The skills every board needs

Top tips from the conversation

The board should be a reflection of the purpose and objectives of the corporation. You may need different skills on the board, depending on what the corporation’s role is. For example, a health services corporation may need people with medical experience on the board.

Identifying the skills you need requires honesty from the directors. Ask ‘what are the skills and attributes that this board needs vs. what are the skills and attributes that this board has? What are the gaps and how can we fill them?' 

There are different ways to bring skills into the board. It might be bringing in an independent director with industry knowledge, such as retail; it might be training, with directors seeking out learning opportunities such as risk or finance; or it might be hiring skills into the organisation through a consultant or senior staff.

Financial literacy is vital. Every board should have at least one director with an understanding of complex financial information on it, but everyone should have a basic level of financial literacy. 

Directors walk in two worlds. There can be a tension between acting in the best interests of the corporation and acting in the interests of the people you are culturally representing, especially in native title bodies. Models where a board has an advisory body of elders providing cultural advice while the directors remain responsible for the governance and financial management of the corporation often work well.

The basis for the operation of all good boards is trust. One of the ways this plays out is confidentiality. Directors need to have open, honest discussions, but be confident that those discussions are confidential after a decision has been made. It’s a good idea to put at the end of a board meeting agenda ‘what can we talk about from this meeting?’ to make sure everyone agrees what is confidential and what can be shared.

Directors need to engage with members and stakeholders. Board communication should be more than an AGM – there should be sharing and storytelling to keep people engaged. That could be in the form of newsletters, holding directors meetings in different locations to engage with communities, or other forums. 

Members have a responsibility too. Members appoint directors trusting them to make sure the objectives of the corporation are achieved. Members therefore have a responsibility to hold the board to account by making sure that they’re engaged, that they’re interested in what the corporation is doing and that they attend AGMs.

Learn more

• Duties of directors and other officers
• Independent directors
• Meetings for directors
• Training
• Members' rights
• Finance (external link).

This conversation host and guests

Georgina Richters is a Luritja woman and the Principal of First Nations Advisory. Georgina has more than 25 years’ experience working in Indigenous affairs at national, state, local and community levels. She's currently the Chairperson of the Arts Queensland First Nations Arts and Culture Panel and the Deputy Chair of the Brisbane 2032 [Olympics] Legacy Committee.

Kerryn Newton is the CEO of Directors Australia. Kerryn has a background in business and law and her board experience spans the child care, aged care, housing, education, property and energy sectors.

Sam Jeffries is a Moorawarri and Wiradjuri man who has had a long involvement in developing responsible leadership, community, and regional and community governance models.  Sam has co-authored two Indigenous policy journals on Indigenous community governance and leadership.

Raelene Webb KC is the former President of the National Native Title Tribunal (2013–2018) and a leading native title lawyer. Raelene is an experienced mediator with national accreditation. She is also a skilled facilitator with many years of experience working with groups around Australia, focusing on collaborative techniques to assist groups achieve outcomes. 

Jess Bulger is a Wiradjuri woman and the CEO of the Australian Indigenous Governance Institute (AIGI). Jess has worked in the education, employment and the NFP sectors for the past 15 years and is currently a board member of Outward Bound.