Write to Govern: How to write a board paper
In this online class, you’ll learn tips and techniques to help you write board papers that meet senior management and the board’s expectations.
This course is suitable for anyone who writes board papers, whether you work for a corporate, government department, medium-sized business or not-for-profit organisation
Length: Five weeks
Time: TBA 2016
Cost: $695 GST incl. (This price includes a copy of Mary Morel’s book, Write to Govern.) A discount is available on request for not-for-profits.
Board papers are difficult to write because they have to be concise, yet complete. The challenge is often deciding what to put in and what to leave out.
In this interactive online class, you will learn from Mary Morel, your tutor, and share experiences with other class members. Each class will consist of resources and writing activities. Mary and other class members will comment on your work and you will be asked to peer review your class members’ writing.
You are also welcome to have an individual phone or Skype conversation with Mary about your writing.
Course description
Week one
- Introduction to board requirements
- Using your templates well
Week two
- Qualities of effective board papers
- Writing noting (information) and decision papers
Week three
- Writing tips and techniques for noting papers
- Structuring an argument for a decision paper
- Addressing strategy, risk and financial implications
Week four
- Formatting your paper well
- Integrating graphs and tables into your writing
- Writing for iPads or tablets
Week five
- Reviewing for content and style
Mary Morel
Your tutor, Mary Morel, specialises in working with organisations to improve the quality of their board papers. She has successfully completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors’ company directors course and written a book on board papers, Write to Govern: How to write effective board papers. She regularly conducts workshops for the Governance Institute of Australia.