In an attempt to quickly adapt to uncertain and sometimes urgent circumstances like the COVID-19 pandemic, Trustees can be forgiven for losing sight of their core objectives and carefully thought-out strategies. Here are five quite difficult boardroom discussions that in our opinion Trustees should be having as we settle into a new normal.

1. ACTIVITIES: Are we still focused on the right things, have our priorities changed or are there new opportunities, methodologies and technologies available to us? Did we drift into activities that were necessary at the time but did not serve our core aims? If so, should we stop or continue and what impact has that had on the organisation’s resources.

2. PEOPLE: How have they faired in respect of mental health and development of skills. When dealing with crisis or the pressures of change, it is easy to let personal development slip. Do we have the right people in the right roles? Should we look at training and how do we acknowledge those that have gone above and beyond?

3. FUNDING: How reliable are our funding streams? Should we look at diversification?

4. ENVIRONMENT: How can we best assess the current environment we operate in and predict future change? What threats and opportunities does this create? For example, can we renegotiate contracts? Does our staff working more flexibly mean we can change our operating hours or reduce our need for office space? Have new partners, donors, and volunteer groups emerged?

5. RISK: Is our risk register up to date / appropriate? Do we have the skills and resources to mitigate key threats?