#066: Connecting Ideas, Strategy, and People, with Helga Svendsen

Boardroom Bound with Alexander Lowry

Although diversity is one foundational principle of a successful boardroom, it takes a little more than just being diverse. Diversity is an incredible benefit when implemented correctly. A lot of board directors understand that diversity is a good thing, but it’s having a board that has in place the right ideas, strategies, and people to manage the tension created by diversity. To gain some more understanding around this idea we welcome Helga Svendsen.

Helga is a connector - ideas to strategy; strategy to action and people to each other. She revels in assisting individuals, organizations and communities to engage effectively and gain clarity on their role in making the world a better place.

She is a Board member of the Royal Women's Hospital and Accident Compensation Conciliation Service in Victoria, Australia. She is also the former Chair at the Centre for Sustainability Leadership, YWCA Victoria and Social Housing Victoria. Initially trained and practicing as a lawyer, her previous roles include Chief Executive Officer of a not for profit organization providing housing and case work support to people seeking asylum, a union leader and Facilitator at Sustainability Victoria.

Helga is also the host of the Take on Board podcast, and founder of two group programs to support women into, and in, the board room.

In today’s episode, Helga walks us through her experience with diversity and supplementing boardrooms with the appropriate tools to manage and take full advantage of their diversity. She discusses the challenges she’s faced and how she’s overcome them while encouraging us to take the same approach. We discuss all of these topics and more on this episode of Boardroom Bound.

Click here to listen now!

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Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• Take on Board Podcast
• Eyes Wide Open by Robyn Weatherley