 Key Considerations in Board Meeting Frequency
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 We are often asked how frequently a board should meet. Our typical answer is that 'it depends!'
Traditionally, boards have met on a monthly basis. In an article on this subject back in 2001 we reported that there was a growing trend to holding fewer, but longer board meetings (1). Is that still true? The additional expectations legislators and the courts have placed on boards since then have grown noticeably. Additionally, there has been widespread governance training and the promulgation of 'best practice' thinking on board effectiveness. These seem to have made boards more aware of the 'quality time' they need to spend on the job. While boards generally have become better at their job (both more effective and more efficient) in last 8-9 years, it is probable that their workload has increased rather than reduced. It is timely, therefore, to review how often your board should meet.
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Board Leadership - Opportunities for Improvement in Chair Performance
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 Having an effective board chair is a fundamental prerequisite for having a fully functioning board. A recent research study has pointed to areas where performance improvements seem likely to be needed
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Is the purpose Is the Purpose (and Accountability) of Your Committees Clear?
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 Recently, it came to our notice that a client organisation had appointed each of its board members to chair one of a series of 'important' advisory committees. The other members of each of the committees who were from outside the organisation could mostly be described as users of the organisation's services. Upon further inquiry it became apparent that the primary purpose of each of the committees was to assist staff to connect effectively with important customer segments. The topics these advisory committees were dealing with were, therefore, primarily operational.
The problem of appointing board members to chair these operational committees was the considerable ambiguity it created for both the board and the chief executive. Which of the two 'owned' the committees, which was responsible for ensuring that the committees were effective; which should be listening to and taking notice of the advice received; which did they report to, and so on?
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Is It Time to Tune Up Your Risk Management Thinking?
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 Periodically, boards are exhorted by regulators and commentators alike, to look more closely at their risk management practices. This is usually after some sort of economic bubble has burst and companies have failed. Why wait? This is something that all boards should do from time to time.
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