Take on Board

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...

Today on the Take on Board podcast, Sarah Federman joins me to talk about "corporate reckoning," which she defines as the process of finding a way back and healing massive, irreparable harm that organizations have caused in the past. I was keen to dive into how organizations, many of which in Australia have reckoning to do around issues like stolen land or people, can address their inherited legac...

This week, I’m sharing a short, focused solo episode on board inductions. I’ve been having numerous conversations with board chairs and directors, as well as with my own board, regarding this topic, especially since we have some new board directors joining soon.  I’d like to share some ideas for creating an effective induction process. Like anything else, the best induction is tailored to you...

Today on the Take on Board podcast, I’m speaking with Karen Tisdell about LinkedIn. I had Karen on the podcast a couple of years ago, and this episode is an update to that discussion. As you listen to this episode, please note any questions you might have, because Karen will be joining the Take on Board Community for an online event on Thursday, May 21, 2026. Reserve your spot here . Karen transit...

Today is one of the sessions with just me, and I wanted to reflect on a conversation we had at one of the accelerator groups recently. As many of you know, I host a program called Take on Board Accelerator. Each month, a group of board directors comes together, and we pull apart a challenge. We share achievements and resources on the topic, and then somebody brings a challenge to the table. Now, I...

Today on the Take on Board podcast, I'm speaking with Julie Lyford about the critical role of the board chair as the unifying force within the board, along with the challenges and benefits of that philosophy. Julie is the chair of WELA, the Women's Environmental Leadership Australia. She's also on the boards of the Green Institute and Gloucester Transitions Incorporated. She was formally on the Bo...

Day two of the Australian Governance Summit 2026 was filled with even more important governance insights, expanding on the themes from day one. We listened to an excellent group of speakers, starting with Kate Waterford on the vital need for boards to proactively utilise AI, moving beyond security concerns to address its full disruptive potential.  I shared takeaways from Philip Chronican on...

Today, on the Take on Board podcast, we have the crowdsourced Day 1 recap from the Australian Governance Summit (March 2026, Sydney). It covers key themes raised across sessions. The summit opened with an Acknowledgement of Country linking stillness and shared purpose to stronger governance. That session was followed by AICD chair Naomi Edwards on boardroom diversity progress, collective board acc...

In this solo episode of Take on Board, I share my keynote from the 2026 Board Observership Program launch. I discuss how the program helps emerging leaders under 40 and builds strong board succession pipelines. I highlight that diverse boards make better decisions, but only when inclusion and psychological safety are prioritized through intentional connections. My five tips for observers: connect...

Today, on the Take on Board podcast, I'm talking to Olivia Giudice about chairing your boards risk committee. Olivia is a Board Director, former Chair of the Audit, Finance & Risk Committee and current CEO of Homeward Bound, a global leadership initiative for women leaders with a STEMM background. She has also held several Chief Risk Officer, risk and audit roles across public sector and ASX-l...

In this solo Take On Board episode, I introduce the Human Synergistics Group Styles Inventory (GSI) as a tool boards can use to increase effectiveness. I explain the Human Synergistics Circumplex with 12 group styles across three clusters: constructive (blue), passive/defensive (green), and aggressive/defensive (red), and I describe how each can show up in board dynamics. I share that Human Synerg...

Today on the Take On Board podcast, I'm speaking with Solai Valliappan about learning how to be a board chair. Solai is a Sydney-based technology investor, advisor, and board director. Starting her career as an Actuary, she transitioned into the startup world 10 years ago. She has been leveraging her finance expertise to advise family offices, venture capital firms, accelerators, and startups acro...

This week on Take on Board, I discuss a topic that is sometimes overlooked: the crucial role of governance calendars for boards. Think of it as the board's essential work plan, a simple table or spreadsheet that lays out exactly when the board will tackle key topics (strategy, budget, compliance, CEO check-ins, etc.) over the next year or more. Links and Resources AICD Board Calendars Effective Go...

Today on the Take on Board podcast, I'm speaking with Suzie Thoraval about governance of risk and audit.  Suzie is the independent chair of the finance, audit and risk Committee at the Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing, and she's a member of the finance, risk and audit committees at the Judicial College of Victoria and the cities of Greater Dandenong, Knox and Whi...

This week on the Take On Board podcast, I’ll be discussing risk and risk appetite statements. This topic has been on my mind because I recently facilitated a workshop with a board focused on their risk appetite. I’d like to walk you through the process I often use with groups and share some resources that I find helpful. Risk appetite is undoubtedly an important aspect that boards should consider...

Today on the Take On Board podcast, I'm speaking with Daralyse Lyons about non-executive roles and executive director positions. We may even hear the story of why she resigned from a role in which she excelled, and how the board influenced that decision. Daralyse is a journalist and author with prior experience in business development and financial management. She has written more than two dozen b...

Happy 2026, Take on Boarders. It is fabulous to be back on the other side. I had a little break. During that period, just a week in Adelaide, between Christmas and New Year, lots of beautiful walks along the Torrens River, catching up with a few of the take on board community and just. Having a bit of a relax, really. As you know, one of the things I often do during the break is reflect a little m...