Small Enterprise Governance

Small enterprise governance consists of:

• Simple board meetings held regularly: typically monthly, sometimes quarterly
• An external perspective at the meeting: an advisor, being an external person who does not work in the enterprise
• Your advisor being available at any other time, to support you as required
• Your advisor helping you to be accountable to your own goals

At the core of small enterprise governance is board meetings. Not just any kind of board meeting. They are special for small enterprises.

What is special about board meetings for small enterprises?

Traditional governance puts the directors, often external people, at the top of a hierarchy. Directors set the direction and rules, management get on with it and make recommendations to directors on the big questions.

In small enterprises the managers are most often the directors and often owners too. It is the the managerial role which takes precedent. Small enterprise governance in that context is about taking time out from management to get the benefits of external perspective.

Small enterprise board meetings are a process that creates the space to lift your head up and look about. To gain some perspective. Time Out. And then re-engage as a manager with fresh energy.

No hierarchy is created as in formal traditional governance. The benefits of governance are gained without new structure or significant additional cost.

Business and life

A special feature of small enterprises is way they can dominate your life. We know!

Our governance system is designed with a very significant assumption: the context for your business is your life. We want to help your life choices be the starting point for your business choices.

By creating Time Out in your business, we can help you see the bigger picture in your life and your business, with more clarity.

Do you have board meetings?

Most small enterprises do not. Why not?

• Board meetings are perceived to be cumbersome and expensive ... for large organisations only.
• If you are bogged down in day-to-day activities the last thing you want to do is add another meeting to your schedule.

Small enterprise board meetings are not cumbersome, expensive or time-consuming. We do not officially become directors of your company. Meetings are incisive, value-creating and timely. Get the benefits without the pain!

Better decisions

Board meetings are about making sound decisions. What does this mean?

• Starting with a simple agenda
• Having simple rules for making decisions that give guidance, boundaries and priorities
• Gathering good information and reports
• Having the context in mind: your personal big picture, and the big picture for your organisation
• Getting the perspective and wisdom of others
• Consulting with those affected
• Objective analysis
• Evaluating all options clearly
• Getting buy-in from those affected

The objective is to end up with a sharp focus on what is important. With sound decision-making processes in place you can make decisions with confidence.

What are the outcomes of regular board meetings?

Have board meetings with us, and you can get:

• Renewed confidence
• Clarity and focus on what is important
• A tangibly greater feeling of control
• Increasing enjoyment of the journey
• Future choices opening up
• The ability to take the next growth step with confidence
• The ability to grow organically (without a large input from investors)
• The ability to carefully plan the succession of the business, whether it is exit or handing it on to your family or others.
• Enhanced financial performance and stability
• Ongoing business viability
• Increased systemisation and predictability
• Increased capacity
• Increased business value
• Increased buy-in from others (employees, banks, shareholders, suppliers)
• Channeling your limited energy effectively
• A healthy life balance
• Time off
• Recaptured the joy of running a creative and profitable business doing the things you love most

Who is it for?

The owners and managers of small-to-medium enterprises.

• Are you buried in the mire most of the time?
• Overloaded with things to do
• Feeling the stress of responsibility and expectation
• Complexity and loss of clarity
• Feeling alone and unsupported
• Limited experience in taking a business beyond where its at now
• Fear, uncertainty, unpredictability
• Competitors and increased pace of change
• Poor reporting, lack of good data
• Family dynamics
• Stuck, not making progress
• Do you employ 3 or more staff to delegate to?
• Are you good at what you do?
• Do you know you need to change, and want to, but are not sure how?
• Do you want to learn, change, and grow personally?
• Are you committed to helping people within your organisation grow?

If yes, then we can help you.

Board meetings deal with these challenges by creating Time Out from the day-to-day. Stop. Get perspective. Consider your options. Get clarity. Make sound decisions. Renew your confidence. Feel refreshed. Then get back into the fray, focusing on what is important, in control, and enjoying it!