Boards – Page 3 – LARSEN

Organisational ethics: walking the talk

We live in polycrisis times. In post Voice referendum “Australia”. In the midst of visible local and international legal and human rights abuses. In a decimated sector impacted by an ongoing pandemic, cost of living, climate and mental health crises, and more.

All of which have raised awareness of and reduced tolerance for things we’ve always known. Things we’ve articulated and have been trying to change – if incrementally – through endless research papers, consultations and planning days.

And another thing: organisational ethics and deficit areas

It’s unsurprising that these polycrisis times have led to lots of conversations about how organisations are coping and responding: what we do, how we do it, and how we behave when doing so.

My latest ‘and another thing’ vlog ties together three key themes or deficit areas that have come out some of these recent conversations, observations and my ongoing governance reading.

And another thing: the golden rule of governance

Pulling all my governance reading together for my move back to Naarm reminded me of the golden rule of arts, cultural and non-profit governance (spoiler: there is no golden rule).

And another thing: on cultural safety

Arts boards and organisations, stop using cultural safety as an excuse to make your programs, spaces and business practices less culturally safe.

And another thing: how to chair a meeting

Just finished reading How to Chair a Meeting by MI Puregger, an endearing Australian governance artefact from the 1950s with a lot to teach us about how much still needs to change.

Palestine governance resources in The Commons

The rushed and fumbled public statements made by Australian arts and cultural organisations in response to the ongoing genocide in Palestine have made failure the status quo on matters of risk and crisis management, financial sustainability and duty of care – including the statements many have made with their silence.

A collection of my provocations on Palestine as a governance issue have been collated and republished The Commons Social Change Library.

And another thing: governance and menopause

For International Women’s Day 2024, my ‘and another thing’ vlog talked about menstruation and menopause in the context of governance and duty of care, as well as a logical extension of occupational health and safety.

Dear arts organisations

Amongst everything else, the last several months have been a crash course for boards, leaders and organisations in risk and reputation management, crisis communications and duty of care from the pointy intersection of arts and human rights advocacy.

Inspired by my recent vlog series on why boards need to talk about Palestine (but applicable more broadly), here’s my attempt at framing the sorts of conversations going on amidst the hurt and panic, best and battered intentions, solidarity and silences right now.

Board members, we need to talk about Palestine

Like everyone else at the moment, Australian arts and cultural organisations have been making headlines for what they are or are not saying or doing about the daily and devastating breaches of international law and human rights happening in Palestine and Israel right now.

And another thing: duty of care

Our arts, cultural and other for-purpose sectors are designed to put others first – but we’re much better at doing so for our audiences and constituents than we are for ourselves.

This month’s ‘and another thing’ vlog for my Patreon followers uses the examples of the Voice to Parliament referendum, ethical fundraising and our ‘post’-pandemic workforce crisis to talk about Board members’ duty of care to their organisations, teams and each other.