Governance and Leadership

The three pillars of leadership are culture, structure and strategy. Clubs require a solid structure and strong leadership from the group who make decisions - often their management committees or boards. Having quality leadership allows your club to have a good sense of direction, increased transparency and accountability, limits risk and provides sustainability so your club can continue to meet the needs of its community - both now and into the future.

1. Understand the role of a leader

Discover what it means to be 'chief of your club'. Find out more

2. Choose the right legal structure

This will ensure your club meets the legal requirements and receives the associated benefits.

• Download a template constitution and adapt for your club's rules. Click here
• Become an Incorporated Society. Find out more
• Become a registered Charity. Find out more

3. Breed powerful club cultures that people want to belong to

This will ensure your leaders are worth following and the work your club does is worth doing. Find out more

4. Balance your leadership group

This will ensure your club has a mix of different talents from a range of backgrounds to oversee the different areas of club operation. Download a skills matrix for your committee. Click here

5. Develop a meaningful strategy to align with your club cultures and structure

This helps you identify and communicate your club's purpose and motivates your people.

6. Create a leadership structure to oversee the different areas of your club's strategy

Download a sample organisational layout chart and adapt for your club. Click here

7. Assign roles to your fellow leaders (followers)

Use job descriptions for each role so people know what they are doing, such as:

• Download a President / Chairperson job description. Click here
• Download a Secretary job description. Click here
• Download a Treasurer job description. Click here
• Download a Volunteer Coordinator job description. Click here
• Download a Health and Safety Officer job description. Click here
• Download a Marketing and Promotions Coordinator job description. Click here

8. Train your management committee or board members

Sport New Zealand have a free online course for all directors that outlines their role and ways to govern more effectively. Find out more

9. Understand the key to effective meetings

This helps your leadership group spend less time talking and more time doing. Find out more