Episode Description
You know that committee where half the people have been there for decades and nobody can work out why the whole thing feels stuck? In this episode, Kate and Kate tackle the question most committees have never really answered: who should actually be in the room, and why does it matter? From committee models to the right size to the kind of diversity that leads to better decisions — this is the episode to share with your whole committee.
Show Notes
Before you can govern well, you need the right people around the table. That sounds obvious — but most committees are structured the way they are because that’s what the constitution says or that’s how it’s always been done. In this episode, the Kates unpack the three committee models, make the case for getting size right, and explain why genuine diversity of perspective isn’t a nice-to-have — it’s the thing that stops groupthink in its tracks.
In This Episode
- Why most committees are structured the way they are — and why that’s not a good enough reason
- The three committee models: representative, skills-based and hybrid — and when each one makes sense
- Why seven to nine is the sweet spot for committee size (and why odd numbers matter)
- How executive committees tend to create more problems than they solve
- What genuine diversity of perspective actually looks like — and why a committee where everyone agrees is a warning sign, not a success
This Week’s Challenge
Look around your committee table — literally or in your mind’s eye. What mix do you see? What’s missing? Is there a skill that’s been quietly absent? A perspective that’s never been represented? You don’t need to solve it today — naming the gap is always the first step to filling it. Have that conversation. It might be more interesting than you expect.
About Your Hosts
Kate Hartwig has spent forty years working in and around not-for-profit and membership organisations — as a CEO, director, and independent consultant. katehartwig.com.au
Kate McPhee has three decades of hands-on experience helping small clubs and associations get more done with less stress. She is also the author of Just a Tick, a plain-English governance guide for committees and boards. liquoriceallsorts.com.au
This podcast provides general information on best practice governance for small to medium not-for-profit associations. It is not legal advice.
Timestamps
00:00 — Setting the scene
00:50 — Introduction to the Kates
01:25 — Great People, Great Committees
01:47 — Getting the right people around the table
02:09 — What does your committee look like?
02:32 — Committee models
04:44 — Committee size
05:42 — Terms of office
06:40 — Diversity — not just a box-ticking exercise
09:12 — Summary
09:40 — This week’s challenge
10:11 — Wrap-up and what’s coming next week
Next Episode
Now that you know who should be in the room — what are they actually there to do? Next episode, the Kates unpack the three dimensions of committee responsibility, and why understanding your role is the foundation for everything else.
Got a Question for the Kates?
We’d love to answer it on the show. Submit your question at thecommitteeroom.com.au/ask-us-anything.
Resources & Links
- The Committee Companion Essentials — practical governance for committees starting out: katehartwig.com.au/essentials
- Just a Tick — Kate McPhee’s plain-English governance guide: liquoriceallsorts.com.au/just-a-tick
- Fresh Allsorts — good governance for associations of all sorts: freshallsorts.com.au
- Kate Hartwig Consulting: katehartwig.com.au
- Liquorice Allsorts Consulting: liquoriceallsorts.com.au
- Kate Hartwig on LinkedIn
- Kate McPhee on LinkedIn
- Got a question for the podcast? Ask us here
You don’t need good luck if you’ve got good governance.
The Committee Room | thecommitteeroom.com.au