Future Directors Podcast

This is part 2 of Paul's fascinating (we think) conversation with technologist and all round nice guy, Josh Klein.  If this is your first listen to the podcast, we recommend you go back to Part 1 a few episodes ago.  Josh is a truly fascinating guest. He specialises in translating technological insights into actionable strategies. He's a sought-after speaker, writer and consultant even though he n...

High-performance teams, from the pitch to the boardroom, need to build up rapport together. This takes time. But, one of the major problems in most boardrooms is the lack of time together. Whatever time a board has is usually spent on the business instead of getting to know one another. Compound this with the infrequency of meetings and you have a recipe for a less effective team. In this episode,...

Paul's back chatting to with the best and brightest in his latest episode of the Future Directors Podcast. This week is Part 1 of a two-parter with technologist, Josh Klein. Josh is a truly fascinating guest. He specialises in translating technological insights into actionable strategies. He's a sought-after speaker, writer and consultant even though he now lives on the island country of Iceland. ...

Did you know that fewer than 1% of board directors worldwide have a formal qualification? Should this worry us? Do qualifications indicate competency? Do we miss out on better candidates when we seek assurance from a qualification? In this short episode, Paul ruminates on a recent conversation between scholars Scott Galloway and Byron Auguste on The Prof G Pod, and seeks to connect it to the board...

We're always working toward inclusivity and intersectionality at Future Directors. And, today, it's particularly important that I acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which Paul recorded this episode – the Whadjuk Noongar people. So, can we learn anything about governance from the oldest living civilisation in the world? In this week's episode, Paul shares his thoughts having spen...

Our most provocative episode (title) ever. The week Paul - in just a few minutes - discusses the power of systems, language and stakeholders. How do these things play out in and around boardrooms? Paul investigates some different ways of looking at effective governance structures that move us away from the traditional "top floor down" thinking of where boards belong. Are directors the problem or i...

This week's short snippet from Paul focusses on a bit of research by those smart people at Havard and Penn universities called " The Liking Gap In Groups ". Apparently, we can routinely  under estimate how likeable we seem to others, but this gap shrinks as we get to know one another.  What does this have to do with governance, the boardroom and the role of the director? IT'S ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHI...

We are back...again! Yes, the Future Directors Podcast is crazily inconsistent but you can't beat the content right?  For the next little while, FDI Founder Paul Smith will be sharing his thoughts in bite-size monologues of under 5 minutes each. Governance geekdom at its finest. This episode is all that little thing bandwagon called AI - Artificial Intelligence. Paul is interested in ChatGPT's (an...

It's part two of last ep's convo with FDI's Paul Smith and tech & governance experts, Pia Turcinov and Alan Jones. This time they're thinking about how those 'dangerous and disruptive tech folk' can reframe what they offer, in order to get a seat at the boardroom table in the first place.  The conversation spans: Why techy directors are seen as risky. Creating bridges in to the boardroom that can...

You could be a banana farm. An insurer. A school network. It doesn't matter. Digital tech is now so integral to day-to-day life that, whatever business you're in, you're now a technology business. So why don't more boards have tech at the top of their minds? Why are Australia's ASX toppers the top tech laggers? That forms the topic of conversation today between board directors Pia Turcinov and Ala...

In the last of our series we Matt we talk about one of the most important people in the boardroom...the Chair. You've probably heard the analogy about the board chair being like an orchestra conductor. Matt Fullbrook of Fullbrook Board Effective thinks that's bunkum. He has a different analogy - and it's to do with dinner parties. FDI's Paul riffs with Matt on making board leadership better.   We...

Leah Fricke has a term for the meat she brings to her non-executive director roles: "Deliberate Practice". It's about consciously and continually reflecting on what your board will need in 3 years, and actively becoming it – through extracurricular learning and self-development. It's what made Leah stand out to FDI judges to become 2022's first ever Future Director Of The Year. And it's what might...

Here's another short episode with Paul sharing his wisdom to help you in your board career. This week, it's all about your why. As Simon Sinek's book suggests "Start with Why" but for us at Future Directors, there are far more reasons beyond the start point that makes your why such a critical (non-negotiable) element of your journey. Enjoy!

Does the phrase 'corporate governance' apply to non-profits, schools, community groups etc? Yes, but for many, it doesn't and Paul (solo this time) is here to explain why governance has a positioning problem.

"How does this impact us?" is a question you'll often hear in boardrooms. But less so, "Who is the us?" and "Isn't the us also the environment and the community?" or "Should we think about what we can have a positive impact on, versus just thinking about what we'll be negatively impacted by?". Powerful questions, all discussed by FDI's Paul and governance guru Matt Fullbrook of Fullbrook Board Eff...

Spotify's big drawcard Joe Rogan said some stuff. Stupid stuff. And Spotify got heat because Joe's values butted against their publicly stated ones. So what's a board to do? Today, FDI's Paul yacks with good friend Matt Fullbrook of Fullbrook Board Effectiveness, about what things a board could do better in a crisis.  We cover: How a Future Director should respond to an ethical dilemma Why knee-je...

Today is another joyful forum with Matt Fullbrook of Fullbrook Board Effectiveness and FDI's Paul Smith. This time, the question's squarely on what sort of director is the director the future needs? Let's hear Matt dimensionalise what being a Future Director means to him. We explore: A strong definition of corporate governance (and by extension, good governance) The 4 villains to good decision-mak...

A weird cultural thing's emerged through the history and formality of boardrooms, which has made it a space that makes directors lonely. Vulnerability is seen as a weakness because comradery is weak. Today, FDI's Paul chats with Matt Fullbrook of Fullbrook Board Effectiveness - on how what boards and directors can do to click. Obnoxious wisdom awaits. We discuss: Why boards breed loneliness, and w...

Future Directors Podcast #69 Governing for Burnout Series Part 3 - How to create a workplace culture that limits staff burnout When people are working weekends and not taking leave, it's clear mental ill health is a-brewing. How do you ensure it doesn't get to that point? That's the focus of Part 3 of our 'Governing For Burnout' series, with Dr Jaelea Skehan, Director of Everymind. We discuss: How...

Future Directors Podcast #68 Governing for Burnout Series Part 2 - Burnout, board director to board director When a board is at their limits, they can't take their org to its potential. This is Part 2 of our 'Governing For Burnout' series. In it, Dr Jaelea Skehan, Director of Everymind and mental health advocate, breaks down how board directors can prevent each other from breaking down. We chat ab...

Future Directors Podcast #67 Governing for Burnout Series Part 1 - How to manage your own burnout as a board director Boardrooms breed burnout. Most board directors are the hard-nosed sort to gloss over it. That's a problem. In this, Part 1 of our 'Governing For Burnout' series, Dr Jaelea Skehan, Director of Everymind and mental health advocate, sits with FDI's Paul and Aisling to skirt the start...

We are called the Future Directors Institute, but what exactly is  a Future Director and why is it not a future director? In this short trailer for the podcast, we want to give you a clue as to why it's worth listening to Paul and his guests. You could say that the entire podcast going forward is designed around this simple, yet deep concept.

Wow, it's been 12 months since our last podcast. So much has happened. All you need to know is we are back! What can you expect? Shorter episodes of 15-20min or less Fascinating guests from around the world Huge focus on real solutions to director & board issues Perhaps the odd longer interview dropped in

In this special Decision84-related episode, we have two amazing guests, Sharon Sutherland and Dr. Dean Blomson, discussing the future of boards. Sharon is the leader with Ernst Young's Global Center for Board Matters. In her work, she enables board members and directors to navigate their increasingly complex roles. Dr. Dean Blomson is a highly experienced business transformation strategist and pro...

This special episode features Paul Smith chatting with this podcast's former co-host, Anna Byrne, about our upcoming virtual board governance summit, Decision84. Decision84 is the world's leading board governance virtual summit. Held over 2 weeks from 31 August to 9 September, hundreds of decision-makers come together to learn, connect, debate and stretch their thinking. Decision84 is the only int...