PODCAST · business
Future Directors Podcast
by Future Directors Institute
Welcome to the Future Directors podcast hosted by award-winning author and Board Futurist, Paul Smith. Every episode brings you diverse perspectives and new ideas from the boardroom. His guests include thought leaders and board directors who are pushing the boundaries of governance around the world.
Episodes
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Ep. 112 - Become More Influential In The Boardroom
How easy is it to up the impact and influence in your board role? In this episode, Paul is joined by upcoming Future Directors Faculty Member, former-NACD President, award-winning documentary filmmaker, and talented human of other governance things Erin Essenmacher. Together we look at how…
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Ep. 111 - Harnessing data for modern financial governance (w/ Dr David Bond)
Many people think you have to be an accountant or finance professional to sit on a board. Nope! But, you do need to know how to navigate financial statements AND, more importantly, ask all the right questions of the numbers...often with a bit of skeptisicm. In this episode, Paul is joined by new...
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Ep. 110 - The Go-Giver Way (w/ Bob Burg)
What a coup! Famed author Bob Burg joins Paul for a rare podcast interview. Bob Burg is a world-renowned author who has sold over 2 million books. In this episode, Bob shared the timeless principles behind this influential work, The Go-Giver (co-authored with John David Mann) and explained why...
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Ep. 109 - Should small business care about governance? (w/ Bessi Graham)
We love a good crossover episode! In late 2024, your host Paul Smith featured on The Jasper Blueprint podcast with Bessi Graham. It was so relevant for Future Directors' listener...that we decided to add it to our episode list. In this episode, Bessi and I explore governance as a competitive edge...
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Ep. 108 - The Role of the Company Secretary w/ Lisa Coletta
NEW SEASON TIME! I hope you all enjoyed the Future Boards Forum 2024 episode. That essentially acts as a break in my mercurial podcast. Now, I mix things up again. I can be like a magpie and shiny objects! This season will be ALL interviews with cool people talking about corporate (and board)...
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Ep. 107 - Future Boards Forum 2024
What are the Governance Trends for year ahead? In this special episode, we bring you the highlights from the Future Boards Forum (held in December 2024), where I was joined by a panel of governance geeks to explore the biggest trends shaping board governance for the next 12 months. It's a bit of…
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Ep. 106 - Do you need good people to have good governance?
In my last episode before a brand new (very special) season kicks off, I literally sit down and riff with my Governance Geek friend Matt Fullbrook to chat about good people and good governance. This short episode was totally unplanned. We were working in his Brisbane AirBnB during our recent...
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Ep. 105 - The Yin and Yang of the Boardroom
Much of board education likes to zero in on technical knowledge—keeping up with regulatory updates, sharpening financial skills, risk management, and staying on top of industry trends. These are crucial, no doubt. But they're only one part of the picture. The often overlooked part is the…
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Ep. 104 - Talking good things (instead of all the problems)
Commentary on corporate governance commonly focuses on what is wrong or missing. The mistakes, the downfalls, the 'bad stuff'. Admittedly, I'm not immune to this. With the world seemingly in increasing turmoil - divisive politics, endless wars, clashing ideologies… and just trying to keep up with...
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Ep. 103 - Unpopular governance opinions?
Diving into the heart of what makes or breaks the boardroom is not just a pastime for me—it's a mission. Some time ago, a few of my fellow future-focused enthusiasts and I went down a rabbit hole to talk about the most unpopular governance opinions. I thought I would reflect on and summarise the...
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Ep. 102 - Doing Board Recruitment Well w/ guest Dr Tom Mutch
A poorly executed board recruitment strategy can be the silent saboteur of a board's success. Quality board recruitment processes are the cornerstone that ensures the right mix of expertise, experience and vision exists to govern with confidence. Unlike executive recruitment, it's also a process...
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Ep. 101 - Harmonising your Board of Directors
What type or style of board member are you? Are you the Stakeholder Champion, Data Chaser, Status Hound, Unprepared, or even the Narcissist? These are the types identified in a recent article from Harvard Business Review, and in another bite-sized episode from Paul, he gives you a few more to…
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Ep. 100 - Paul becomes the interviewee (featuring guest host Matt Fullbrook)
Yes, 100 episodes! Wow. Almost 70 hours worth of conversation about boards, directors, technology, diversity, education, careers, challenges and more. It's been a blast. To welcome us into the next century, you have a new host, Matt Fullbrook. Amongst his claims to fame he's the single most...
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Ep. 99 - [REPLAY] Paul's favourite episode from the podcast
As we near our ONE-HUNDREDTH episode, Paul shares his favourite episode of all time. It also happens to be one of the most downloaded episodes in the podcast's history. Featuring repeat offender Matt Fullbrook, alongside younger directors Nurain Janah and Hannah Stenning, this replay of Ep57…
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Ep. 98 - Chatting with ChatGPT
Hello, fellow governance geeks, director dorks and boardroom boffins! This special technological episode features your host Paul Smith - founder of Future Directors - chatting with the hugely popular Generative AI tool, ChatGPT 4.0. Having crowdsourced some questions from his network, Paul ask…
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Ep. 97 - Creating Inclusive Boardrooms
In this episode, Paul takes a backseat to his colleague Aisling Blackmore who recorded this webinar with William Rae and Elaine Crichton from Inspiring Scotland in late 2023. (Please note, there were some sound issues during this recording) Inspiring Scotland is a UK-based charity that identifies...
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Ep. 96 - How does Indigenous (First Nations) Governance align with Western Corporate Governance?
Can you believe we are four episodes away from the Magic 100?!? This is a wonderful in-depth chat between two people obsessed with board governance. Jess Bulger is a proud Wiradjuri woman from Tumut in NSW, Australia. She is the CEO of the Australian Indigenous Governance Institute and Co-Chair…
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Ep. 95 - The difference between Board Composition & the Board Skills Matrix
Are you looking to build a board of directors from scratch or enhance your existing board composition? If so, then this episode is the one for you. This ep features a recent conversation between Paul and special guests, Rosie and Lucy Thomas from Project Rockit. A few years ago, these two sisters...
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Ep. 94 - Becoming An Elephant In The Boardroom: The Real Role of the Modern Director
As we see big brand companies like Qantas and OpenAI go through what we can safely say from the outside is a bit of a 'governance crisis', it has brought up the need to be very clear about what is board leadership and why is it different to other leadership roles. In another bite-sized episode of...
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Ep. 93 - Peeling Back Board Purpose
In a world of ever-evolving organisational governance, where boards serve as the nerve centre of decision-making and strategy, it is surprising how often the simple question of PURPOSE remains unanswered. Boards of directors, entrusted with steering companies through complex waters, frequently...
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Ep. 92 - Governing AI (Artificial Intelligence)
In this special episode, we share a recent recording of Paul hosting a live webinar on the subject of AI, its impact on boardrooms, policies, governing and the role of board directors themselves. Is it a risk, an opportunity, or (spoiler alert) both? In this episode, Paul discusses: What is AI,...
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Ep. 91 - The Diversity Imperative For Boards
On the back of episode 89, we've been looking at another study. This time by Monash University in Australia, which delved deep into board diversity and inclusion. They interviewed remarkable women from diverse backgrounds, and what they unearthed is a wake-up call for every boardroom across the...
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Ep. 90 - We're asking too much of board directors
Another year, another survey of board directors. Does this one show us anything new? Earlier this year, the Global Network of Director Institutes released their "The Future of Board Governance" report. The GNDI is a collection of 24 national governance institutes from North and South America…
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Ep. 89 - Understanding Indigenous Governance (with guests Jessica Bulger & Kate Hillman)
This episode is a bit special and serves two purposes. For our Australian listeners, it continues on the discussion about navigating the Voice to Parliament discussion with your board. Paul hosted a webinar recently and this is a snippet from a special panel discussion with guests Jessica Bulger...
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Ep. 88 - Navigating the Voice Discussion With Your Board (with guests Thomas Mayo & Jessica Bulger)
In a special episode of the podcast, we take a look at how to navigate the 'Voice to Parliament' Referendum in your boardroom. For our non-Australian listeners, this won't mean much unless you keep up to date with First Nations affairs globally. In this webinar (converted to podcast), Paul was...
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Ep. 87 - Crows, ESG, ChatGPT and Decision-Making (Pt 2 with Josh Klein)
This is part 2 of Paul's fascinating (we think) conversation with technologist and all round nice guy, Josh Klein. If this is your first listen to the podcast, we recommend you go back to Part 1 a few episodes ago. Josh is a truly fascinating guest. He specialises in translating technological...
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Ep. 86 - Likeability In The Boardroom
High-performance teams, from the pitch to the boardroom, need to build up rapport together. This takes time. But, one of the major problems in most boardrooms is the lack of time together. Whatever time a board has is usually spent on the business instead of getting to know one another. Compound...
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Ep. 85 - Crows, ESG, ChatGPT and Decision-Making (Pt 1 with Josh Klein)
Paul's back chatting to with the best and brightest in his latest episode of the Future Directors Podcast. This week is Part 1 of a two-parter with technologist, Josh Klein. Josh is a truly fascinating guest. He specialises in translating technological insights into actionable strategies. He's a...
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Ep. 84 - Earned Skills v Learned Skills
Did you know that fewer than 1% of board directors worldwide have a formal qualification? Should this worry us? Do qualifications indicate competency? Do we miss out on better candidates when we seek assurance from a qualification? In this short episode, Paul ruminates on a recent conversation...
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Ep. 83 - What 65,000 years of governance looks like
We're always working toward inclusivity and intersectionality at Future Directors. And, today, it's particularly important that I acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which Paul recorded this episode – the Whadjuk Noongar people. So, can we learn anything about governance from…
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Ep. 82 - Board directors ARE the problem
Our most provocative episode (title) ever. The week Paul - in just a few minutes - discusses the power of systems, language and stakeholders. How do these things play out in and around boardrooms? Paul investigates some different ways of looking at effective governance structures that move us…
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Ep. 81 - The science made me say it!
This week's short snippet from Paul focusses on a bit of research by those smart people at Havard and Penn universities called "The Liking Gap In Groups". Apparently, we can routinely underestimate how likeable we seem to others, but this gap shrinks as we get to know one another. What does this...
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Ep. 80 - What chats should ChatGPT be creating in the boardroom?
We are back...again! Yes, the Future Directors Podcast is crazily inconsistent but you can't beat the content right? For the next little while, FDI Founder Paul Smith will be sharing his thoughts in bite-size monologues of under 5 minutes each. Governance geekdom at its finest. This episode is…
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Ep. 79 - Creating a Tech-Wise Boardroom: How to bring tech-mindedness into the boardroom?
It's part two of last ep's convo with FDI's Paul Smith and tech & governance experts, Pia Turcinov and Alan Jones. This time they're thinking about how those 'dangerous and disruptive tech folk' can reframe what they offer, in order to get a seat at the boardroom table in the first place. The...
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EP. 78 - Creating a Tech-Wise Boardroom - Why isn't tech at the front of every board's mind?
You could be a banana farm. An insurer. A school network. It doesn't matter. Digital tech is now so integral to day-to-day life that, whatever business you're in, you're now a technology business. So why don't more boards have tech at the top of their minds? Why are Australia's ASX toppers the…
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Ep. 77 - How is being a good board chair like being a great dinner host? (With Matt Fullbrook)
In the last of our series we Matt we talk about one of the most important people in the boardroom...the Chair. You've probably heard the analogy about the board chair being like an orchestra conductor. Matt Fullbrook of Fullbrook Board Effective thinks that's bunkum. He has a different analogy -...
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BONUS FUTURE DIRECTOR AWARDS EP: If you want to be what your board needs, be deliberate (with Leah Fricke)
Leah Fricke has a term for the meat she brings to her non-executive director roles: "Deliberate Practice". It's about consciously and continually reflecting on what your board will need in 3 years, and actively becoming it – through extracurricular learning and self-development. It's what made…
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Ep. 75 - Why your WHY is so critical in your board journey
Here's another short episode with Paul sharing his wisdom to help you in your board career. This week, it's all about your why. As Simon Sinek's book suggests "Start with Why" but for us at Future Directors, there are far more reasons beyond the start point that makes your why such a critical...
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Ep. 74 - Governance has a positioning problem
Does the phrase 'corporate governance' apply to non-profits, schools, community groups etc? Yes, but for many, it doesn't and Paul (solo this time) is here to explain why governance has a positioning problem.
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Ep. 73 - How do you govern for a stakeholder you didn't even know you had? (With Matt Fullbrook)
"How does this impact us?" is a question you'll often hear in boardrooms. But less so, "Who is the us?" and "Isn't the us also the environment and the community?" or "Should we think about what we can have a positive impact on, versus just thinking about what we'll be negatively impacted by?"....
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Ep. 72 - Quick! It's a crisis! What should we do!? (With Matt Fullbrook)
Spotify's big drawcard Joe Rogan said some stuff. Stupid stuff. And Spotify got heat because Joe's values butted against their publicly stated ones. So what's a board to do? Today, FDI's Paul yacks with good friend Matt Fullbrook of Fullbrook Board Effectiveness, about what things a board could…
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Ep. 71 - What's a Future Director, Matt?
Today is another joyful forum with Matt Fullbrook of Fullbrook Board Effectiveness and FDI's Paul Smith. This time, the question's squarely on what sort of director is the director the future needs? Let's hear Matt dimensionalise what being a Future Director means to him. We explore: A strong...
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Ep. 70 - Is being a board director lonely? (With Matt Fullbrook)
A weird cultural thing's emerged through the history and formality of boardrooms, which has made it a space that makes directors lonely. Vulnerability is seen as a weakness because comradery is weak. Today, FDI's Paul chats with Matt Fullbrook of Fullbrook Board Effectiveness - on how what boards...
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Ep. 69 - Governing for Burnout Series Part 3
Future Directors Podcast #69 Governing for Burnout Series Part 3 - How to create a workplace culture that limits staff burnout When people are working weekends and not taking leave, it's clear mental ill health is a-brewing. How do you ensure it doesn't get to that point? That's the focus of Part…
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Ep. 68 - Governing for Burnout Series Part 2
Future Directors Podcast #68 Governing for Burnout Series Part 2 - Burnout, board director to board director When a board is at their limits, they can't take their org to its potential. This is Part 2 of our 'Governing For Burnout' series. In it, Dr Jaelea Skehan, Director of Everymind and mental...
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Ep. 67 Governing for Burnout Series Part 1
Future Directors Podcast #67 Governing for Burnout Series Part 1 - How to manage your own burnout as a board director Boardrooms breed burnout. Most board directors are the hard-nosed sort to gloss over it. That's a problem. In this, Part 1 of our 'Governing For Burnout' series, Dr Jaelea Skehan,...
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Trailer: What is a Future Director?
We are called the Future Directors Institute, but what exactly is a Future Director and why is it not a future director? In this short trailer for the podcast, we want to give you a clue as to why it's worth listening to Paul and his guests. You could say that the entire podcast going forward is...
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We are back!
Wow, it's been 12 months since our last podcast. So much has happened. All you need to know is we are back! What can you expect? Shorter episodes of 15-20min or less Fascinating guests from around the world Huge focus on real solutions to director & board issues Perhaps the odd longer interview...
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Episode 66: BOARDROOM 2.0: Governance Models of the Future
In this special Decision84-related episode, we have two amazing guests, Sharon Sutherland and Dr. Dean Blomson, discussing the future of boards. Sharon is the leader with Ernst Young's Global Center for Board Matters. In her work, she enables board members and directors to navigate their...
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Episode 65: Special Episode: Decision84
This special episode features Paul Smith chatting with this podcast's former co-host, Anna Byrne, about our upcoming virtual board governance summit, Decision84. Decision84 is the world's leading board governance virtual summit. Held over 2 weeks from 31 August to 9 September, hundreds of...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Welcome to the Future Directors podcast hosted by award-winning author and Board Futurist, Paul Smith. Every episode brings you diverse perspectives and new ideas from the boardroom. His guests include thought leaders and board directors who are pushing the boundaries of governance around the world.
HOSTED BY
Future Directors Institute
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Future Directors Podcast have?
Future Directors Podcast currently has 115 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Future Directors Podcast about?
Welcome to the Future Directors podcast hosted by award-winning author and Board Futurist, Paul Smith. Every episode brings you diverse perspectives and new ideas from the boardroom. His guests include thought leaders and board directors who are pushing the boundaries of governance around the world.
How often does Future Directors Podcast release new episodes?
Future Directors Podcast publishes regularly with 115 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Future Directors Podcast?
You can listen to Future Directors Podcast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Future Directors Podcast?
Future Directors Podcast is created and hosted by Future Directors Institute.
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