Consulting Services

A good plan should help people make decisions, set priorities and know where they are heading. It should also reflect the reality of the organisation — its people, resources, responsibilities and the community it serves.

We work with boards, leaders and teams to develop plans that are useful in practice, not just documents that sit on a shelf.

Depending on what you need, we can help with:

• clarifying your vision, purpose and priorities

• understanding what is happening inside and outside the organisation

• bringing the right people into the planning process

• setting clear goals and measures

• identifying priorities and the resources needed to deliver them

• developing a practical plan that can guide the organisation.

Strong governance gives boards and organisations a sound basis for making decisions, managing risk and meeting their responsibilities.

We work with boards and leaders to build governance knowledge, confidence and practical capability. This might involve reviewing governance arrangements, providing training, working through particular issues or helping put stronger policies and processes in place.

Our approach is tailored to the organisation and its context. We have particular experience working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations, including organisations in regional and remote locations.

We can support you with:

• governance reviews and advice

• board development and training

• governance policies and frameworks

• roles, responsibilities and decision-making

• risk and compliance

• ongoing governance improvement.

A board review can create useful space to step back and look at how the board is working — what is going well, where there are gaps and what could be strengthened.

We use a structured process, while adapting it to the needs of each board. We gather perspectives from board members and, where appropriate, other people who work with the board.

A review may look at:

• board roles and responsibilities

• how decisions are made

• governance, risk and compliance

• the relationship between the board and management

• strategic focus

• board skills and capability

• feedback from directors and other stakeholders.

The result is a clear picture of the board’s strengths and areas for development, along with practical recommendations for next steps.

Organisations change. Services grow, priorities shift, structures evolve and sometimes the way things have always been done no longer fits.

An organisational review provides an opportunity to step back and look at how the different parts of the organisation are working together.

We can work with boards and leaders to explore questions such as:

• Is the organisation structured in a way that supports its purpose?

• Are governance and management roles clear?

• Do our services and programs reflect our priorities?

• Are our systems and ways of working supporting staff and clients?

• Is the organisation financially and operationally sustainable?

• What needs to change, and what should be retained?

We look at the organisation as a whole, recognising that governance, people, services, finances and strategy are connected.

Evaluation can help you understand whether a program or service is doing what it set out to do, what people are experiencing and where there may be opportunities to improve.

We work with organisations to develop evaluation approaches that are proportionate, useful and suited to their purpose. We can support the full evaluation process or work with you on particular parts of it.

This may include:

• developing an evaluation framework

• identifying the questions you need the evaluation to answer

• developing surveys, interview guides and other data collection tools

• gathering and analysing qualitative and quantitative information

• talking with staff, participants, stakeholders and other relevant groups

• providing an independent evaluation report and practical recommendations.

Program evaluations

An external evaluation can provide useful evidence for boards, funders, staff and communities about how a program is working and what could be improved.

We take the time to understand the purpose and context of the program before deciding how to evaluate it. We combine different sources of information so that the evaluation reflects more than just numbers or a single perspective.

The focus is on producing findings that people can use — whether that means strengthening a program, informing future planning or understanding what is working well.

Good systems help people do their work consistently, understand what is expected and meet their responsibilities.

Matrix can help you develop a quality system from the ground up or review and strengthen the systems you already have.

We can work with you on:

• understanding what is needed

• developing practical processes and documentation

• improving existing systems

• training staff and building capability

• monitoring and reviewing how systems are working

• involving the people who will use the systems in their development.

The aim is to build systems that are useful in day-to-day work and can be maintained by the organisation over time.

A CEO performance review gives the board and CEO an opportunity to step back, reflect on the year and have a constructive conversation about performance, priorities and development.

We work with boards to design a review process that fits the organisation and the CEO's role.

Depending on what is needed, this may include:

• reviewing agreed goals and priorities

• feedback from directors and relevant stakeholders

• discussion of leadership and organisational performance

• consideration of financial, operational and strategic responsibilities

• identifying priorities for the coming period

• agreeing on professional development or support.

The process is structured, but it is also designed to support an open and useful conversation between the board and CEO.

Leading an organisation can be demanding, particularly when there are few opportunities to step away from the day-to-day work and talk things through with someone independent.

Coaching provides a confidential space for CEOs and senior leaders to reflect, test ideas, work through difficult issues and consider what to do next.

The focus depends on what you need. Sessions might explore:

• a difficult decision or situation

• leadership challenges

• strategic thinking and priorities

• relationships and communication

• problem solving

• accountability and follow-through

• professional development.

Coaching can be provided by phone, online or face to face, depending on the circumstances.