The ROI of Relationship Governance
Keynote – Interactive Keynote – Workshop
A compelling keynote and workshop series on founder dynamics, board friction and the business value of better working relationships.
Jane Hales helps audiences see relationship governance for what it is: a performance issue hiding in plain sight. Her sessions show why the quality of founder, board and leadership relationships directly affects decision-making, resilience and enterprise value.
Relationship governance is not about avoiding conflict. It is about making conflict useful before it becomes expensive
For conferences, leadership events, founder communities, board off-sites, investor networks and membership organisations.
Why book Jane Hales?
Jane brings a distinctive combination of founder experience, board-level governance expertise and practical insight into the relationships that shape senior decision-making. She makes a complex, often avoided topic accessible, commercially relevant and immediately useful.
- A fresh, credible perspective on founder, board and leadership friction.
- Practical language for addressing conflict, challenge and misalignment.
- Clear links between relationships, governance, decision quality and value.
- Insight that works for both large audiences and smaller senior groups.
- A thoughtful, engaging contribution that prompts useful conversations after the session.
What audiences take away
- A clearer understanding of the hidden cost of unmanaged relationship risk.
- A practical way to recognise early signs of founder, board or leadership friction.
- Better questions about roles, authority, decision-making and accountability.
- A more constructive view of disagreement and conflict.
- Ideas they can apply in their own organisation straight away.
Keynotes and workshops
Format: 45–60 minutes, in person or virtual
Best for: Conferences, leadership events, investor networks, membership bodies and founder communities
Format: 75–90 minutes
Best for: Board off-sites, senior-team events, founder groups and leadership gatherings
Format: Half day
Best for: Founder pairs or groups, boards and executive teams
Format: Full day, tailored to your organisation
Best for: Teams at a transition point, during growth, succession, investment, role change or reset.
Ongoing support
Where useful, a keynote or workshop can lead into a transition programme or chair/founder advisory support to help embed the work over time.
- Transition programme: 3–6 months for a specific period of change.
- Chair/founder advisory: Monthly or quarterly confidential guidance.
About Jane Hales
Jane Hales is a founder, board-level adviser and co-founder conflict specialist. She works with scaling agencies and creative businesses on the governance, leadership and relationship dynamics that determine whether important decisions move forward or get stuck.
Her speaking brings together commercial realism, governance expertise and a calm, direct approach to difficult conversations. Audiences leave with a stronger understanding of the relationships behind the business — and what to do when those relationships come under pressure.
Book Jane Hales
To discuss a keynote, interactive session or tailored workshop, get in touch with your audience, event format and objectives.
What relationship governance makes possible
- Better decisions, made sooner.
- Clearer roles, authority and expectations.
- More constructive challenge in founder and board relationships.
- Earlier intervention before friction hardens into conflict.
- Stronger transitions through growth, succession, investment or exit
What is often labelled “conflict” is frequently a predictable governance risk — and a solvable one.
These are not just interpersonal issues. They are governance and performance issues
That is where this work resonates. It gives audiences a practical, commercially credible way to think about conflict, alignment, trust, challenge and transition — not as soft issues, but as factors that directly affect performance and value.
These are not just interpersonal issues. They are governance and performance issues
Most organisations talk about governance in terms of structure, process and compliance. Far fewer address the quality of the working relationships that shape how decisions are actually made.