WOB enews: April 2008

In this edition

  • WOB makes a half century
  • Report confirms generic leadership programs are not the answer for rural women
  • Getting the most out of your WOB membership
  • Women on top NFP boards at 30 per cent
  • Opportunities in the Hunter
  • Online mentoring - new offer
  • WOBers at 2020 Summit
  • On Board in April

1. WOB News

1.1 WOB makes a half century

Delegates to the National Diversity on Boards Conference (28 & 29 May 2008) will be treated to the views and insights of more than 50 speakers, panellists and presenters across the two day event. These include professional directors (David Gonski, Catherine Brenner, Peter Scott, Eileen Doyle, Andrea Staines), high profile professionals (Elizabeth Broderick, Jane Allen, Micheal Traill) and experienced leadership and career development coaches (Sarah Cornally, Sue Zablud, Carmen Parnos, Judeth Wilson and Kerry Chater).  All the speaker profiles are at: www.womenonboards.org.au/events/diversity2008/speakers.htm

Our thanks to Mallesons Stephen Jaques,  AASOB, Defence Reserve and NSW Office For Women for sponsoring the conference and corporate members Qantas, University of South Australia and KPMG for their support.

Please remember that the Conference dinner will be our main Sydney networking event this year. Coca-Cola director, Catherine Brenner, will be the guest speaker and comedian and actress, Julie McCrossin our MC for the evening. We are supporting the charity, NAPCAN, through a silent auction of some great  items.

Why not book a corporate table and bring some colleagues? You can register for the dinner on the Conference registration form.

For all the registration and program details visit the website: www.womenonboards.org.au/events/diversity2008/index.htm

1.2 Report confirms generic leadership programs are not the answer for rural women

A report into the value of leadership programs for rural women has found that generic programs are not the answer - despite 10 years of State and Federal Government and industry investment in them. or rural women. The report, "Leading the Way - Evaluating and assessing leadership programs" was completed by Jo Eady in 2006 and only just published by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporate. The report found that a rural leadeship talent pool already exists, but is inaccessible and undervalued - "For too long the focus has been on women's leadership development with no strategy for providing women with the tools to access leadership positions".

The key recommendations from the report are:

  • Establishment of online leadership programs as a way to provide training and mentoring to ruralwomen.
  • Development of a "How To Kit" for rural leadership groups and agricultural boards to assess their current effectiveness, opportunities for improvement and to develop succession plans.
  • Development of a 24-month leadership mentoring program to support emerging leaders.

 The report can be downloaded at: www.rirdc.gov.au/capacitybuilding/reports.html

2. Getting the most out of your WOB membership

Tip 13 - promote yourself

Take up a promotional opportunity that WOB offers and get your message to 5,000 WOBers. On offer is:   

3. WOB Happenings

3.1 Women on top NFP boards at 30 per cent

The number of female directors on Australia’s largest not-for-profit boards is close to 30 per cent, according to a recent survey by Women on Boards.Anecdotally women's participation in not for profit directorships has remained around the 30% mark for the past five years.

The media release will full details is at: www.womenonboards.org.au/news/media080501.htm

The reseach is accessible to WOB Subscribers at: www.womenonboards.org.au/pubs/pubs_subscribe/

 3.2 Opportunities in the Hunter

Our recent visit to Newcastle proved rewarding.  Directors Online hosted our Strategy sessions and Leigh Bryant, one of the guest speakers at the evening networking event, offered to assist WOBers with an interest in Hunter Boards. Leigh emailed the event attendees as follows.

"As per the commitment I made to you yesterday, please advise your specific interests, skills and networks/contacts so I can send you information about regional boards which may be of interest. There are a number of organisations who do have a pro active attitude toward the inclusion of women on their boards.

For example: The Hunter Business Chamber will have elections towards the end of this year. Hunter Manufacturing (HMA) has a skills gap in PR, advertising, media.....and although their board is not actively 'seeking' a new board member, if a woman with skills in that field came forward, I think they would be interested.  These are just two examples of 'easy/soft' board positions in the region....there are of course a huge range of boards ..."

Leigh Bryant is Director SCORPION INTERNATIONAL Freight Services. Her email is: leigh@scorpioninternational.com

Since then Leigh has advised one board vacancy - Hunter Manufacturing that was posted on 31 March. 

3.3 Online mentoring 

The WOB network is now 5,000 plus strong with many of you (60% as at 2006 Survey) on a board.

One of the initiatives that organisations can take is a formal mentoring program. Many do this. Here at WOB we think such programs can be useful but on the downside they are resouce intensive and we wonder if the results are good value for the effort expended.

Mentoring need not be formal.  Many successful directors will say that they had help from a range of people and they 'suppose this was mentoring'.   

So WOB has another suggestion - which will be tested in the 2008 Survey.  What if we offered WOBers the opportunity to specify the characteristics of an informal mentor (eg location, skills set, board experience etc)  and the WOB website would bring up three WOBers that match the criteria.  Your thoughts are welcome.

3.4 Kim Santow passes away

We are sad to report that Kim Santow, former Freehills partner, Supreme Court Judge, Chancellor of Sydney University and mentor and friend to many passed away in April after a short illness. A doyen of the corporate and legal worlds, one of Kim's last speeches was an address to Sancta Sophia College wryly titled: "Women on Boards - the end of civilization as we know it?". In it Kim highlighted that from the perspective of the bench, corporate Australia would benefit from the insights that a greater gender balance that would create. Take a moment to reflect on the speech at: www.womenonboards.org.au/news/n07_santow.htm

3.3 2020 Summit

A number of WoBers attended the 2020 Summit in Canberra in April. They included Alison Gaines, Juliet Burke, Georgie Somerset and Lyn Carson. If you attended please drop us a line with your thoughts.

4.  The Boardroom

All of the services and information connected with boards is at The Boardroom - accessible from the top navigation bar.

4.1 On Boards this month

This months success stories are Claire Brereton, Pauline Stanton and Carol Lymbery

On-Board  Success Stories are at http://www.womenonboards.org.au/boardroom/onboard.htm 

 4.2 Focus on a WOB member

March's featured WOBer is Vic based Jannene Willis who runs a successful business called Undercurrent.  Her profile is at http://www.womenonboards.org.au/subscribe/profiles/jannene_willis.htm

For future editions of Focus we are looking to feature women who should be suitable for paid boards who are successful business owners/operators and CEOs and CFOs (or equivalent ) of business not for profits. So please be in touch if you would like to be featured.

4.3 Vacancy postings

Go to http://www.womenonboards.org.au/my/resume/position_search.html to see current and past vacancies.

To access board positions you need to have a paid a subscription to WOB.

4.4 Infrastructure Council

WOB contacted the Minister for Infrastructure to put the case for qualified women being appointed to the Infrastructure Australia Council - chair Sir Rod Eddington. Following a website posting we submitted a list of names.

Progress report - no decision as yet.