The powers and duties of directors were the focus of some earlier posts, however these make quite narrow use of the concept of ‘power’ – which has many forms and applications. My previous post dealt with powers legally (and therefore legitimately) afforded non-profit boards and directors, and made reference to those powers being distinctly different… Continue reading Organisational power
Tag: compliance
NFP powers and duties – inseparable
Non-profit directors’ ‘powers and duties’ are comparable to the ‘rights and responsibilities’ we all hold as citizens. The two concepts are therefore aspects of one orientation or disposition, and just as rights should not be isolated from responsibilities, power should always be considered as only one side of the coin called ‘power and duties’ (as… Continue reading NFP powers and duties – inseparable
Policy Precedents: Benefits and Risks
Precedent Benefits The blank policy page can be as intimidating as any blank ‘canvas’ facing an author. Organisational policy writers working within an existing ‘policy culture’ will doubtless have templates, and perhaps even a ‘policy on policy-making’ (see links below) to guide them. Many smaller non-profit organisations, however, may not have reached that level of… Continue reading Policy Precedents: Benefits and Risks
NFP strategic opportunities: Collective bargaining exemptions
Under Australian consumer law, nonprofits were prohibited from engaging in collective bargaining on behalf of members unless they were granted an authorisation by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). This legislation aimed to prevent businesses of any size working together to achieve a common commercial goal which was seen as ‘anti-competitive‘, ‘collusive‘, or acting… Continue reading NFP strategic opportunities: Collective bargaining exemptions
Blockers or Enablers? The 3 lines of defence
Just as strategic mindsets can be framed in polarised pairs like Growth Vs Fixed, or Solution Vs Problem Oriented, risk management mindsets can also be described as Blocking or Enabling (see header illustration). While reducing any complex matter to a simple binary choice can lead to distorted thinking, when considering your risk mindset it is… Continue reading Blockers or Enablers? The 3 lines of defence
Your ‘ruling’ body
The history of leadership continues to be reflected in our language today. The board of directors is still sometimes referred to as the ‘ruling body’. Historically, the one who set the rules brought order to their community. Sometimes that order was imposed by force, and at other times by democratic processes, but either way, the… Continue reading Your ‘ruling’ body
Sledgehammer or scalpel? Governance capability development
(Part 3 – ‘Duty of Care, Skill and Diligence’ series) “I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail.” Abraham Maslow While it may seem obvious that non-profit directors require a set of skills to perform their duties, elections or appointments… Continue reading Sledgehammer or scalpel? Governance capability development
Complexity – the view from the Chair
Those of us who have had the privilege of chairing meetings know that the view from that seat is entirely different from that of participants. “Like playing multi-dimensional chess” is the analogy sometimes used, as it evokes the multi-focal nature of effective chairing practice. The chair’s role inviting participants to speak and vote on motions… Continue reading Complexity – the view from the Chair
Giving ‘diligence’ its due
(Part 2 – ‘Duty of Care, Skill and Diligence’ series) The term ‘due diligence’ is most often used to describe a detailed appraisal of a business undertaken by a prospective buyer, with a key focus on confirming its assets and liabilities and evaluating its commercial prospects. In the context of non-profit directorial duties however, its… Continue reading Giving ‘diligence’ its due
Caring about the ‘duty of care’
(Part 1 – ‘Duty of Care, Skill and Diligence’ series) There are four main duties of Australian directors, all of which apply whether they are members of commercial or not-for-profit boards. As illustrated in the header image above, these are the: Duty to act with reasonable care, skill and diligence Duty to act in good… Continue reading Caring about the ‘duty of care’