Advisory Board Essentials

Advisory Board Essentials is designed to build your understanding of what advisory boards are and how they can support organisations at different stages of their lifecycle. You’ll explore how advisory boards enhance performance, strengthen decision-making, and complement formal governance structures, as well as how they differ from governance boards.

Whether you're considering establishing an advisory board or contributing as an adviser, this course will help you recognise how advisory roles add value in practice. You’ll gain confidence in what good looks like, understand effective advisory behaviours, and learn how to ask the right questions to ensure advisory structures remain fit for purpose and aligned to organisational needs.

Digital credential available Upon completion of this course, you’ll receive an IoD Digital Credential badge, issued by Credly by Pearson, to recognise your learning. Find out more about credentials here.

Who should attend

• • Existing or aspiring advisory board members
  • Business owners/founders seeking to establish an advisory board
    
    

Course content

• • What an advisory board is, and how it supports an organisation's overall governance system
  • Different types of advisory boards and advisory arrangements
  • The distinction between advisory and governance boards, including advice versus decision-making and accountability roles
  • Key considerations when establishing an advisory board
  • How advisory board members add value through their behaviours,  contributions
  • Indicators of effective and ineffective advisory boards