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By Dani Saveker, July 26, 2009 10:51 am

Just recently, I spent a few days on a training course for Good Governance - in particular for third sector organisations (charity, voluntary and not for profit). This is part of a newly launched venture by a good friend and business associate of mine, Karl George MBE.

Karl has successfully created The Governance Forum which will aim to help organisations have, understand and action their vision and purpose. The GF is based on three core areas, RESOURCE, COMPETENCY and EXECUTION. I think I should also mention that Sir Adrian Cadbury has also endorsed the Forum and it’s work, this is partcularly significant as he was a pioneer of corporate governance and his Cadbury Code was used within the Combined Code: PRINCIPLES OF GOOD GOVERNANCE AND CODE OF BEST PRACTICE.

Through very simple diagnostics, the trained and approved specialists will then work with organisations to ensure a plan is implimented whilst supporting Boards and Chief Execs. With increasing regulations, political bureaucracy as well as the need to perform well there is an ever evolving need to have Boards and Trustees equipped to deal with important issues whilst achieving the original vision of the organisation.

Simply put “governance” means: the process of decision-making and the process by which decisions are implemented (or not implemented). Governance can be used in several contexts such as corporate governance, international governance, national governance and local governance.

The demands and responsibilties placed on organisations and those committed to them is significant. This isn’t an alien concept however. To ensure any family, schools, businesses, groups or organisations functions effectively we must have excellent leadership and ‘governance’.

Clear aims and objectives, understanding, skills and communication and ensuring things are actually done… shouldn’t we all do this? It’s amazing how this often isn’t the case, the difference is that this can’t be allowed to happen now. Funders for charitable organisations will not allow it and banks certainly won’t, especially in this climate.

In my experience and opinion, family owned and run businesses have some of the poorest standards of governance. The Board’s lack diversity, skills, understanding and a commitment to the ‘company interests’. But the whole area of family businesses can wait for another day!

There is such a vast area to improve within all organisations - it’s great to see that the GF have a wide range of tools and services to help bridge the gaps and ensure organisations funtion to the best of their ability and within the framework that is needed. 

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By Dani Saveker, July 24, 2009 3:49 pm

I’ve been talking to friends and business associates recently about how they have ended up where they are in their professions, careers and jobs. It’s a fascinating subject when you get back to discussing school days.

The main issues effecting career choices seems to be based on things such as:

- “I had a really good teacher that made a subject interesting and therefore I did well in it”

- “My family have all been [insert profession] and so I was destined to follow”

- “My parents thought it would be best if I was [insert job title]”

- “I failed my exams and so got a job at the local [insert bank, shop etc]”

- “I didn’t know what I wanted to do so I did a general subject [insert business studies or social studies course]”

Good and/or bad teachers certainly seem to affect course choices – it’s a bit of luck whether it pays off or not. What’s more important is that decisions and choices are not being based on people’s strengths… and that leads to unhappiness and dissatisfaction.

Question of the day is ‘how did you end up doing what you do and why?’. I’d be interested to hear people’s stories! Drop me a line at dani@danisaveker.com

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By Dani Saveker, July 17, 2009 8:49 am

I received an email requesting comments about the following question…

“Are you confident for the future of manufacturing in the Midlands?”

After the last few years as an owner/manager of a Birmingham based manufacturing company and background myself I certainly can’t say that I have any confidence in the future of manufacturing in the UK. I remain very concerned about the disregard for the value of manufacturing in the UK and within the Midlands. The modern perceptions of manufacturing don’t encourage new blood and so the future, for so many reasons, is worrying. Support, training and investment is lacking and yet manufacturing is fundamental and at the core.

Birmingham has a legacy of outstanding manufacturing and engineering but it doesn’t seem to matter. My own company was 106 years old and yet we had no choice but administration this year – and we were one of many that now leaves vast holes in our manufacturing capabilities.

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By Dani Saveker, July 14, 2009 4:35 pm

I’ve spent a bit of time reminising recently having successfully found and met up with some great friends from my first secondary school – all thanks to Facebook. It took me back a few (?!) years and I’ve been thinking about the path we all travel from nursery, through school, possibly on to higher education and to our career. Is it our parents power of persuasion? is it society that dictates what we should do? there seem to be so many reasons for the various doors we find, open and sometimes close.  And then I remembered the ‘Careers Advisor’!

This was someone that appeared to neither have a ‘career’ nor be an ‘advisor’.

As a parent with our eldest son about to start his secondary education I find it rather alarming that this poor level of support is still exists. When I was at school there seemed to be two categories when receiving advice… a) for those showing some reasonable intelligence and b) the rest. If you fell into the A’s, you were told to go and get a job in bank or at an estate agent and if you were a B then the route was factory work, shelf stacker or on a check out. If you’d had a Saturday job then the advice was ’see if they will give you a job’.

So it’s not a great start to anyone’s future. In speaking with my various professional colleagues and associates we’ve all agreed about this and so I reckon it’s time to do something. I’ve supported young entrepreneurs and their development for a number of years - but now I realise that there’s the stage before that when the spark of leadership and entrepreneurship starts to to flicker – surely our job should be to add to this so that great things can happen and the spark’s can burn brightly. I’ve started the ball rolling so watch this space.

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By Dani Saveker, July 7, 2009 10:39 pm

Why do I always have a clear vision and feel unable to accept anything less? Why don’t I ever fit the ‘norm’?

From very early on in my childhood I recall not being one of the clique or ‘cool gang’ and actually quite enjoying it that way. Looking at examples through my life, I start with my name which is unusual … infact it’s made up and  I have yet to find anyone else with it (Danian).

I attended ballet lessons from the age of 4 and continued through to about 16years old. Towards the end of this I remember always being at the front of the class and challenging the uniform – because I learnt to be the best, I found I could get away with the teacher accepting my personalisation of hair styles and clothing… no one else could get away with it.

Was this cheeky? Was it being stubborn or arrogant? Was it using my relationship with the teacher? Was it being outstanding and confident? Probably all of the above!

This simple example has repeated itself in various ways through out life and over the last few months I have been amazed at who is in my list of contacts and yet on the other hand I expect nothing less for myself. I have many contradictions in my life, I am insecure and yet full of self belief, I am shy and yet one of the most confident people you can come across. What drives me and people like me? I go head first into things with this belief and never fear the consequence -certainly not the consequence of failure. I say ‘head first’ but may be it’s ‘heart first’?

I think belief may be one of the biggest factors – I believe I can and will achieve and so I do. I believe that I can raise the profile of key issues and so I do. I believe I have the right to be heard and I am. I’m told something is impossible and I will proove you wrong.

I love not following the ‘normal path’ and take pride in building my own – it’s never been smooth but at least it’s interesting and I can choose to steer it around and cross over some wonderful other paths along the way.

My grandfather wasn’t a businessman but he had real belief. Belief, determination and vision, call it what you will – as Martin Luther-King said “I have a dream…”