First Steps in Governance: Like a duck to water

Shannon Wright MInstD made quite an impression when meeting her board for the first time. She had done her research and recognised some names on the Bone Marrow Cancer Trust, one member in particular.

“I was super nervous walking into the boardroom for the first time, thinking will I get on with this group?” she says. “And then there was this funny moment because one of the trustees used to live down the road from me when I was a child.

“I said, ‘I know you. I used to live down the road and you paid me to come and feed your ducks and chickens’. And he says, ‘Oh, yes, I remember’.”

Then came the icebreaker: “Full disclosure,” Wright says, “since we’re about to sit around the boardroom together. When you weren’t there, I used your pool. And he says, ‘fair enough, at least someone used it’.”

With the ice broken, Wright took her place at the table and then the learning came fast. “It’s quite nerve-wracking. You have it in your mind that the buck stops here.

“They were quick to stop a meeting and ask, ‘Do you understand why we’re doing this? And what do you think about this?’ I thought I would just observe but it was very much that my opinion mattered – and from the start, which was amazing.”

By the end of the first term Wright says she felt like she had worked her way into the team and could ask whatever she wanted without feeling like it was a stupid question. “They extended my internship and when one of the board members had to step down, I was asked if I would be willing to put my name forward.”

Wright recalls an awkward moment where she had to step out of the boardroom so they could vote on her appointment. “I came back to the room, and everybody was smiling and happy. It was a lovely moment.”

Wright’s governance career had begun. But she already had plenty of exposure to the boardroom, reporting to and informing boards in her role as a professional health and safety consultant.

“I just naturally had it in my mind that I wanted to go into the governance sphere. I just didn’t know how that was going to work, so I carried on doing my thing.”

An observer role on the New Zealand Institute of Safety Management board had earlier piqued her interest and then being confronted by a board member asking: ‘What is it you want to achieve?’

“I’m just really interested in how things work,” Wright says. “I’m from health and safety. I’m not really about the operational aspects of health and safety. I’m about the strategy and the culture of an organisation and its people, and I just want to see how these things are being influenced and the messaging being pushed from the top down.

“He said, ‘OK, you know the traditional board has always had your standard lawyer and your accountant and so on’. I said, ‘Well, how am I going to get here. Realistically, I’m just focusing on health and safety at the moment, so what’s my next move?”

Understanding she needed to add more to her offering, Wright enrolled in an MBA at the University of Canterbury, and through its partnership with the Institute of Directors, she became aware of the First Steps in Governance programme.

She threw her name in the hat, impressed in her interviews and was then assigned to a board. “You don’t get to choose your board, but I hit the jackpot – the Bone Marrow Cancer Trust,” she says.

“On the first day, CEO Mandy Kennedy put her arm around me and said, ‘We really need you here. We’re really interested in what you have to say. Come and meet everybody’. and I remember her saying, ‘I bet you end up being on our board’. They just threw the doors open and welcomed me in; they are just a fantastic team.”

Wright says she made it quite clear early on that she did not want to be shoehorned into a health and safety role. “I have owned two businesses and I’ve worked in leadership teams, and I feel I have more to give than just health and safety.

“I’ve been involved in many discussions and decisions, whether it’s about budget, sustainability, systems implementation, remuneration review . . . it’s all-encompassing. My opinion is asked for and also valued.”

She says the trust’s board has already driven a huge amount of change, including diversity. “They have already shaken the tree and have diversity on the board, but the big question now is what does diversity actually mean and can we do more?”

She is also prepared to roll up her sleeves and help – “I know the general rule for a board is ‘noses in, fingers out’, but it’s a little bit different on a not-for-profit”.

The trust is focused on finishing a new apartment facility, boasting 43 two-bedroom apartments, to help take the pressure off Rānui House. It is expected to open later this year.

“That means we have to look seriously at our funding models, our budgets, our resourcing and systems to manage what is essentially a dual site now,” Wright says.

“There are two organisations and two parts to our board – the Bone Marrow Cancer Trust, which is where we provide the accommodation for patients undertaking medical treatment, and the Bone Marrow Cancer Research Trust.

“Our immediate mission is to support families who are going through treatment and staying away from home. But we are now looking at how we generate more funding into the trust, which is something we are passionate about.

“It’s not just dealing with the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff, but how do we be more proactive? It’s an exciting board to be part of because it’s dynamic.”

Wright believes ESG and sustainability will become an even bigger focus for boards in the future. “I’ve just expanded my business to focus in on the ESG space, it’s the area that I am passionate about and it’s also part of my personal growth.

“The other part of my future is, can I lock down some more board roles? What can I give to other organisations? I have 20 years consulting across multiple industries and at multiple levels and I feel like I have a lot more to give.”

CEO Kennedy says Wright was the standout candidate in the selection process, exceeding all the criteria laid out by the trust to the selection committee and in her in-person interview. “Her selection to become a trustee on our board speaks volumes about the impact she made during her time as a FSiG intern.”

Kennedy says Wright has enriched board discussions with her dedicated expertise and insightful contributions, offering new perspective and helping drive informed decision-making. “She has a proactive approach and commitment to excellence which overall have strengthened the board’s effectiveness and enhanced its ability to fulfil its responsibility.

“This is our first foray into working with the FSiG programme. It has been highly rewarding and exceeded our expectations. We look forward to continuing our partnership to achieve even greater success."

STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
The First Steps in Governance Award provides opportunities for young professionals at the start of their governance journey to gain experience in the not-for-profit sector.
Established by the Canterbury branch in 2014, it includes a NFP governance internship and mentoring from an experienced director/IoD member, plus complimentary IoD membership, local event attendance and funding for a one-day Essentials course.
Eligible recipients must not have held any substantial board roles, but can have experience on local sports, schools or community boards or trusts.
Applications for the next award will open in early September. It is open to both IoD members and non-members residing in the Canterbury/Mid-South Canterbury and West Coast regions.