Double-track fast-track to governance

Sarah Matthews CMInstD became involved in governance through an interest in supporting the community she was part of.

Her governance experience includes sitting on the boards of Te Awamutu College, the Te Awamutu Chamber of Commerce, education charity House of Science, and HRT Property Holdings. Each of those roles came out of a desire to influence her environment, and the future environment of her children.

“It takes a lot of people in the community to make the community a better place,” Matthews says.

“Governance was the opportunity to make a difference in the community and, ultimately, to leave organisations in a better place.”

Once she decided to go down that route, her desire to do things well kicked in.

Matthews completed the week-long Company Directors’ Course in May and then passed the requirements to become a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors during June and July.

Eyes on excellence

Matthews undertook the challenging, week-long Company Directors’ Course not just for the knowledge it would impart, but with the aim of progressing to, and achieving, Chartered Member certification.

“There is a certain mana behind Chartered Membership,” Matthews says. “Being able to show what I can provide – and having that behind me, having the mana of Chartered Membership – is important for certain board roles. And I am very driven by the need for constant improvement.”

Governance is not the only string to Matthew’s bow, nor the only area in which she wants to achieve her goals. In fact, there is a lot of crossover with her “day job”. A Chartered Accountant, she is General Manager Organisation Performance (CFO) at Taupō District Council, where the legal and governance team fall under her watch.

“That’s brought a different dynamic to my development as a director because you are working with elected members. It is quite different to most boards because you don’t have the ability to influence board composition. That does develop your skills in terms of helping the board function, and function well.”

Earlier this year she was the recipient of a Taituarā Local Government Excellence Award, which will see her become part of an overseas manager exchange programme, swapping with a person in a similar role in Canada.

A full schedule

“I won’t take anything on unless I can commit to it,” Matthews says. As a self-confessed extrovert, being busy keeps her productive.

“I get refreshed from time with people and building relationships – for some people that doesn’t do the same thing. That does make governance easier because being out and working with people doesn’t feel like a stress to me. It is an active relaxing thing.”

On the flipside, she can be bored easily and was worried that the week-long CDC would not deliver week-long learning. The reality was much better than she expected.

“I didn’t realise what I would get out of it, which was a lot. I enjoyed my time on the course and I was really engaged. I am quite fast paced and it can be a challenge to engage me for that long on courses.”

The new governance demographic

Matthews is the first woman to chair electricity distribution trust, Waipā Networks Trust, and feels there is a general acceptance, today, that women belong in governance.

“I am probably fortunate to come through governance at this stage – where it is starting to be a less male-dominated career. I don’t see being a women as a disadvantage – I have not felt that.”

A former chair and president of the Hamilton YWCA, Matthews is confident she would be aware if prejudice was impacting.

“I am very committed to helping advance women’s development and to women’s rights.”

The belief that diversity of thought is beneficial to board decision making is now a lot more common, and that diversity of thought comes through having a diverse board.

“I think it comes back to where governance has been progressing. I have seen, personally, a lot of diversity on boards and a real focus on it, which is great. That is a diversity of not just skillsets but also background and thinking.”

For Matthews, governance is about delivering for the organisation she is governing.

“It’s about being there, providing your skillset to problems and being able to guide the organisation forward.”