S01E08: Roles and Responsibilities

Every single member of a board needs to have a deep understanding of the responsibilities of their role for the organisation to run effectively. After all, it is the board who have the ultimate responsibility for the organisation.

In this episode, Bridget and Cameron delve into arguably one of the most important (and most beefy) of the AICD’s Not-for-profit Governance Principles — Principle 2: Roles and Responsibilities. Looking back at the now infamous Australia Post Cartier watch saga, they highlight what happens when a board fails to properly adhere to good governance principles and instead tries to shift the blame.

Enlisting the help of one of the state’s most experienced board members and the Director of Environment, Development and Community at Kingborough CouncilDr Katrena Stephenson, they ponder what could have been for Australia Post and cover off on the expectations all new and aspiring board members should be aware of before deciding to take a seat at the table.

A full episode transcript is now available online.

Episode Guide:

  • 0:36 — Overview of Principle 2: Roles and Responsibilities
  • 6:20 — Interview with Dr Katrena Stephenson about the importance of clearly defined roles and responsibilities for a board and its members with reference to the Australia Post fiasco
  • 35:55 — Wrap-up