Across the Board: NZ Herald, Institute of Directors podcast wins prize at New York Festival Radio Awards

Do you want a seat at the table? A new podcast details what you need to do to make it at the top. Photo / 123RF

If you thought you knew about directors and boards, your ideas are about to be blown out of the water.

Across the Board is a documentary podcast series that challenges some of the stereotypical thinking on what goes on in the boardroom – how governance impacts our lives – and why we should take notice now, more than ever.

Since launching in December 2022, the series has drawn in listeners and picked up international acclaim. The series has today walked away with Silver in the Business Podcast category at the New York Festival Awards, one of just six projects from New Zealand to win this year.

The Institute of Directors (IoD) CEO and presenter Kirsten Patterson says today directors need to understand and grapple with a rapidly changing social, economic and political landscape and their decisions need to keep pace, and still be well-informed.

The seven-part podcast series digs deep into issues such as technology, climate, diversity and inclusion. It also includes experiences of what it’s like to be bullied on a board, dealing with stress at the top, and why opening up about your experiences isn’t as easy as you might think.

There are also tips for those wanting to get their first board role and directors share their insights into what success and failure looks like when you finally get a seat at the table.

“Being a director is not for the faint-hearted and there is a real imperative for directors to have a broad focus beyond the financial goalposts,” says Patterson.

She adds that whether they’re making decisions for an NZX- listed company, a small to medium business, a not-for-profit that serves the community – or even a school board of trustees – directors also have to think about the moral and ethical issues that could have major implications and flow-on effects not only for that company or organisation, but also for the wider community.

“It is a director’s job to ensure the wellbeing of the company or organisations they serve. Ultimately, the decisions they make impact on employees, volunteers, and that trickles down to the surrounding communities who might use an organisation’s services, or buy a company’s products,” says Patterson.

For those keen to take a seat at the table, it is important to be careful about the boards you choose to sit on. Patterson says the job is becoming increasingly demanding due to the scope of director or trustee duties, legal responsibilities and liabilities, and the increasing community expectations required.

You can follow Across the Board on Across the board podcast links iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Episodes debut weekly on Saturdays from December 3rd.