live in The BoardConnect Symposium has two themes:
Some of the session topics include:
There will also be a special presentation on the Friday evening, when we are fortunate to have Mr Tim Cox AO as our guest speaker. Tim is Chair of Bell Shakespeare and was a previous Chair of the Australia Major Performing Arts Group. He was also formerly Chair of the Australian Ballet. Following considerable experience in the commercial business world, from engineering companies to running his own public relations firm, Tim has spent many years involved with the arts, and has a passionate commitment to the effective working of arts boards. Tim was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2003 for services to the performing arts. With the exception of Tim Cox’s presentation, all sessions of the Symposium will be presented in the Boardroom of the DKM Group in the Thiess Building (179 Grey St, South Brisbane).
We are delighted that the DKM Group, a new arrival in the South Bank precinct, has agreed to host the Symposium. They share our passion for the arts and understand the very specific needs of Not For Profit businesses. Excellence in Governance Program Since early this year, BoardConnect has been working with two Brisbane-based organisations that put their hands up to participate in the Excellence in Governance program. Brisbane Writers Festival and Qld Poetry Festival have been working with BoardConnect to build Leadership and embed best-practice governance into their organisations, so that the culture of sound board management will stand the test of time and survive the inevitable changes of key personnel, whether from the board or senior staff. BoardConnect is preparing to select another intake of organisations for this invaluable program of up to 12 months' assistance. If you are interested in your organisation optimising the contribution from its board, call BoardConnect (07 3891 2599) to discuss what's required. Expressions of Interest will close on Monday 16th August, with selected organisations advised in September. For more information and an application form, contact us at BoardConnect, ph 3891 2599, or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . BoardConnect piloted in Victoria Since late last year, BoardConnect has been exploring the feasibility of extending the program, firstly to arts organisations beyond Queensland, then possibly to the broader non-profit sector. It is exciting to report that Arts Victoria has now engaged BoardConnect to present a pilot program in Melbourne in the latter part of this year. Eight organisations recommended by Arts Victoria will undertake the Board Diagnostic, followed by consultations with BoardConnect Director, David Fishel. In addition, David will present a season of board development workshops in Melbourne that will be open to the general arts sector. BoardConnect on the Gold Coast Instead of having to make the trek to Brisbane, Gold Coast non-profit organisations will soon have the opportunity to access some board development events on their own home territory. BoardConnect will visit the Gold Coast in late September, offering a program of round-table discussions and workshops that will be of benefit to anyone belonging to a non-profit board or management committee. There is also an opportunity for organisations funded by Arts Queensland to book an in-house consultation with David Fishel to discuss individual board development issues. We are delighted to report that The Arts Centre Gold Coast has agreed to host BoardConnect’s visit. Dates: Monday 27th, Tuesday 28th and possibly Wednesday 29th September. Times to be advised. Contact BoardConnect for more information about topics to be discussed and how to register (Ph 3891 2599, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ). Arts Queensland support for North Queensland Regional Residency Arts Queensland has offered funding support for a second BoardConnect residency in Cairns and Townsville. Plans are in hand for a visit in March/April next year. We will notify all our North Queensland friends of the dates as soon as possible. Meanwhile, if you have any particular issues that you would like us to add to the time-table or any other questions about the visit, please contact us by phone (07 3891 2599) or via email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . We’re looking forward to coming back! Welcome and Farewell
Helpline Don’t forget that if you have a board-related question or an issue that is proving ticklish to resolve, help is at hand! All you need to do is to call the confidential Helpline (ph 07 3891 2599). If we can’t provide the answer ourselves, we will certainly find someone who can. Board Pulse/Diagnostic Board improvement is the next frontier that will make the difference For organisations that are serious about investing in their boards and management committees, BoardConnect offers the opportunity for the board to undertake a confidential audit of its performance and capability. In the commercial world, it is accepted best-practice that board audits should be held at least every two years, preferably every year. Arts and cultural organisations are now beginning to recognise the value of the process for their own boards. Contact BoardConnect if you are interested in finding a way to optimise the support your board can provide for your organisation through this mechanism. It will pay valuable dividends in board efficiency. Twenty Queensland arts organisations have already completed this process through BoardConnect, with feedback such as “…a fab process!” and “It opened up issues for discussion in our board meeting that we had never broached before.” Spring is just around the corner! Meantime, stay connected – from the BoardConnect team:
A Footnote - BDO Fraud Survey Every so often, disturbing stories emerge of misappropriation, embezzlement and other forms of white-collar crime. Accountancy firm BDO undertakes a biennial survey of not-for-profit organisations to test the potential for and awareness of fraud in the non-profit sector. To quote from the BDO Fraud Survey website: “Fraud poses a significant risk to not-for-profit organisations, but this risk can be mitigated by implementing policies and procedures to prevent, detect and respond to fraud. We believe the ongoing research we are undertaking for the sector will help not-for-profit organisations in the fight against fraud.” |
Welcome to Lyn Rowland: BoardConnect is fortunate to be able to tap into the expertise of Lyn Rowland as it goes through the process of planning its next phase of operations. Lyn’s background is in the area of Human Resources, including executive positions in the mining, manufacturing and civil construction sectors. She has worked with local and State Governments in South Australia, Victoria and Queensland. Most recently she was Executive General Manager HR with Queensland Rail, then national General Manager – People with a major Australian mining and civil construction contractor, followed by a year working for an international construction company based in Singapore. Now back in Brisbane, Lyn is generously giving her time and experience to work with BoardConnect as the program shapes its future.
Farewell to Joanna Maunder: It’s sad for us to report that BoardConnect’s administrator Joanna Maunder is moving on. Jo takes up a position as Sponsorship and Philanthropy Co-ordinator at the Brisbane Powerhouse later this month. She will stay with BoardConnect and Positive Solutions two days per week for a few months, so we are not losing her altogether just yet. We wish her all the luck in the world as she launches into the next stage of her career. 
