MAYFIELD COURSES
Governance Fundamentals
This practical, future-focused one-day course is designed for new and aspiring directors, trustees, business owners, and professionals who engage with boards.
You’ll gain a clear understanding of board roles, director duties, effective board practices, and how to navigate finance, strategy, and risk at the governance level - equipping you to contribute with impact and lead with purpose.
Available as in-house board training tailored to your board’s requirements
Experienced facilitators with backgrounds as Chairs, Directors, and CEOs
Suitable for private organisations, not-for-profit entities, and cooperatives
This one-day workshop provides an understanding of the fundamentals of effective governance and its critical role in an organisation's success.
Throughout the day, you can expect to learn about key governance principles, the roles and responsibilities of the board, and best practices for ensuring transparency and accountability. Using interactive exercises, you will grow your knowledge of risk management, ethical decision-making, and the tools for strategy development and implementation.
Participants will be networking with like-minded individuals, as well as directors from across different industries to encourage pan-sector approaches.
By the end of this workshop, you will have gained valuable knowledge and tools to enhance your governance skills, enabling you to contribute more effectively to your organisation's leadership, culture, and oversight.
Key topics include:
The purpose and role of governance and the board
The differences between governance, management, and representation
Director duties, obligations, and relevant legislation (e.g. Companies Act, HSWA)
Finance, strategy, and risk from a director’s perspective
Effective board practices - agendas, minutes, foundational documents, work plans, and meeting structures
Board dynamics, culture, and the role of the chair
The future of governance, including board succession planning and ongoing professional development
Whether you're new to governance or looking to grow your capability, this course equips you with the essentials to lead with purpose and clarity.
This course is suitable for:
New or aspiring directors
Sitting directors looking to further their professional development
Managing directors and small business operators
Professionals reporting or interacting with a board i.e CEOs, CFOs and H&S officers
Board trustees
Committee members
We’ve previously welcomed participants from:
Register for Mayfield’s one-day Governance Fundamentals course.
Upcoming courses
Whangarei
Wednesday 29th October 2025
Palmerston North
Tuesday 2nd December 2025
Christchurch
Friday 5th December 2025
Proposed courses in 2026
Invercargill
Westport
Mosgiel
Hamilton
Register your interest
To register for this course or enquire about board member governance workshops, please fill out the enquiry form.
Are you eligible for workshop funding or scholarship?
Mayfield Group has a number of organisations that we work with who offer potential funding and/or scholarships towards governance training. Please ask us about your governance funding options.