Over the past few months, the APONT Aboriginal Governance & Management Program (AGMP) has been supporting a number of Aboriginal Boards across the NT in their important role of supporting the Managers and CEOs of their organisations. 

Lhere Artepe is one of the organisations leading by example in this area.   

AGMP has been working with Lhere Artepe in how to provide structured feedback and direction to the organisation’s leaders through a performance appraisal process. Whilst this is a key responsibility of all Boards, it can sometimes be a challenging aspect of good governance to navigate.   

AGMP has developed a user-friendly template (or ‘report card’) to guide the appraisal process, which promotes structured and strengths-based feedback and accountability. Importantly – it also ensures that cultural competency and well as traditional management skills are considered. Tailoring this template to each organisation’s needs also ensures local, culturally appropriate measures of success are considered alongside any specific performance requirements for each organisation.

Our work involves supporting and empowering Board members to design the assessment template, reflect on and record the Manager’s performance, then share the feedback through a supported discussion. 

Finally, we look at how to embedding the process as an annual organisational procedure. Undertaking a performance appraisal of the Manager is great way for Boards to ensure that the organisation’s leadership is on track. Appraisals are an opportunity to provide feedback and direction in a safe and constructive way – that celebrates the Manager’s strengths and achievements as well as identifying goals and plans for the future.

From the Board Members

“Doing this together has been good. I was here before we had this process, and now it’s good to see it happening. We’re okay with this CEO, but if we get a new CEO in the future it means we know we have a good way to keep them on track.” - Peter


“This process lets us make sure that we have the right person sitting in the job. It’s about knowing that we have a good relationship with the manager.” – Shane


“It’s a learning experience.” – Billie


From the CEO, “Personally, I’ve gotten a lot out of it, for me to know how I’m tracking, and what I need to focus on. It’s been a really good experience.”
- Graeme