Institution: Australian Institute of Company Directors
Course: Company Directors Course
As our 2nd generation Family Business grows, we understand the requirement to ensure the growth is managed with planning, strategy, professionalism, the right resources and good governance.
As the Managing Director of the business, being equipped with the right skills to ensure good governance was considered vital for both my personal and professional development.
The Company Directors Course delivered by the AICD is considered to be the most reputable and highly regarded training in this field. Successful completion including the examination earns a recognisable qualification as a Graduate (GAICD). This is why I selected the AICD to undertake this study.
I selected the 5 day intensive, with each day covering a different topic:-
- Governance & the practice of Directorship
- The Legal environment – Directors Duties and Responsibilities
- Risk & Strategy
- Financial Literacy & Performance
- Achieving Board Effectiveness
Each topic was presented by a business professional in their particular field, and they were fantastic! All presenters came with real life experiences and case studies so that the theory could be applied and debated in class.
Topics of particular interest and use for me was the Decision Making Toolkit – how to achieve appropriate decision making in a board environment and Financial Literacy. I learnt the red flags to look out for when a business is in financial stress.
Mostly I came away with a greater understanding of Good Governance practices required of a professional modern day business and the legal and ethical requirements of a business Director.
My key take home comment was “always keep good accurate minutes ……. they can act as a letter to the Judge”.
Thanks to the Industry Leaders Fund for supporting me in this training with part funding. My new skills will allow me to implement board practices into our business and ensure that as business Directors we have the skills and knowledge to apply good governance practices.
Successfully completing the course has granted me another qualification of GAICD. As a well regarded qualification, this will allow me to be considered for other board positions in the future.