Take on Board

Today on the Take on Board podcast, I'm speaking with Sandra Davey about governing transformation and treating change as an ongoing pattern rather than a one-off project. A director at auDA, Screenrights Australia, and the Australian Centre for Social Innovation (TACSI), Sandra has also chaired and served on boards, including the Australian Interactive Media Industry Association and CHOICE. Sh...

Today on the Take on Board podcast, I discuss the rise of phishing scams targeting board professionals and share two examples I’ve received: one that’s loudly “too good to be true,” with eye-watering compensation, and another, more subtle, flattering message that uses credible governance language. I explain the key red flags to watch for (vague details, missing recruiter credentials, Gmail address...

Today on the Take on Board podcast, I’m speaking with Giselle McLachlan about being a great board chair, and I’m delighted to welcome her back after her earlier appearance in the early days of video. Giselle is a reformed lawyer based in Wanaka on New Zealand’s South Island, and through her work at Grounded Governance, she coaches, teaches, facilitates workshops, and supports boards, particularly...

Today on the Take on Board podcast, I’m speaking with Shona McGlashan about inclusive board cultures. Shona is chair of Pain BC and vice-chair and governance committee chair of Bard on the Beach Theatre Society. Shona is a governance professional, board director, and consultant who believes boards are only as effective as the culture they create. Shona discusses why everyone in the boardroom must...

Today on the Take on Board podcast, I’m coming from Banff, Alberta. I'm building on conversations from the Vancouver meetup with Nancy Maloney and Shona McGlashan about joining boards and building a portfolio. I explain why resilience is key—since you’ll apply for more roles than you’ll get—and how perseverance and feedback help you persist. I revisit Nancy’s early board interview story, refle...

This week on the Take on Board podcast, it's another Ask Me Anything. A few weeks ago, you heard me in conversation with Cathy Robinson from the Board Observership Program and Reena Rihan, an alum of the program, which led to a Q&A session with the Board Observership participants. They had so many awesome questions that we didn't get through them all in the 90-minute session. So today, Cathy i...

Today on the Take on Board podcast, I have an insightful conversation with Sara Harrup, a governance professional, entrepreneur, and board chair with a portfolio of board roles, including deputy chair of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission. We explore her journey and expertise in neuro-inclusive governance, where she focuses on designing environments that accommodate different...

Today on the Take on Board podcast, I'm speaking with Gabrielle Trenbath about her journey to the boardroom, and we'll probably touch on disability inclusion in the boardroom.  Gabrielle is on the boards of the National Disability Services Board and Hartley Life Care. She has previously served on the boards of Avivo, the Disability Service Commission, the Pat Giles Centre for Non Violence, an...

Today on the Take on Board podcast, we're hosting a Take on Board community Q&A with Sarah Gray on managing perimenopause and menopause in the boardroom. This is the event that followed Helga and Sarah's mid-July conversation about managing perimenopause and menopause in the boardroom. Today, the women of the Take on Board community gathered to ask whether boards should have a menopause policy...

Today on the Take on Board podcast, I'm speaking with Micaela Drieberg about  board reports and her lessons learned from both sides of the table.  Micaela, CEO of Gender Equity Victoria is a strategic, collaborative leader with over 20 years of experience across for-purpose sectors, including all three levels of government, universities, not-for-profit organisations and peak bodies. Micaela h...

Today on the Take on Board podcast, I'm speaking with Pam Macdonald about the importance of the relationship between the chair and the CEO. Pam is the deputy chair of Intereach and president of Active Education Australia. She was formerly on the boards of Remembrance Park Central Victoria, Golden Dragon Museum, National Chinese Museum Australia, Community Foundation Central Victoria, Women's Housi...

Today on the Take on Board podcast, I'm recording of a conversation with Cathy Robinson and Reena Rihan from The Observership program. They have asked me to do a session with their current participants around pathways to the boardroom. So for their current participants, as they're coming to the end of their year as an Observership participant, what can they be thinking about to get on a board? And...

This week on the Take on Board podcast, I introduce the Institute of Community Directors Australia’s new Board Payment Wizard and why it’s a useful way for boards to think through whether paying directors is right for their organisation. I share how the tool can be used individually or as a group, and the kinds of prompts it includes—legality, affordability, turnover, recruitment and retention, in...

Today on the Take On Board podcast, I am speaking with Darya Boukata about the presence of nature in the boardroom. This discussion builds on some episodes I recorded in late 2025 with the fantastic Dominique Hes , so if you're interested in hearing more, I encourage you to check those out. Darya is a PhD researcher at the University of Sydney Business School, where she investigates how the loss o...

This week on the Take on Board podcast, I'm a guest on Sue West's podcast Flourish After Fifty. I joined Sue on her show for a wide-ranging conversation. Our conversation demystifies what board work is really like for women in the second half of their careers. If you’ve ever imagined a board role as the “natural next step”, a meaningful way to contribute, shape strategy, and maybe create more flex...

Today, on the Take on Board podcast, I am talking to Sarah Gray. Sarah is one of Australia’s only dual-qualified health professionals in pharmacy and nutrition, a certified menopause practitioner, and the author of "If It's Not You, It's Perimenopause." She sits on the boards of Moyne Health Services and the Advisory Board for Healthy Life, and is passionate about helping women thrive through peri...

Today on the Take On Board podcast, I'm speaking with Fiona Bennett about clear and planned communication for board chairs.  Fiona is the chair of Australian Mutual Bank, and she's also on the board of Neami. She's a certified practicing accountant with extensive experience in financial management, governance, audit, and risk management across listed companies, New South Wales government, and...

In this episode, I’m recording from the beautiful Larapinta Trail in Central Australia, where I’ve just wrapped up a 14-day end-to-end trek. Disconnected from the outside world, I’ve had plenty of time to reflect on governance, drawing parallels between the wilderness and the boardroom. I share lessons on adopting a "starry night" perspective for strategy, the critical need for robust risk assessm...

Today on the Take On Board podcast, I'm speaking with Davina Stanley about how boards can maximize the effectiveness of their board papers. Davina previously served on the University of Technology Sydney Executive MBA Advisory Board, and she enjoys the "aha!" moment when a client discovers a breakthrough idea hidden amid the noise. She humorously notes that she is likely the only kindergarten teac...

Today on the Take On Board podcast, I'm speaking with Jaala Pulford about setting up a new statutory authority, scale an organization or scope, and having to manage staffing changes quickly.  Jaala chairs MTPConnect and the Children's Cancer Foundation. She's a non-executive director with several growth stage companies and the Tech Council of Australia. A member of parliament from 2006 to 202...

Today, on the Take on Board podcast, I would like to talk to you about reclaiming your white space and why total downtime might actually be a fiduciary duty.  Let me give you a bit of the context. So I'm about to embark on a two-week holiday and will be off the grid. I'm doing the Larapinta Trail hike in Central Australia. It's about 250 kilometers over 14 days. There's no internet, there's n...

This week on the Take on Board podcast, Karen Tisdell is back for this Take on Board event. Karen responded to questions from the Take on Board community about how to use your LinkedIn profile to get the maximum benefit whether it's for a job search or getting traction with a post, Karen is the insider you want to hear from. So key highlights: How much of your experience should you include, using...

I wanted to take you inside a scenario that leaves even the most seasoned corporate directors in a cold sweat. The dilemma is this: you’ve just landed your first board seat and are immediately faced with a time-sensitive request for approval of a massive acquisition that the rest of the board has been debating for six months, yet it’s completely new to you. I attended a masterclass on governance h...

 Today on the Take On Board Podcast, I'm speaking with Malini Raj about how boards stay connected with the people that they serve.   Malini is on the boards of The Parenthood, Entertainment for Change, and the Settlement Council of Australia. She's previously been on the boards of the Australian Pituitary Foundation and FinSIA. Malini is the executive director of Australian Multicultural Wome...

Today on the Take on Board podcast, I share key takeaways from a WorkSafe Victoria event, “Hearts, Minds, and Improving Your Business,” featuring Professor Lea Waters on the neuroscience and business impacts of psychological safety in the workplace. I explain the difference between psychological health and harm, including how each affects thinking, decision-making, behavior, and workplace outcomes...