Falling in love is not an event. It is a process. It is a result of several great acts of service, kindness and positive affirmations that you continuously love the other person. The same thing happens with board leadership. A company secretary can make or break the effectiveness of the board.
When I became Secretary to the Council of the Institute of Corporate Governance of Uganda, I had no idea where to start from. At first, I had thought being a company secretary was all about arranging meetings and taking minutes. But soon, I faced my first major mistake.
In a critical council meeting, I missed a key legal update to membership compliance. The President and other council members assumed I was on top of it. They trusted me. But when an important compliance issue slipped through, the Institute faced pushback from a section of members who had been cautioned. The CEO, usually calm, was visibly upset. “We rely on you to keep us safe,” he told me. I felt the weight of responsibility.
This was my turning point. I realized I was not just an administrator; I was the gatekeeper of governance in my role as Secretary to the Council. As a company secretary, you are the gatekeeper of governance.
I sought advice from mentors and seasoned secretaries, I made calls to Simon Kaheeru, my predecessor, Geoffrey Kihuguru and Sam Owori (RIP), all seasoned corporate governance experts. I am happy that they had time for my questions. One mentor told me, “Your job is to be the backbone of the board. If the directors are the sailors, you’re the one with the map, compass, and weather updates.”
I invested more time in reading about the Institute, its constitution, history and annual reports. I took time to read the minutes of the previous council. Slowly things began to change for the better as I developed a winning system. Before every meeting, I would research new laws, and new developments relevant to the Institute, review the company’s compliance status, and prepare detailed yet clear briefings. I learned that my value came not from following orders but from anticipating needs. I ensured to engage with the CEO and the President to define the agenda at the next meeting.
Over time, I became indispensable. When you are good, everyone wants to work with you.
The Council relied on me to guide them through murky waters, whether it was legal compliance or managing crises. I had discovered the secret to winning as a company secretary: proactive support.
Falling in love is not an event. It is a process. It is a result of several great acts of service, kindness and positive affirmations that you continuously love the other person. The same thing happens with board leadership. A company secretary can make or break the effectiveness of the board.
Mr.Strategy Tweet
In my over eight years as a Secretary to the Council, Institute of Corporate Governance of Uganda, I found the following five areas to master to become an outstanding company secretary, GARMS
- Gatekeeper of Governance. I realized that a good company secretary ensures the board follows the rules and stays compliant. It’s not just about ticking boxes; it’s about protecting the company from risk. Take time to prepare. Research. What could go wrong? What are the new developments and how do they impact the company? What are the upcoming laws; and what are the anticipated compliance risks? A good company secretary takes time to research and provide summary information to the board to help them make better decisions for the success of the business.
- New developments and innovations are happening very fast, to win in any role you must embrace continuous learning and improvement. Whether it is new regulations or technology, make sure you stay ahead, always improving your value to the company. Take on new courses. Attend meetings. Research. Ask around.
- Relationship Builder. I took time to build strong relationships with Council members and the Institute combers and executives. I positioned myself as a trusted advisor who knew when to push for a decision and when to let discussions evolve. I made it my business to get to know about the Council members in terms of their professional backgrounds, interests, and leadership philosophies, among others. This helped me to understand how to better address them. The best time to engage with them for support. It deepened their understanding of the Institute and the relationship with the CEO. The last thing you want as a company secretary is a disengaged board.
- Master of Detail, Clear Communicator.Become meticulous in your work - do not allow anything to slip through the cracks. In my role, I also learned how to simplify complex information. My briefings were concise, clear, and actionable. I worked closely with a highly experienced executive officer, Sam Owori (RIP) who took time to prepare quality board backs and reports. Indeed, during meetings, all questions would have answers already in the provided pre-read board packs which made Council meetings effective and productive.
- Strategic Facilitator.Instead of waiting for issues to arise, I became proactive. I reviewed the board documents brought critical insights and ensured the board had the right information at the right time. This made me a vital part of the strategy discussions. I had a pre-board meeting briefing with the President and the CEO where we identified the key strategic issues and made sure they came first on the Agenda. We made sure to debrief the President and other key council members on such issues and why they were contentious. This created transparency and more value addition by the Council as the board’s time would be focused on what mattered most to the Institute’s success.
Just like falling in love, it takes time to become a great company secretary. Start with the basics and continously work at improving yourself. A great company secretary does not just keep minutes, he or she keeps the company compliant, guides the board through challenges and builds trust through proactive, clear communication. Are you too good to improve as a company secretary?
Copyright Mr Strategy of Summit Consulting Ltd, 2024. All rights reserved.
We have an upcoming training on the “Become an Effective Company Secretary”, one full day of training. Only 10 students are needed. To express interest, register here. After the training, you will become an outstanding company secretary. Come and learn how to prepare and manage a board meeting, or annual general meeting. Learn how to prepare outstanding board packs and become a leader others want to work with and not have to work with.
