Governance Toolkit Module 3: New Director Orientations

| Introduction

Effective onboarding helps new directors step into their role with confidence and clarity. This module provides a roadmap for designing meaningful orientation experiences that connect new directors with your mission, strategy, and board culture from day one.

Whether you're building a new onboarding program or refreshing your approach, this module offers frameworks, templates, and expert guidance to support lasting director engagement.

Important note: As you utilize the toolkit, it’s essential that your credit union follow the specific guidelines and requirements tied to its bylaws and/or charter and ensure alignment with your applicable regulations.

| Read

Start here and download the Guidebook. It serves as your core learning resource for the module and includes mentoring strategies, cultural integration tips, and tools to help your board build a consistent, engaging, and informed orientation process.

New Director Orientations Guidebook

Download →

| Video

The video module offers insight into best practices for onboarding, real examples of board engagement strategies, and key concepts for accelerating director effectiveness.

Watch Video → Video Transcript → Session Notes →

| Toolkit

Use these additional resources alongside the Guidebook to support new director onboarding.

Back to all modules Go to Module 4

| About the Course Creator

This module and the full Governance Toolkit was developed by Sylvia Groves, one of North America’s leading voices in board effectiveness and governance strategy. Sylvia is the President of Governance Studio and the creator of Fiercely Practical Governance™, a hands-on approach that helps boards move from theory to action.

| Questions or Looking for Governance Consulting?

We’re here to help! Contact us at cues@cues.org for support.

If your board or leadership team is ready to go deeper, CUES partners with Sylvia Groves and other experienced CUES governance consultants to offer tailored consulting and advisory services. To inquire about governance support, please contact governance@cues.org. We will connect you with the right expert based on your board’s unique needs.

Disclaimer

This publication and all related intellectual property rights (including, but not limited to, copyright) are the property of Governance Studio Inc. (“Governance Studio”) and Stabilization Central Credit Union of British Columbia (“Stabilization Central”), whose expertise contributed to the creation of this resource.

CUES is licensed to provide this publication to its members and purchasing credit unions as part of its member benefits and service offerings. No license, interest or other right to this publication has been granted, expressly or impliedly, to the recipient hereof, except as expressly permitted in this publication. The recipient of this publication may not copy, reproduce, distribute, use or disclose this publication or any part hereof for any purpose whatsoever, except for the internal purposes of the recipient or as may be otherwise consented to in writing by Governance Studio.

Governance Studio and CUES are not responsible for any errors or omissions contained in this publication and expressly disclaim liability, whether under contract or in negligence or otherwise, to any user, including subscribers and other persons who may use this publication and to members and customers of such subscribers.

Governance Studio and CUES expressly disclaims liability for loss, or damage, whether direct or indirect, resulting from any use of this publication, including, without limitation, any loss or damage, arising as a result of the procedures or forms contained in this publication being determined not to be valid or enforceable or not attaining the end desired by the user.