A board evaluation is the most powerful tool in the governance arsenal - and one that is rarely used to its full potential. Today, sophisticated directors are increasingly demanding more from their board and director evaluations, eschewing their tired old board surveys for new approaches that effectively tap into directors' insights and good thinking - and produce meaningful outcomes that can take a board from good to great and keep a great board vibrant.The book begins by describing typical outcomes other boards have achieved from taking this approach and points out that the most important element in a meaningful board evaluation is a boardroom champion - someone in a board leadership position who's genuinely committed to excellence, to making his/her board the best it can be. From there, the key features of a genuinely worthwhile board evaluation are outlined in depth- from the creation of the interview protocols, through to the development of the Action Plan. Board 2.0, an innovative exercise that engages directors and executives in designing the optimal board to govern the company in the future - is also discussed in detail; any board can benefit from learning about this exciting new approach and incorporating it as a component of a comprehensive board evaluation process. The final chapters focus on individual director evaluation - designing a meaningful peer review process that delivers constructive and actionable feedback; sophisticated directors deserve no less. It also introduces the New Director 360, an innovative practice that may be a useful final phase of any director orientation program.

No individual or team can expect to improve without obtaining regular feedback on their performance. Boards of directors are no exception and an effective board performance evaluation is an invaluable tool in improving your board's performance. An effective evaluation process can be designed to address the performance of the board as a whole, the chair, individual directors, board committees and other governance support staff. Such reviews are widely recommended in various governance standards, by contemporary writers on corporate governance and by leading practitioner organisations, such as the Australian Institute of Company Directors. There is a wide range of considerations in undertaking these evaluations. For example, what aspects of the board activities should be reviewed; how frequently should such evaluations take place; should they be conducted internally or by an external party; who should be evaluated; by whom; how does a board bring about change resulting from an evaluation and how does the organisation communicate the results? Geoff Kiel and Gavin Nicholson authored a widely-used book addressing these and other questions over a decade ago. Now joined by two colleagues, James Beck and Jennifer Tunny, who also have extensive experience in board evaluations, this revised text provides a practical guide to all the questions, issues and techniques involved in undertaking successful board and director evaluations. It contains numerous examples and tools. The book will be essential reading for all chairs, directors, company secretaries, chief executive officers and consultants in corporate governance.

Nonprofit leadership is messy Nonprofits leaders are optimistic by nature. They believe with time, energy, smarts, strategy and sheer will, they can change the world. But as staff or board leader, you know nonprofits present unique challenges. Too many cooks, not enough money, an abundance of passion. It’s enough to make you feel overwhelmed and alone. The people you help need you to be successful. But there are so many obstacles: a micromanaging board that doesn’t understand its true role; insufficient fundraising and donors who make unreasonable demands; unclear and inconsistent messaging and marketing; a leader who’s a star in her sector but a difficult boss… And yet, many nonprofits do thrive. Joan Garry’s Guide to Nonprofit Leadership will show you how to do just that. Funny, honest, intensely actionable, and based on her decades of experience, this is the book Joan Garry wishes she had when she led GLAAD out of a financial crisis in 1997. Joan will teach you how to: Build a powerhouse board Create an impressive and sustainable fundraising program Become seen as a ‘workplace of choice’ Be a compelling public face of your nonprofit This book will renew your passion for your mission and organization, and help you make a bigger difference in the world.

Despite the many changes in governance regulation over the past decade, few boards function as a true corporate asset to the companies they oversee. In this book, Behan offers practical advice that a CEO, Chairman or board member can introduce at the very next meeting. Boardrooms are filled with intelligent, accomplished people—yet seldom achieve their full potential and add the kind of value for the CEO, executive team and company shareholders that many boards are actually capable of. Beverly Behan draws on her experience working with more than 100 boards over the past 14 years—from major Fortune 500s to recent IPOs—offering no-nonsense insights that can take any board from mediocrity to the top of its game including establishing a constructive working relationship with your board; addressing some of the dysfunction that may lie within the board you’ve inherited, and making your board a significant asset to you, your company, and your executive team. Working with the Board of Directors is one of the most important components of any CEO’s job—and most will admit it is something they wish they knew more about. Nearly all CEOs want to change at least something about their board, yet many are unsure how to go about this in the right way. This book not only alerts the reader to common pitfalls that CEO's can make with their boards, it provides workable approaches to a tackle a variety of boardroom issues from getting new talent into the boardroom to engaging effectively with the board on strategy and succession planning.

Directors: Improve Board Performance The Director's Manual: A Framework for Board Governance offers current and aspiring board members essential up-to-date governance guidance that blends rigorous research-based information with the wisdom found only through practical, direct experience. The book's flexible approach to solving governance issues reflects the authors' belief that no two boards and the cultural dynamics that drive them are the same. As such, the advice offered reflects recognizable leadership dynamics and real world, relevant organizational situations. The book's two authors, Peter C. Browning, an experienced CEO and member of numerous boards and William L. Sparks, a respected organizational researcher, combine their individual experiences and talents to create a book that is both innovative and applicable to directors in any industry sector. Specific best practice guidance is designed to help board members and their directors understand the unique strengths and challenges of their own board while at the same time provide targeted information that drives needed improvements in board performance and efficiency. Specifically, this book will help board members: Explore practical advice on key issues, including selection, meeting schedules, and director succession Consider board performance from multiple perspectives, including cultural and group dynamics Discover how to effectively manage classic problems that arise when making decisions as a group Access a comprehensive set of assessment questions to test and reinforce your knowledge The Director's Manual: A Framework for Board Governance offers practical advice to guide you as you lead your organization's board.

What is the role of boards in corporate governance? How should they be structured in order to maximize value creation? This 2007 book looks at the role of boards in a variety of different countries and contexts, from small and medium-sized enterprises to large corporations. It explores the working style of boards and how they can best achieve their task expectations. Board effectiveness and value creation are shown to be the results of interactions between owners, managers, board members and other actors. Board behaviour is thus seen to be a result of strategizing, norms, board leadership, and the decision-making culture within the boardroom. Combining value creation, behavioural and ethical approaches to the study of boards, this work offers a systematic framework which will be of value to graduate students and researchers in the field of corporate social responsibility and business ethics.