Case Study: Governance Training
Learning Together Changes Everything: The Power of Shared Governance Understanding
Strong associations don't happen by accident. Behind every thriving membership organisation is a board that understands its role, works well with management, and keeps its focus firmly on purpose and long-term direction. That's governance at its best.
To help build that capability across the construction sector, the Construction Growth Foundation has partnered with the Institute of Directors to deliver Governance Essentials training for leaders. The one-day course is tailored specifically for the building and construction sector, covering governance roles and responsibilities, the relationship between governance and management, and the practical habits that make boards more effective.
For Keryn Davis, Chief Executive of Architectural Designers New Zealand, the 2025 course was both a timely refresher and a source of new insight, despite bringing more than twenty years of governance and leadership experience with her.
"This was a great refresher for me," Keryn says, "and I also gained new insights into the different ways governance groups can apply processes to meet the needs of their organisation and governance structures."
From Small Committee to Strategic Board
One of the course's most valuable contributions for her was the clarity it brought to a shift her organisation had already been navigating. Like many associations, Architectural Designers New Zealand had grown through stages, evolving from a smaller body where the executive committee was closely involved in day-to-day operations, into one with dedicated staff and a Chief Executive alongside a governing board.
That kind of growth demands a rethink of roles and responsibilities, and the training gave her and her board the language and framework to make that transition with confidence.
"We now have a much clearer distinction between governance and management," she says. "This course certainly helped us step more confidently and effectively into those respective roles."
A Shared Language for Better Governance
What set this experience apart wasn't just what she learned individually, it was what happened when the learning was shared.
Because she attended alongside most of her current board members, the training created something harder to manufacture through individual development alone: a common understanding across the whole governance group.
"It has helped to create a shared understanding of governance and the role of management across the group," she explains. "As a result, both our confidence and our processes, individually and collectively, have been strengthened."
That collective development, she believes, is one of the most underrated benefits of this kind of training. "Learning together, especially with those you work with or alongside, is invaluable for building shared understandings and deepening professional relationships. These are great ingredients for successful governance and management of an organisation."
Reporting That Actually Serves the Board
The impact didn't stop at the boardroom door. One of the most tangible changes Keryn made after the training was in how she reports to her board, both in content and approach.
"Since doing the course, collectively, I think we've become much more focused on the bigger picture, strategy and the future direction of our organisation," she says. "It has also changed both what and how I report to the Board. The reporting is now more strategic, so it's more useful to the Board, more meaningful for me, and ultimately contributes more effectively to the success of our organisation."
It's the kind of shift that benefits everyone: a board better equipped to govern, and a CE better equipped to support them.
The Value of Never Stopping
The experience reinforced something Keryn already believed but now holds more firmly: that leadership development is never really finished.
"Doing the course affirmed for me the value of professional learning and that anyone in a leadership role has plenty to learn," she reflects. "The course has certainly contributed to my ongoing interest in governance."
She has no hesitation recommending the programme to others, whether they're brand new to governance or, like her, bring decades of experience to the table. "The course is great for those who are new to governance, considering joining a board, or wanting a refresher. It covers both the 'why' and 'what' of governance."
Even after twenty years, there's always more to learn. And sometimes, learning it together makes all the difference.
Building Capability Across the Sector
Keryn's experience reflects what CGF hears consistently from participants: that the Governance Essentials training gives leaders at every level new tools, renewed confidence, and practical changes they implement straight away.
The Construction Growth Foundation (CGF), in partnership with the Institute of Directors, delivers targeted governance training designed specifically for building and construction industry associations who are members of CGF.
For CGF members contact info@cgf.org.nz to learn when our next course is running, or for non-members please click here.