Matt Fullbrook - Podcast Details

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The Boardroom 180 PodcastShifting ‘The Base’ of Governance with Matt FullbrookIn this episode, host Munir Haque welcomes Matt Fullbrook, creator of the One Minute Governance podcast and the Ground-Up Governance platform, to the show to discuss his 23 years of experience in more than 300 boardrooms, ranging from local non-profits to global corporations. Through extensive research, Matt discovered that there’s not much consensus in academic literature about the impact of governance on financial performance or leadership effectiveness. This prompted him to redefine governance for himself, moving beyond traditional frameworks to develop a more evidence-based and practical approach that he discusses with Munir. Matt currently experiments wit...2025-02-2545 min

One Minute GovernanceANNOUNCEMENT: Sound-Up Governance is back on January 20thHead to http://www.groundupgovernance.com for more TRANSCRIPT: Hi everyone, this is Matt Fullbrook and I'm back on the Ground-Up Governance platform after a long absence and I've got a new idea. If you're listening to this on a mainstream podcast platform and don't know what I'm talking about, head over to groundupgovernance.com and just start putting poking around. It's the only place you'll be able to check out this new idea, at least for the time being. So, long story short, I created Ground-Up Governance with the amazing Nate Schmold. He's...2025-01-0803 min

One Minute Governance252. Season 5 wrap-upOMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Here we are at the end of another season of OMG. Invariably, during the process of writing the last episode of a season of the show, I find myself wondering if I’ll do another one. Not because I don’t want to or because I think it’s not worth it. It’s just never clear if I’ll have any more ideas, let alone FIFTY more ideas. So, who knows? Anyway, I don’t know about you but I think this season h...2024-12-1901 min

One Minute Governance251. What is the point of the question I'm about to ask?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #49: What is the point of the question I’m about to ask? By proposing this question, I guess I’m basically recommending a bit of cognitive behavioural therapy for directors. I won’t dive into CBT other than to say it can help people to develop habits to manage undesired thoughts or behaviours. And if you listen back to the intro of this season...2024-12-1601 min

One Minute Governance250. What, specifically, are we going to do better next time?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #48: What, specifically, are we going to do better next time? I could’ve made this the shortest episode ever by just stating the question and leaving it at that. I suspect it’s obvious what the point of this question is and why it matters. It forces us to abandon the assumption that we’re perfect, and prompts us to make – and hopefully follow th...2024-12-1201 min

One Minute Governance249. Are we compromising instead of being intentional?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #46: Are we compromising instead of being intentional? Don’t get me wrong: compromise is a useful hack. Both in the “let’s make everyone equally unhappy” sense and the “let’s shoot down the middle instead of taking an extreme position” sense. And I think compromise is often really appropriate in boardrooms. That said, compromise often turns into a habit, especially in situations where we’re rea...2024-12-0901 min

One Minute Governance248. Is the way we do things valuable for our owners/members?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #46: Is the way we do things valuable for our owners/members? We’ve said before on the show – including a few times this season – that questions about owners or shareholders or members or whatever term is applicable for your corporation...have different implications and flavours in different jurisdictions. Let’s also note that we’re asking if the way we do things is “valuable” to...2024-12-0501 min

One Minute Governance247. Is the way we do things working for management?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #45: Is the way we do things working for management? Today’s question kinda revisits what we talked about back in episodes 214, 215 and 216, except at this point we’ve answered a lot more questions that will help us do a better job here. Even though for the most part I work FOR boards, it’s most often management that reaches out to me first. In part...2024-12-0201 min

One Minute Governance246. Is the way we do things working for my fellow board members?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #44: Is the way we do things working for my fellow board members? I did a session a few months ago with a group of board chairs of cool complex organizations. I made a case to them – similar to the one from the previous episode – that each person in the room has different needs and preferences, and that an important part of a board chair...2024-11-2701 min

One Minute Governance245. Is the way we do things working for me?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #43: Is the way we do things working for me? I’ve said before on OMG and elsewhere that your work as a director isn’t about you. You’re serving others. Nonetheless, you’re still a human being with your own preferences, moods, skills, experience and needs. Sometimes mundane things will dramatically affect the way you show up for something – even if it’s something s...2024-11-2501 min

One Minute Governance244. What are we excited about?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #42: What are we excited about? I know that boardrooms aren’t typically environments that provoke much excitement. And I’m not trying to pretend that getting excited is really the point of a board’s work. But just because it’s not the point doesn’t mean that it’s not worth aiming for. Yes, it’s true that the emotions we feel when we’re in a...2024-11-2101 min

One Minute Governance243. What are we afraid of?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #41: What are we afraid of? I wonder if you’ve noticed something that I’ve started to notice lately. There’s a bit of a trend among people who think and speak and write about corporate governance where some of them seem to be trying to pathologize the way that people behave in boardrooms. For example, classifying boardrooms as places where people are scared...2024-11-1801 min

One Minute Governance242. Is the way we do things likely to make the world a better place?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #40: Is the way we do things likely to make the world a better place? It’s a coincidence – an actual for real coincidence – that the chunk of my calendar that I had blocked off to write the last batch of scripts for this season of OMG landed on November 6th, 2024. I’m a Canadian living in Canada, but the weight of last night’s US Presid...2024-11-1402 min

One Minute Governance241. How much should we obsess over our customers' needs and desires?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #39: How much should we obsess over our customers’ needs and desires? I’ve only relatively recently become familiar with the world of business design. Ya, given my positioning for more than 20 years inside an academic institution with a powerful business design pedigree, I should probably be a bit embarrassed. But my shamelessness is so profound that honestly, I’m totally fine. Anyway, one of the...2024-11-1101 min

One Minute Governance240. How well do we really know and trust each other?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #38: How well do we really know and trust each other? You know what governance myth I find super nonsense? That it’s somehow bad for directors to know and like each other. I remember way back in my early days as a researcher on governance projects at the University of Toronto we used to scan through public filings in granular detail looking for the...2024-11-0701 min

One Minute Governance239. What's one thing we do that's completely useless?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #37: What’s one thing we do that’s completely useless? This is probably the most self-evident question in the entire season. It’s true that baked into this question is an assumption that there’s at least one thing your board does that is, in fact, completely useless. As in, it adds no value to anyone in any way. Maybe it’s a routine age...2024-11-0401 min

One Minute Governance238. What are three things we wish management would explain to us in greater detail?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #36: What are three things we wish management would explain to us in greater detail? Without looking, what do you know about the appendix? As in, the little tube jutting out of most humans’ large intestines. I’m willing to bet that if I sampled 100 people listening to this episode, the only appendix-related knowledge that we all have in common is that sometimes something can g...2024-10-3101 min

One Minute Governance237. What are three things we wish management would explain to us in simpler language?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #35: What are three things we wish management would explain to us in simpler language? Nothing could be more appropriate than the actual 100% true fact that I wrote the script for this episode while listening to a compilation of Curtis Mayfield’s greatest hits. The greatest hits aren’t as satisfying as, say, just listening through the album Curtis top to bottom, but still. As fo...2024-10-2801 min

One Minute Governance236. Are we sure we use our experts well?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #34: Are we sure we use our experts well? It goes without saying that you can’t just stick a bunch of smart people in a room together and expect them to get along, let alone to make patient and well-informed decisions together. Things get even worse when those people aren’t just smart, but also have serious depth of expertise in areas that are d...2024-10-2401 min

One Minute Governance235. What's at the top of our expertise wish list?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #33: What’s at the top of our expertise wish list? It’s been a couple of months since episode 207 where I urged you to consider what, specifically, makes a director great. I have asked *many* directors and executives that question and they have never, ever, answered by listing areas of expertise. And I think that makes sense, right? There’s no type or depth o...2024-10-2101 min

One Minute Governance234. How might we empower our loudest directors to be better listeners?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #32: How might we empower the loudest directors to be better listeners? Having an ultra-confident expert on a board is a blessing and a curse. I suspect I don’t really have to explain what I mean – it’s pretty obvious. I mean, confident expertise, when the expertise is relevant to the work of the board, is a shortcut to managing information asymmetry and ensurin...2024-10-1701 min

One Minute Governance233. How might we empower our quietest directors to make an impact?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #31: how might we empower our quietest directors to make an impact? There’s a surprisingly common and patently absurd notion in the world of boards and corporate governance. It goes something like this: when we recruit a new director, we don’t really expect them to contribute much in the first year – mostly we want them to listen and learn. Most of you OMG lis...2024-10-1401 min

One Minute Governance232. How many of us wish our work were more spontaneous?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #30: How many of us wish our work were more spontaneous? I admitted in the last episode – to nobody’s surprise, I imagine – that I generally prefer the unpredictable over the predictable. That doesn’t – and shouldn’t – mean that anyone else should feel the same way. But it does mean that in a generally super-structured environment like a board meeting, one of two things is happe...2024-10-1001 min

One Minute Governance231. How many of us wish our work were more structured?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #29: how many of us wish our work were more structured? Ever notice how lots of people get uncomfortable the moment things get unpredictable? It’s both normal and understandable. And thankfully, most boards and executives approach their work together in a pretty structured and predictable way. But that can make it even more jarring when something unexpected happens, or when someone in the roo...2024-10-0701 min

One Minute Governance230. How many of us would benefit from an occasional change in scenery?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #28: How many of us would benefit from an occasional change in scenery? In episodes 192 and 193 of OMG I talked about the importance of breaks and physical movement. These are not trivial nice to haves – they are critical to making sure that people are cognitively engaged and comfortable – both of which we can all agree are important to board effectiveness. Speaking of trivial, it’s maybe...2024-10-0301 min

One Minute Governance229. How many of us would like our board meetings to be more creative?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #27: How many of us would like our board meetings to feel more “creative”? As any casual OMG listener will already know, I spend a lot of time encouraging corporate directors and senior executives to do things that are outside of the range of normal behaviours in boardrooms. First off, I’d like to argue that the range of normal behaviours in boardrooms is way too...2024-09-3001 min

One Minute Governance228. How might subtraction help to solve our stickiest problems?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #26: How might subtraction help to solve our stickiest issues? Back in episode 189, I talked about the amazing work by Leidy Klotz and others on a cognitive bias called “subtraction neglect”. Basically, subtraction neglect describes that our brains find it really easy to consider solutions to problems that involve adding stuff and really hard to think of solutions that involve taking things away. Unlike most...2024-09-2601 min

One Minute Governance227. Is our pain really necessary?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #25: Is our pain really necessary? In the previous episode, I admitted that work sometimes sucks, and the work of a board is no different. Despite the fact that we can never completely avoid or alleviate the pain of board work, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try. So now that you’ve identified and described your pain points, the next question is whether...2024-09-2301 min

One Minute GovernanceBONUS: Matt's Australia/New Zealand RoadshowCheck out Matt's tour schedule here: https://ffm.live/MattinOz TRANSCRIPT: Hi everyone. Matt Fullbrook here. This is a quick bonus episode of OMG to spread the word to everyone who follows the show that I’m going to be in Australia and New Zealand next month on a bit of a roadshow. Over the course of the month, I have stops in Brisbane, Auckland, Melbourne and Sydney (in that order) with events tailored for everyone from students to board chairs to CEOs to generally curious nerds. There are breakfast events, cocktail events and...2024-09-2001 min

One Minute Governance226. What are the most painful elements of our meetings?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #24: What are the most painful elements of our meetings? The work of a board is, well, work. And for almost all of us, work sometimes sucks. The fact that work sometimes sucks is not an indication that something is wrong. It’s just often a fact of life. As long as it also doesn’t suck – preferably most of the time. So, with that ou...2024-09-1901 min

One Minute Governance225. What might *I* do to make things a bit better?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #23: What might I do to make things a bit better? Conventional definitions of corporate governance frame it as something that exists: a system of processes and structures that promote transparency and accountability or some other such nonsense. Nonsense because it leaves us with the impression that corporate governance isn’t something that actual people actually do. There’s a similar problem with thinking of co...2024-09-1601 min

One Minute Governance224. Is benchmarking a sensible way to set CEO pay?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #22: Is benchmarking a sensible way to set CEO pay? If you haven’t listened to the previous episode about knowing whether your CEO is doing an awesome job or not, you might want to take a sec and do that. A very large proportion of organizations I meet, and probably 99% of listed companies in the Western world all set their CEO’s compensation amoun...2024-09-1201 min

One Minute Governance223. How do we really know if our CEO is doing an awesome job?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #21: How do we really know if our CEO is doing an awesome job? Did you know that there’s no evidence that the market for CEOs is efficient? An efficient market is one where supply and demand are basically equal. When a job market is efficient it means that both sides of a potential transaction have lots of information about each other and the...2024-09-0901 min

One Minute Governance222. What *really* motivates our CEO?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #20: What *really* motivates our CEO? If you have the patience to follow me on LinkedIn, you may have noticed me complaining loudly about executive compensation a couple of times in the past year. I think it’s totally broken, and nobody seems to have any interest in fixing it. The fact is, we have no idea what a CEO is actually worth to a fi...2024-09-0501 min

One Minute Governance221. How, specifically, do our board evaluations make us better?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #19: How, specifically, do our board evaluations make us better? I’ve had the amazing privilege of working with many, many boards on board evaluations over the years. I would guess that the first one I ever worked on was 20-ish years ago and the most recent one was within the past couple of months. Most board evaluations take tonnes of time and money to...2024-09-0201 min

One Minute Governance220. How do we hope to spend our time?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT Question #18: How do we hope to spend our time? Today and in general. Time scarcity is probably the thing that makes board work most complicated. I guess that’s kind of like saying that time scarcity is what makes life most complicated. Still, my point stands. One of the most remarkable things about my work with boards over the years is how similarly different boa...2024-08-2901 min

One Minute Governance219. What information do we hope to receive?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT Question #17: What information do we hope to receive? Building on the last episode about what conversations we hope to have, it’s hard to have a useful conversation without useful information. Now think about all the things that go into making information useful. When it comes to boards, we put a lot of energy into making sure the information we get is comprehensive, relevant and...2024-08-2601 min

One Minute Governance218. What conversations do we hope to have at the next board meeting?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT Question #16: What conversations do we hope to have at the next board meeting? We tend to have really careful and smart plans for board meetings. Even organizations that lean more to the informal or experimental still usually have predictable and well-structured board meeting agendas and objectives. How well we adhere to the plans is another story. It’s hard to predict how long each pre...2024-08-2201 min

One Minute Governance217. What do we actually know about AI?This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT Question #15: What do we actually know about AI? Let me be clear: this question is not the same as “have we all used ChatGPT?” It’s also not “Do we know how to provide useful prompts to chatGPT?” Or anything directly about ChatGPT or its competitors at all. At least not necessarily. Instead, the substance of this question is “what do we know about how AI works...2024-08-1902 min

One Minute Governance216. When was the last time we asked management how we might do a better job? (Question #14)This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #14: When was the last time we asked management how we might do a better job? There are some really useful and normal things that boards do to make sure they’re doing a good job. For instance, most chairs build constructive relationships with CEOs and keep a regular dialogue going about how things are going. Most boards also do some form of board eva...2024-08-1501 min

One Minute Governance215. To what extent does the stuff we do get in management's way? (Question #13)This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #13: To what extent does the stuff we do get in management’s way? Most of us have had a boss at some point in our lives. More than that, most of us have had the pleasure of working for a great boss, and also the pain of working for an awful boss. When I think of awful bosses, I think of people who get...2024-08-1201 min

One Minute Governance214. To what extent does the stuff we do help management? (Question #12)This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #12: To what extent does the stuff we do help management? One of the unspoken themes of this season of OMG is that there are lots of things about boards that we tend to take for granted. Well, I’m here to say out loud that it’s not granted that boards do stuff that’s useful to management. It’s a fair assumption that boar...2024-08-0801 min

One Minute Governance213. Why is our boardroom laid out the way it is? (Question #11)This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #11: Why is our boardroom laid out the way it is? This question was basically at the beginning of the origin story of my current definition of good governance – the one about intentionally cultivating effective conditions. At the time, I had been in somewhere between 200 and 300 boardrooms and it struck me one day that every single one of them was functionally identical. And because of...2024-08-0501 min

One Minute Governance212. What existential threats might the business face? (Question #10)This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #10: What existential threats might the business face? Considering how obsessed I am with corporate governance, it’s a bit strange how little I focus on risk, huh? I’m about as far as possible from being a technical expert in risk – like an actuary or whatever – but still, I’m not going to try to deny the relationship between risk and governance. I mean, we ob...2024-08-0101 min

One Minute Governance211. To what extent does every director really understand the business? (Question #9)This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #9: To what extent does every director really understand the business? I’ve been pretty outspoken over the years about my thoughts on board composition. In general, I think boards tend not to be sufficiently open-minded about who “belongs” on boards – I hope you could hear the air quotes there. There’s basically no evidence or consensus that suggests *any* specific type of experience or expertis...2024-07-2902 min

One Minute Governance210. What do we even mean when we talk about "duty?" (Question #8)This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #8: What do we even mean when we talk about “duty?” As in how the word “duty” applies to the work of the board and directors. In the previous episode, I suggested in passing that you might want to ask this question, and now I’m making it a bit more explicit. I can say with reasonable confidence – from my experience, at least – that directors and e...2024-07-2501 min

One Minute Governance209. To what extent do we agree on to whom we owe a duty? (Question #7)This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #7: To what extent do we agree on to whom we owe a duty? I’ve been blabbing on about this in some form or another for more than 10 years. It’s been the subject – directly and indirectly – of a bunch of OMG episodes going back to episode 4. Still, I’ve never been disappointed by a boardroom discussion about who stands to be affected by our deci...2024-07-2201 min

One Minute Governance208. Have we empowered our directors to do a great job? (Question #6)This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #6: Have we empowered our directors to do a great job? It’s one thing to define what doing a great job means, like we did in the last episode. It’s a whole nother thing to figure out what it takes to empower every individual in the room to feel like they can do a good job without too many obstacles. Obstacles come in co...2024-07-1801 min

One Minute Governance207. What, specifically, makes a director great? (Question #5)This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #5: What, specifically, makes a director great? Last episode we asked what board effectiveness looks like under normal circumstances. It kinda goes without saying that an important and related question is what makes a director great. As in, what are some specific differences between a great director and a not-so-great director? We talk a lot about the skills and maybe even competencies that we w...2024-07-1501 min

One Minute Governance206. What does board effectiveness look like on a normal day? (Question #4)This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #4: What does board effectiveness look like on a normal day? We – and by “we” I mean people who talk about corporate governance – have a tendency to talk about the impact of boards through examples of massive failure. Whether it’s Enron or Boeing or Wells Fargo or Theranos or the Challenger space shuttle explosion, we feel compelled to highlight all the ways things might go re...2024-07-1102 min

One Minute Governance205. What is our agreed-upon definition of good governance? (Question #3)This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #3: What is our agreed-upon definition of good governance? Don’t worry, this episode isn’t just me saying “blah blah intentionally cultivating effective conditions blah.” As much as I like my definition of good governance and find it both useful and empowering, I’m under no illusions that *you* couldn’t come up with something better. Nonetheless, I am highly confident that most directors, ex...2024-07-0801 min

One Minute Governance204. What is our agreed-upon definition of corporate governance? (Question #2)This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #2: What is our agreed-upon definition of corporate governance? If you’re at all familiar with my Ground-Up Governance platform, then you know I’m kinda obsessed with definitions. I’ve said before that I think the most important and insidious jargon in the world of corporate governance is the term “corporate governance.” How many times have you heard corporate leaders complain about boards crossing the...2024-07-0802 min

One Minute Governance203. Why do we do things the way we do? (Question #1)This season, every episode of OMG focuses on a question that directors really need to answer. OMG is written, produced, narrated and scored by Matt Fullbrook. TRANSCRIPT: Question #1: Why do we do things the way we do? No matter how confidently and aggressively your shareholders, regulators, governance consultants and board educators might say otherwise, there is no decisive evidence and no consensus that any specific approach to doing board stuff is any better than any other approach. If you take a step back and really think about all of the things yo...2024-07-0801 min

One Minute GovernanceTRAILER: OMG Season 5 launches July 8thNew episodes of One Minute Governance every Monday and Thursday starting July 8th. This season's theme is "Questions boards and directors really need to answer." As usual, this podcast is written, produced and scored by Matt Fullbrook. To connect with Matt, head to www.mattfullbrook.com TRANSCRIPT: Hi everyone, I’m Matt Fullbrook. Season 5 of One Minute Governance kicks off Monday, July 8th with episodes twice a week for the next six months or so. Ever notice that we’re always telling directors to ask more questions? About seemingly everything! Wanna do an...2024-06-2401 min

Sound-Up Governance44. Executive compensation is probably broken (feat. Matt talking to himself)Matt spends some time griping about/trolling conventional thinking on executive compensation.Originally published August 25, 2023Matt refers to an old paper he wrote in 2013 - check it out hereThe Larcker/Tayan ECGI paper is here 2024-05-0120 min

One Minute GovernanceBONUS: Why do corporate governance consultants mostly suck?Please note that the title is *not* "why do most corporate governance consultants suck." Matt tries to figure out why corporate governance advice mostly doesn't work, talks about Beyonce, Benson Boone, Nine Inch Nails, Outkast, and a bunch of other stuff. Full transcript available here: https://groundupgovernance.substack.com/p/bonus-podcast-why-do-corporate-governance Playlist of songs referenced: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0tUKlES6lyQ1KVghsVqfTF?si=ec1369c3f0cd4fac Thumbnail image generated by DALL-E based on the prompt: "A regular person listening to Hey Ya by Ou...2024-04-0336 min

Brian Crombie Radio HourBrian Crombie Radio Hour - Epi 1105 - Corporate Governance with Matt FullbrookBrian interviews Matt Fullbrook. Matt has advised over 250 boardrooms during his 20-year career as a corporate governance researcher, educator and consultant. He is also the host of the One Minute Governance podcast, creator of Ground-Up Governance, and a frequent speaker and media commentator. Highlights of Matt’s academic career include serving as the leader of corporate governance research at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School, as co-academic director of the joint Rotman-Institute of Corporate Directors Board Dynamics for Executives program, and as Academic Director of the Credit Union Executives Society’s High Performing Boards series. Tonight Matt Fullbrook talks about...2024-03-2850 min

Future Directors PodcastEp. 100 - Paul becomes the interviewee (featuring guest host Matt Fullbrook)Yes, 100 episodes! Wow. Almost 70 hours worth of conversation about boards, directors, technology, diversity, education, careers, challenges and more. It's been a blast. To welcome us into the next century, you have a new host, Matt Fullbrook. Amongst his claims to fame he's the single most repeated guest on Paul's podcast and one of the few others governance podcasts to hit 100 episodes. In this episode, the tables are turned and Matt interviews Paul about his journey. And, it gets super embarrassing for Paul... Some links: Join Fu...2024-03-2755 min

Sound-Up Governance38. Getting oriented around the state of ESG and AI and stuff (feat. Matt talking to himself)If you've ever wanted to hear Matt talk to himself about the evolution of ESG and AI in the governance space, your dreams have come true!Originally published June 30th, 2023 2024-03-0623 min

One Minute GovernanceBONUS: Good governance is woke - and that's good news for everyoneIf you're a fan of One Minute Governance or Ground-Up Governance, you know that Matt is a bit obsessed with definitions. Turns out that when we have clear definitions for a few important concepts, good governance turns woke. And that's good news for everyone. Adorable image of a guitar pedal created by DALL-E. FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE: https://groundupgovernance.substack.com/p/bonus-good-governance-is-woke-and 2024-02-1036 min

Sound-Up Governance33. Is empathy a non-negotiable board skill? (Nate Schmold interviewing Matt Fullbrook)Part 2 of Nate Schmold interviewing Matt FullbrookOriginally published May 12, 2023 2024-01-3129 min

Sound-Up Governance32. A self-indulgent interview with Matt Fullbrook, part 1 (Nate Schmold interviewing Matt Fullbrook)Nate Schmold interviewing Matt Fullbrook about a bunch of nerdy corporate governance stuff.Originally published May 12, 2023 2024-01-2432 min

One Minute GovernanceBONUS: What corporate governance resources are *really* missing (plus, an analysis of the top 500 albums of all time)Ever feel like most corporate governance resources are...just not that awesome? Ever wonder why the heck they aren't better? Matt Fullbrook has, too. In another long-ish scripted episode, Matt explains that he thinks he's figured out what's going on here...and also talks at length about Rolling Stone's top 500 albums of all time. It all (mostly) makes sense. Promise! Full transcript here: http://groundupgovernance.substack.com/p/another-bonus-podcast-what-corporate 2023-11-3020 min

Inside the Boardroom by OnBoardDismantling the Status Quo in the Boardroom w/ Matt FullbrookHow could a traditional school classroom setup improve boardroom communication? How important is the boardroom vibe to optimal decision-making? And what’s with the guitar in the background of Matt’s screen? We answer all these questions and more in this episode, “Dismantling the Status Quo,” featuring Matt Fullbrook, founder of Fullbrook Board Effectiveness and Ground Up Governance, and executive in residence at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management. For more on this topic, check out Matt’s ATLAS Leadership Series webinar, “Abandoning the Governance Status Quo. Want more episodes like this? Subscribe to Inside the Boardroom, powered by OnB 2023-11-1442 min

Sound-Up Governance18. Kev Cowan and Matt Fullbrook are the biggest governance nerds (also some jamming)Part 2 of Matt's conversation with the new chair of the Ontario Securities CommissionOriginally published January 13, 2023Here's the Garth drum 2023-10-1836 min

Sound-Up Governance17. Matt reacting to his own governance resourcesIt turns out Matt has created some of his own awful corporate governance resources...Originally published January 6, 2023 2023-10-1111 min

Sound-Up Governance14. Reacting to real-world governance resourcesMatt Fullbrook reacts to some pretty awful real-world governance resources.Originally published December 16, 2022 2023-09-2011 min

One Minute Governance188. I’m on the next flight to be by your side (Condition #36: People’s real lives)I had a conversation recently with a great friend of mine who’s been on somewhere approaching 3 million different boards. He’s really not sold on my whole vibe when it comes to corporate governance, which is fair and totally fine. He explained a key part of his resistance like this: “Matt, when you’re in a board meeting all you’re thinking about is that Bob’s flight leaves at 6:45 and we have 13 complex agenda items to go, so how are we gonna just get through all of this?” Sure, we’re back to the whole urgency thing again, and it’s...2023-09-0701 min

Horizon SearchThe Power of Mindset: Unlocking the Potential of Boards - ⁠⁠⁠Matt Fullbrook⁠ | Horizon Search 23Matt Fullbrook has dedicated a significant portion of his life to the study and analysis of boards of directors and senior executives across various sectors. From charities to listed companies, cooperatives to government agencies, Matt's expertise knows no bounds. Currently, he actively provides hands-on advisory services to organizations at that level while also creating thought-provoking content such as podcasts, articles, and blogs. In addition to his passion for organizational leadership, Matt leads a dual life as a professional musician. https://www.mattfullbrook.com/ https://groundupgovernance.substack.com Key Quotes The Power of...2023-08-2444 min

Sound-Up Governance9. Quirks in the governance of not-for-profit organizations (feat. Robin Cardozo)Robin Cardozo and Matt Fullbrook talk about the extent to which corporate governance is actually any different in not-for-profit organizations. And if anyone would know, it's Robin Cardozo.Originally published on November 4, 2022 2023-08-1619 min

Sound-Up Governance6. Have I got corporate governance all wrong? (feat. Wanda Lopuch)Wanda Lopuch and Matt Fullbrook connected because of a disagreement about the fundamental point of good governance. Can they find common ground?Originally published October 14, 2022 2023-07-2615 min

Sound-Up GovernanceTRAILER: What is Sound-Up Governance?Learn more from host, Matt Fullbrook, about what Sound-Up Governance is all about, and what to expect as you follow along.2023-07-1001 min

One Minute Governance151. The latest and greatest definition of ”good governance”Finally! Season 4 of OMG. Let's start with Matt's latest definition of "good governance" SCRIPT Welcome to season 4 of One Minute Governance! This season is gonna be a bit different. Well, I mean it’s mostly gonna be the same. 60-90 seconds or so of me talking about governance stuff a couple times a week. The different part is that there’s a season-long theme. Let me explain. My current wording of my definition of good governance (yes, it’s different again) is “good governance is intentionally cultivating effective conditions for making decisions.” I’ve been testi...2023-05-0101 min

Disruptive CEO NationEpisode 177 Matt Fullbrook, Founder of Ground-Up Governance, Toronto, CAMatt Fullbrook is a corporate governance speaker, researcher, advisor, and educator based in Toronto. For over 20 years, he led the Rotman School of Management’s governance research at the University of Toronto as the head of the David & Sharon Johnston Centre for Corporate Governance Innovation. Matt has worked in over 250 boardrooms in North America and Europe, supporting boards and executives to optimize their approaches to decision-making.Matt has dedicated his professional life to becoming a governance expert. In this session we 'nerd out' over what governance means and touch on: The definition of good governance - or...2022-12-2833 min

Future Directors PodcastEp. 77 - How is being a good board chair like being a great dinner host? (With Matt Fullbrook)In the last of our series we Matt we talk about one of the most important people in the boardroom...the Chair. You’ve probably heard the analogy about the board chair being like an orchestra conductor. Matt Fullbrook of Fullbrook Board Effective thinks that’s bunkum. He has a different analogy - and it’s to do with dinner parties. FDI’s Paul riffs with Matt on making board leadership better. We workshop: Is leadership evolving? The conventional understanding of a board chair Introducing a new analogy - board chairs as great dinner ho...2022-12-0531 min

Future Directors PodcastEp. 73 - How do you govern for a stakeholder you didn’t even know you had? (With Matt Fullbrook)“How does this impact us?” is a question you’ll often hear in boardrooms. But less so, “Who is the us?” and “Isn’t the us also the environment and the community?” or “Should we think about what we can have a positive impact on, versus just thinking about what we’ll be negatively impacted by?”. Powerful questions, all discussed by FDI’s Paul and governance guru Matt Fullbrook of Fullbrook Board Effectiveness, in this podcast about how ‘left-of-field’ issues might not be that ‘left’ after all. We spitball: Reasons to think outside your board’s direct impact zone Why it’s impo...2022-10-2425 min

Future Directors PodcastEp. 72 - Quick! It’s a crisis! What should we do!? (With Matt Fullbrook)Spotify’s big drawcard Joe Rogan said some stuff. Stupid stuff. And Spotify got heat because Joe’s values butted against their publicly stated ones. So what’s a board to do? Today, FDI’s Paul yacks with good friend Matt Fullbrook of Fullbrook Board Effectiveness, about what things a board could do better in a crisis. We cover: How a Future Director should respond to an ethical dilemma Why knee-jerk reactions are wrong and current crisis meetings are broken Are day-to-day crises even in the board’s purview? Mutual vulnerability between management and their board, and...2022-10-1026 min

One Minute Governance127. Sound-Up Governance Episode 3 featuring Lisa OldridgeThis is the last crossover episode between OMG and Sound-Up Governance, a new podcast on the Ground-Up Governance platform (www.groundupgovernance.com). In this one, Matt Fullbrook speaks with Lisa Oldridge, a Performance Strategist in Calgary with expertise in governance, ESG, and investment in startups. Lisa helps us to explore the differences between what makes a good company good and what makes a good business good, and shows us that the people are what matter most. Matt Welcome back to Sound-Up Governance. Today's episode is the companion to the third edition of the G...2022-09-2211 min

One Minute Governance126. Sound-Up Governance Episode 2 with Lieutenant Colonel Jamahl EvansToday's episode is the second of three crossover episodes with Sound-Up Governance, a new podcast that's part of the Ground-Up Governance platform (www.groundupgovernance.com). In this one, Matt Fullbrook speaks with Lieutenant Colonel Jamahl Evans of the United States Marine Corps about what duty and accountability mean in his world. TRANSCRIPT: Matt Welcome back to Sound-Up Governance. One of the most common conversations I have with boards of directors and senior executives is about to whom they owe a duty. On the surface, it seems like a simple question, but mos...2022-09-1923 min

One Minute Governance125. Sound-Up Governance Episode 1 featuring Tiziana CasciaroToday's episode of OMG is actually a crossover with a new podcast, Sound-Up Governance, which is part of the new Ground-Up Governance platform. Episode 1 features an interview with Tiziana Casciaro, author of Power, for All: How it Really Works, and Why it's Everyone's Business. If you like what you hear, please consider heading over to groundupgovernance.com and subscribing. SCRIPT The next three episodes of OMG are gonna be REALLY different. Well, actually, they’re not episodes of OMG at all, but episodes of a brand new podcast called Sound-Up Governance, which is par...2022-09-1515 min

Future Directors PodcastEp. 70 - Is being a board director lonely? (With Matt Fullbrook)A weird cultural thing’s emerged through the history and formality of boardrooms, which has made it a space that makes directors lonely. Vulnerability is seen as a weakness because comradery is weak. Today, FDI’s Paul chats with Matt Fullbrook of Fullbrook Board Effectiveness - on how what boards and directors can do to click. Obnoxious wisdom awaits. We discuss: Why boards breed loneliness, and whether this is just a human problem How boards can make people comfortable by switching up rigid ways of doing things What individual board directors can do to feel...2022-09-1220 min

One Minute Governance123. Building a fit-for-purpose association board (feat. Jeff de Cagna)Special OMG guest Jeff de Cagna explains the importance of fit-for-purpose boards. Although his specialty is associations, the message applies universally! SCRIPT Hi, I’m Jeff De Cagna, executive advisor for Foresight First LLC, located in Reston, Virginia. My sincere thanks to Matt for inviting me to be the guest host for this episode of the One Minute Governance Podcast. The focus of my work is on helping professional, trade, and other association boards become fit-for-purpose by setting a higher standard of stewardship, governing, and foresight, or SGF. The cruc...2022-09-0801 min

One Minute Governance112. Board effectiveness is not the same as good governanceBoards are an important part of corporate governance in most organizations, but an effective board is not the same as good governance. Background music is Of the Stars by KC Roberts & the Live Revolution SCRIPT: I said earlier this season that board effectiveness and good governance aren’t the same. When I say “board effectiveness” what does it mean to you? I even struggle with this one, which is troubling given that my company is called “Fullbrook Board Effectiveness.” My URL is even boardeffectiveness.ca. If anyone would have a pithy, inspiring d...2022-08-0101 min

One Minute Governance107. Purpose is not the same as good governanceIncreasing emphasis on corporate purpose is a *really* good thing, but it's not the same as good governance. Background music is Of the Stars by KC Roberts & the Live Revolution SCRIPT: This is probably the most obvious of all the titles in this sequence. Of course purpose is not the same as good governance. Take any incorporated entity, from a one-man-shop like my company, Fullbrook Board Effectiveness, to let’s say Amazon, it’s really helpful to be able to answer the question “why does this organization exist?” if you want good gove...2022-07-1401 min

Leadership Conversations by TSBMatt Fullbrook on boardroom disruption and one minute wisdomWe speak with Matt Fullbrook, an experienced corporate governance advisor, researcher, and educator with two decades of experience. Matt shares with us how he was appointed at a very young age to lead the Rotman School of Management’s corporate governance centre. We talk about his journey of over 200 board effectiveness engagements and why he rejects ’best practice’. We learn more about Matt's podcast "One Minute Governance" and how it was created to provide inclusive and accessible content on corporate governance. Matt also is a bass player in the funk band: KC Roberts and The Life Revolution. We play one of his...2022-05-1036 min

One Minute Governance50. Season 1 FinaleI've decided that in celebration of the 50th episode of One Minute Governance I will be taking a break until the summer. This episode recaps Season 1. 2021-03-2501 min

One Minute Governance49. Managing the Information Gap - NetflixNetflix has implemented some of the most unique board-management information sharing processes I've seen. Would they work for your organization? 2021-03-2201 min

One Minute Governance48. Real-World Example of Failing to Consider StakeholdersThis episode indulges my governance and musician lives and explores a recent decision error by the Canadian Music Week festival. 2021-03-1801 min

One Minute Governance47. Policies that Impede Board DiversityAre your corporate policies perpetuating systemic exclusion in boardrooms? 2021-03-1501 min

One Minute Governance46. Want to Get on A Board? Build a Community!We often say that "networking" is the best way to get on boards. I think building a community is far more powerful. 2021-03-1101 min

One Minute Governance45. Family Enterprise Governance: Beware the Three Circle ModelThe "three circle model" is perhaps the most recognizable tool in family enterprise, and it's hugely valuable for a lot of reasons. When it comes to governance, I think it's an unnecessary distraction. 2021-03-0801 min

One Minute Governance44. Family Enterprise: Beware of Governing by ”Gut”Business families and their advisors often put too much trust in their "gut" or instinct in their approach to governance. 2021-03-0401 min

One Minute Governance43. When Does A Family Business Need a Board?Most experts in the family enterprise space seem to think that boards are only valuable when a company is big, complex and/or multi-generational. I'm pretty sure I disagree. 2021-03-0101 min

One Minute Governance42. Family Enterprise Governance Deserves More AttentionFamily ownership is the dominant business model in the world, and contributes a significant majority to Canada's GDP. Why doesn't family enterprise governance get more attention? 2021-02-2501 min

CUES PodcastCUES 108: A New Universe of Tools, Insights and Opportunities for Board Governance—an Interview With Matt FullbrookWhen people join a board, they don't always get the opportunity to understand what exactly the job entails—and what a board is really for, says Matt Fullbrook in this show.Manager of the David and Sharon Johnston Centre for Corporate Governance Innovation at the University of Toronto and a board effectiveness researcher and consultant for Fullbrook Board Effectiveness, Fullbrook says providing an opportunity for better understanding of those two things is at the root of board education.Fullbook explains that board education also goes a step further to answer the question, “How do we take...2021-01-1426 min

Future Directors PodcastEpisode 34: In The Green Room with Matt FullbrookWelcome to the follow up of Episode 33 with Matt Fullbrook, board advisor and experienced governance consultant. In this Green Room episode, Paul and Matt continue their discussion on redefining board governance and decision making. They talk about: What 20 years of governance experience gets you, and what got Matt involved in the first place Why everything we do matters in some way to someone, and boards would do well to realise this The importance of separating ‘soft skills’ from the nuts and bolts of governance, and why they both involve different types of attention The numbe...2020-07-0912 min

Future Directors PodcastEpisode 33: Matt Fullbrook: Redefining board governance & decision-makingJoining us this week on Boardroom Hustle is Matt Fullbrook, a governance consultant and board effectiveness researcher. Matt helps boards maximise their effectiveness by developing and implementing high quality governance processes, policies and structures. With 20 years experience in the study of corporate governance and board advisory, Matt is undeniably knowledgeable. You may remember Matt from our recent Decision84 event (June 2020), where he participated in the Day 4 roundtable discussions around the question: how should boards influence the world? This episode is equally insightful, with Matt and Paul discussing things like: Is there a be...2020-07-0952 min

CUES PodcastCUES 85: State of Credit Union Governance 2020—An Interview With Michael Daigneault, CCD, and Matt FullbrookCredit union boards are becoming more interested in whether their composition mirrors that of their memberships. And their memberships are becoming more diverse with time. So, it’s not surprising that more than half of the respondents to the survey for the new State of Credit Union Governance 2020 report said they’re looking for demographic diversity. This and many other governance topics are discussed in this most recent episode of the CUES Podcast.“This signals a bit of a shift,” says Michael Daigneault, CCD, founder and president of CUES strategic provider for governance Quantum Governance, Herndon...2020-02-0742 min

Small Nonprofit: Fundraising Tips, Leadership Strategies, and Community-Centric SolutionsBoard Effectiveness Made Easy with Matt FullbrookBoard governance and effectiveness lies at the heart of charities. We love our boards, but working with them can be very challenging. Matt Fullbrook from the Clarkson Centre for Board Governance walks us through some easy but impactful steps to take to re-focus your board and repair or optimize your relationship with your board members. Whether your board is highly functional or the cause of your grey hairs, Matt has tips and tools to get the most out of your board and make sure they are getting the most out of volunteering for your organization.L...2018-10-2943 min