Starbuck Academy · Thrive
Board Development Hub
For boards, directors and NEDs
Practical video lessons and tools for everyone on a board, and for whole boards developing together. Build confidence in your role, ask better questions and help your board make better decisions, whether you sit on the board of a company, charity, school, housing association, health body or public service.
Who it is for
- Individuals on boards: executive directors, chairs, committee members, trustees and members of public service boards
- Non-executive directors: whether you are preparing for your first role or already serving
- Whole boards: developing together, with tools for evaluation, skills, planning and induction
What you will be able to do
- Explain what a board is for, and what it is not, using the principle of eyes in, hands off
- Understand your duties, your liability and how to handle conflicts of interest
- Read board papers critically and ask better questions
- Follow the golden thread from purpose and strategy to risk, finance and assurance
- Help your board build a healthy culture of challenge and trust
- Evaluate and develop your board year by year
Eight core lessons for everyone on a board
What a board is for: eyes in, hands off
Understand what a board is really for, how its role differs from management, and how the principle of eyes in, hands off applies in companies, charities and public bodies.
Your duties, liability and conflicts of interest
Understand the duties you owe as a director or trustee, where personal liability can arise, how indemnity and insurance help, and how to manage conflicts of interest properly.
Reading board papers and asking better questions
Learn a practical method for reading board papers efficiently, spotting what is missing, and turning your preparation into clear, constructive questions that improve the board's decisions.
Strategy, value and the golden thread
Explore the board's role in shaping and testing strategy, what value means for different organisations, and how to trace a golden thread from purpose to everyday board decisions.
Risk, controls and assurance
Learn how boards set risk appetite, oversee internal controls and gain genuine assurance, including recent UK changes on fraud prevention and internal control reporting.
Finance for board members: the numbers that matter
Build confidence with the financial information every board member needs: cash, performance against budget, the balance sheet, reserves and going concern, with practical questions to ask.
Culture, stakeholders and ESG
Explore how boards understand and shape culture, listen to stakeholders, and approach environmental, social and governance questions practically, with recent UK developments explained.
Board dynamics: challenge, trust and good decisions
Understand how boards work as teams: balancing challenge with support, avoiding groupthink, building trust with the executive, and making clear, well-recorded decisions together.
Five routes for your role
Alongside the core, choose the route of three lessons that fits your role. All routes stay open.
Aspiring NED
For people preparing for, or looking for, their first board role. Lessons: Are you ready for a board role?; Finding and winning your first board role; Due diligence, induction and your first hundred days.
Serving NED and committee member
For non-executive directors and committee members who want to add more value. Lessons: Committees that work: audit, remuneration and nomination; Holding the executive to account, constructively; When things go wrong: governing in a crisis.
Executive director on the board
For executives who sit on the board, or are about to join it. Lessons: Wearing two hats: executive and director; Presenting to the board with clarity; Building trust with your non-executives.
Chair
For chairs, vice chairs and committee chairs, and those preparing for the role. Lessons: Leading the board and running effective meetings; Evaluating and developing your board; Composition, succession and the chair and chief executive relationship.
Trustees and public service boards
For charity trustees, school governors and members of public, health and housing boards. Lessons: Being a trustee: duties and the Charity Governance Code; Public service boards: accountability and the Nolan Principles; Governing well with limited resources.
Develop your board
Practical tools for the whole board to use together:
- Whole-Board Effectiveness Survey
- Board Skills and Experience Matrix
- Annual Board Evaluation Toolkit
- Board Development Plan
- Board Away-Day Kit
- Board Induction Pack
- Board and Committee Charter and Terms of Reference Templates
- Risk and Assurance Map
- Board Finance Questions
You also keep the full NED toolkit, including the NED Readiness Diagnostic, Board Fit Profiler, Due Diligence Checklist, Board Pack Review Template, Crisis Governance Playbook and Boardroom Articulation Mastery.
Ways to work with us
Board Development Hub
All 23 video lessons, five routes, the whole-board tools and the full NED toolkit, with a certificate of completion. Per person, per year, inc. VAT.
Board licence
Hub access for every member of your board, with an optional facilitated away day using the Develop your board tools. Priced by quote.
The Effective Board Member
Our live programme, with modules on 26 November, 3 December and 10 December 2026. Ask us for fees and places.
Six-week NED programme
A structured six-week programme for aspiring and new non-executive directors. Ask us for dates and fees.
Board evaluation and coaching
Independent board evaluation, and one-to-one coaching for chairs and directors from experienced Starbuck & Associates coaches. Priced by quote.
To discuss a board licence, evaluation or coaching, contact us.
How your learning time adds up
About 11 estimated learning hours for the eight core lessons and one route (eleven lessons of about an hour each, covering the video, lesson notes, workbook tool and your action for the week). Each extra route adds about three hours, and the whole-board tools are designed to be used across the board year.
Who designed it
The Hub was designed by coaches and facilitators at Starbuck & Associates, led by Paul Starbuck, our Founder and CEO and an ICF Master Certified Coach (MCC). It draws on our work with boards, chairs and non-executive directors, and on current UK governance codes and guidance.
Important information
The Hub gives general information and learning content. Where it refers to law, codes or regulation, it is general information, not legal advice, and rules change. For your own situation, speak to your company secretary, governance lead or a qualified adviser.
