27/03/2026
There was so much wisdom in the room at the impactful panel discussion in Ōtautahi on Wednesday evening.
As an experienced board member myself (fakaaue lahi mahaki to those who’ve held the door wide open for me to come through and serve), what I was reminded of ~ and what I love coaching emerging leaders on ~ is this:
there is always something to learn, no matter what stage of your governance journey you are at.
Governance is not a quick climb.
It is a long game of courage, contribution, learning, relationships, and resilience.
A few key reminders from our wonderful panel really stayed with me:
Start where you are.
Not every governance journey begins on a large paid board. School boards, community boards, sport boards, and not-for-profit boards all build valuable experience.
Governance is different from management.
You are not there to do the work. You are there to provide oversight, ask good questions, think strategically, and help steer the waka in the right direction.
Networks matter.
So much of governance still comes through relationships, visibility, and trusted connections. Let people know you are interested. Stay in the room. Keep showing up.
Training helps, but experience matters too.
Courses and webinars are valuable, but real learning deepens when paired with lived governance experience.
Board culture matters.
It is not just about getting a seat at the table. It is also about whether your voice will be heard, respected, and valued once you are there.
Women bring important perspective.
Especially in rooms where our lived experience shapes the questions that need to be asked and the decisions that need to be made.
One insight I especially appreciated was this:
you may need to be rejected many times before the right governance opportunity opens.
That is not failure.
That is part of the journey.
Through my coaching, I see this every day with emerging leaders stepping forward, backing themselves, and growing into spaces they once questioned if they belonged in.
You do belong.
And your voice, your perspective, and your leadership matter.
Keep learning.
Keep showing up.
Keep stepping forward!