Intake one seminar topics
Participants: Board members (especially the chairperson), chief executives
Provider: Boardworks International
Dates: Auckland 13 April, Wellington 16 March
The greater part of a board’s work is conducted in the context of the formal board meeting. These are often inefficient and ineffective and frustrating to all participants, including the chief executive and support staff. This one-day workshop is designed to enhance the board’s strategic leadership and to make board meetings productive and more satisfying.
- Purpose and effective planning of the agenda - getting the focus and the structure right
- Preparation – “limbering up”
- Creating the right environment for a successful board meeting
- Meeting management - achieving the purpose and staying on track
- Designing effective meeting processes
- The art of asking good questions
- The critical role of the right information
- Ensuring the right people are present (and on the ball)
- Getting the record straight
Boardworks International is a specialist governance consultancy. Its principals, Graeme Nahkies and Terry Kilmister together with associate Tony Hassed, work on both sides of the Tasman in the commercial, public and not-for-profit sectors. Boardworks has undertaken extensive research and consultancy for SPARC and Terry has been involved in major sport sector projects in Australia. They have an excellent understanding of the challenges facing the sector.
Participant feedback:
“There has been a marked improvement in the approach to business. We now have the time to spend on strategic matters and key issues and we have a plan for the year.”
“Excellent seminar - well presented and documented. Presenter amicable, patient and well paced.”
Participants: Specialist seminar for chief executives, senior staff, board members
Provider: Bryan Royds (Achieve Group)
Dates: Auckland 10 & 11 May, Wellington 1 & 2 June
Problems within and between teams are disastrous for both individual and organisational performance, yet many leaders find themselves without adequate knowledge of how to build and manage modern work teams. The sport and recreation sector has its own particular challenges with aligning diverse roles, personalities and stakeholders within and between regions. Designed specifically for the sector, this popular two-day seminar provides practical guides and skills you can apply immediately. The hands-on activities also enable you to learn from other participants and build realistic action plans to lift the performance of your key individuals and teams.
Day One explores how to:
- Improve task and project planning by understanding the 8 universal types of work
- Facilitate decision-making processes that balance innovation with risk management
- Recognize individual personality types, strengths and motivators at work (including yours)
- Match tasks, roles and personalities to create alignment within and between teams
- Create mutual understanding and interpersonal influence despite personality differences
- Use individual and team strengths to permanently boost engagement and productivity
- Systematically develop performance over time, in both new and established teams
Day Two explores how to:
- Recognize 4 key types of interpersonal communication situation and respond appropriately
- Clarify people’s core objectives and influence them to work with you instead of against you
- Coach people to work independently and responsibly, while linking well with others
- Turn difficult conversations into productive dialogues and negotiated agreements
- Facilitate positive engagement with (and ownership of) important decisions
- Give feedback in ways that improve performance without creating resistance or upset
- Ease conflicts between people, and between the needs of individuals and the team/organisation
Bryan Royds is director of Achieve Group, a consultancy that specialises in practical team and leadership development. He has qualifications in psychology, training and organisational development, and has more than 20 years’ experience in this field. His accreditations include Lominger Leadership Architect and Team Architect, Team Management Profiling, Leadership Behaviours Profiling, Hogan Assessment Systems, MBTI, and leadership coaching for the state sector Leadership Development Centre. Bryan genuinely enjoys helping individuals and teams to realise their potential, and is passionate about positive outcomes in the sport and recreation sector.
Participant feedback:
“I was most impressed with the relevance of the material which I could readily use upon returning to work.”
“I have gained several new techniques to understand what sort of person I am dealing with and strategically word my conversations. Also some helpful self-management techniques with regard to handling difficult situations.”
“Thank you for the great seminar. It was a real insight to team building and getting the most out of your team. Obviously a lot to learn in the area but great to have this brought to my attention.”
Go to the top
Participants: Foundation seminar for chief executives, marketers and communicators, specialist staff, board members
Provider: Elaine Spearman (RogenSi)
Dates: Auckland 28 June, Wellington 12 May
Communicating with a diverse range of stakeholders is a challenging area for sport and recreation organisations. The challenges include:
- Limited time and resources
- Understanding stakeholder needs and wants
- Tailoring messages to a diverse range of stakeholders
- Linking strategic, business and communications plans
Your organisation’s effectiveness will be enhanced through good communication. In this seminar you will use a simple, strategic approach to develop an effective stakeholder communications plan that will help your organisation to achieve its goals.
The seminar includes:
- A framework for communication planning
- Aligning your communication objectives with organisational objectives
- Understanding your brand and key messages and communicating these consistently
- Identifying and prioritising your stakeholders
- Determining key messages for stakeholders
- Structuring your communication
- Choosing the best communication channel and tactics
- Budgeting, scheduling and getting feedback
Elaine Spearman is a dynamic communicator with more than 20 years’ experience working for a diverse range of businesses. For 12 of those years she ran her own communications consultancy – providing communication, public relations and training programmes for companies world-wide. She now delivers communication and presentation skills programmes for RogenSi along with other contractual work. Elaine is an Advisory Board member for the Women in Technology group, and is very involved with its Accelerate mentoring programme. Elaine has also been involved with the NZIM mentoring programme and is currently a mentor with the AUT communication studies “Outside the Square” programme.
Participant feedback:
“Fantastic seminar, great facilitator - she really knew her stuff. Thank you for such a great course.”
“I thought this was one of the most useful seminars I have attended. It was interesting, well presented and gave me a new understanding of the need for appropriate, timely communications with different stakeholders”
Go to the top
Participants: Board members (especially the chairperson), chief executives
Provider: Boardworks International
Dates: Auckland 15 June, Wellington 4 May
The purpose of this seminar is to assist boards to develop the processes and tools to “give direction”, and to make decisions consistent with that direction. It is particularly focused on developing and applying the intellectual capital of the board.
The seminar includes:
- How to achieve clarity on desired results and purpose
- Developing the “generative” thinking capability needed at board level
- Factoring risk into strategic thinking
- Monitoring and measuring performance to achieve desired results
- Creating the climate for effective decision-making
- Developing the board’s critical thinking abilities
- Understanding the impact of group dynamics on decision-making
- Using effective decision-making tools and processes
- Strategy and decision evaluation
- Understanding how management contributes to effective boardroom strategic leadership
Boardworks International is a specialist governance consultancy. Its principals, Graeme Nahkies and Terry Kilmister together with associate Tony Hassed, work on both sides of the Tasman in the commercial, public and not-for-profit sectors. Boardworks has undertaken extensive research and consultancy for SPARC and Terry has been involved in major sport sector projects in Australia. They have an excellent understanding of the challenges facing the sector.
Participant feedback:
“The organisation has been undergoing a radical transformation of its structure and culture. The course has helped me to understand where we fit in and what we need to be doing to ensure a strong leadership base in the organisation.”
“This was an excellent refresher. Seemed to have more real life examples than illustrated application of principles.”
Go to the top
Participants: Board members
Provider: HSR Governance
Dates: Wellington 23 June, Christchurch 27 May
This seminar is designed as “entry level” learning for board members in the sport and recreation sector. It covers both fundamental governance principles and the realities associated with the sector. It is suitable for people with governance experience who need to apply that knowledge in a sport and recreation sector context or those with sector experience who now find themselves in a governance role.
This is a practical seminar focusing on the things that really help to achieve your organisational goals, while ensuring appropriate controls are in place. It teaches board members when to be involved and when to leave it to management. Participants will be provided with practical tools they can take back to their organisations and put in place immediately, including a mock set of good practice board papers.
The seminar will refer and relate to existing SPARC governance publications and tools, notably the Nine Steps to Good Governance series.
The governance areas addressed will include:
- The governance/management divide
- Role of chair and board members
- Operating in a policy environment
- Managing the chief executive
- Understanding and managing stakeholder relations
- Effective meetings, effective committees
- The strategic plan; creation, monitoring and review
- The legal obligations of board members
- Board evaluation and development
- Board succession and induction
- Quality and structure of board paper
Sector-specific content will include:
- The challenges of the not-for-profit world, and sport and recreation in particular
- The reality of membership-based organisations
- Working through volunteers
- Structural challenges
- Resource constraints, funding sources and accountabilities
- The changing world
HSR Governance is a privately owned consulting firm based in Christchurch. Jane Huria, Sue Suckling and Carmelle Riley direct and own the company, and between them they have a wealth of knowledge and practical experience in governance, strategic review, project management and organisational development. HSR works with a wide range of organisations to assist their governance, strategic or organisational development. Key services include training, review, specific advice and facilitating the development of systems, plans and policies. Additional services include project management, assisting strategy implementation, enhancing communications, risk management and/or managing stakeholder relationships.
Participant feedback:
“Sue Suckling was superb. A down to earth approach backed by huge knowledge of her topics coupled with practical experience that supported the theories.”
“I am very sceptical of attending courses, having attended many of them over many years. However I found this course more than appropriate and absolutely beneficial for attending to concerns in my chosen sport. Congratulations to Sue Suckling - I was impressed. Best course in a long time.”
“Course was logical. A good case of the penny dropped and why did I not have this earlier”
Go to the top
Participants: Foundation seminar for chief executives, senior and specialist staff, board members
Provider: Ron Eckman (Apex Project Management)
Dates: Auckland 28 April, Wellington 22 March
In today’s turbulent and complex environment, the ability to plan and manage projects has become an increasingly vital skill in all organisations. Successful project management requires structured processes, tools and techniques.
This one-day, hands-on seminar is designed to introduce you to a practical approach to planning and managing projects, providing you with a set of skills and tools that you can immediately use in your workplace.
Seminar content includes how to:
- Apply a practical project management framework to any project
- Convert a project idea into a robust project plan and schedule
- Get the best out of project team members
- Spot potential problems and mitigate risks
- Review the project and keep it on track
- Avoid common project pitfalls
Participants are welcome to bring ideas for projects on which they wish to work during the seminar.
Ron Eckman is a director of Apex Project Management and a fellow of the Project Management Institute of New Zealand. He has more than 20 years’ experience working with more than 120 New Zealand organisations, including many not-for-profit organisations.
Formerly a lecturer in Information Technology in California, Ron was the founding President of the Project Management Institute in New Zealand and was the first person in New Zealand to be formally certified as a Project Management Professional. Ron has trained thousands of project managers and participants in New Zealand, Australia and the United States.
Participant feedback:
“It’s great to get the opportunity to refresh the focus. The course was practical and certainly not rocket science. But definitely a good way to get back to the basics. Very good delivery! “
“Great training, quality facilitator and some good simple tools to incorporate in to work practices”
“Was a very practical course on project management - quite often these courses relate well to engineering type projects, but not to sport / rec initiatives that have a strong community involvement. This course had information that could be applied to a wide range of project types and be successful”
Go to the top
Participants: Foundation seminar for chief executives, senior and specialist staff, board members
Provider: Damian D’Cruz (Mindspring)
Dates: Auckland 29 & 30 March, Wellington 19 & 20 April
Sport and recreation organisations operate in an environment that is constantly changing. Competition for resources and participants is intensifying. A shared understanding and commitment among your stakeholders towards a desired future is essential for success.
An effective planning process can provide this shared vision by helping you to determine and focus on what is truly important for your organisation. Developing this vision involves identifying the key challenges and high-level goals your organisation seeks to achieve.
This seminar is designed for people who are involved, or will be involved with, leading or participating in planning. This is an interactive seminar providing the opportunity to share experiences, discuss challenges and apply the process to a case study.
The workshop is a practical hands-on experience – you will come away from with a clear understanding of the strategic planning process and a draft strategic plan.
Key topics covered include:
- Societal and Economic Trends
- Barriers to Strategic Planning
- Strategic Planning Definition
- Role of CEO, Management and, Board
- Consultation & Consensus Building
- Communicating with Stakeholders
- SWOT Analysis (including risk assessment)
- Vision
- Mission
- Strategic Outcomes
- National / Regional Planning Integration
- Measures
- Business Plan
- Monitoring and Reporting
Director of Mindspring, Damian D’Cruz developed the Bisvision strategic planning toolkit for business. He introduced the highly acclaimed Idea Navigator to the business world in 2003. Damian brings a passion for creativity to the design of practical tools for business. His background as a consultant in strategic planning, business problem-solving and leadership development gives him a good understanding of the business world. His research on the Master of Design Programme at Unitec, Auckland, led him to bring creative design to practical business tools. Damian has worked in strategic planning in the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors since 1996. Through SPARC, Damian has been facilitating strategic planning training in the sport sector at both national and regional levels since 2006.
Preparation:
Bring a copy of your current vision, mission and strategic plan if you have them.
Participant feedback:
“Well structured, fun and interesting few days. Helped a lot by the group of people that were involved as they brought a lot to the learning/teaching environment too. Thanks to Damien for creating a great few days. Has a wealth of knowledge that he communicated really well (and had a laugh at the same time).”
“I felt that the Seminar was well organised and exceeded my expectations by presenting the topic in a style that made the process straightforward and logical. The explanations as to how to implement the process were very well illustrated with practical examples.”
“Damien handled a complex subject well with a mixed level of experience class. His approach to constructing the plan is uniquely structured and is superior to the usual 'blank page' approach.”
Go to the top
Updated | 23 Dec 2009.
Skip page tools.
