New Book Helps Board Members Govern Effectively

People used to look up to boards of directors as important groups of honorable people dedicated to ensuring the integrity of the companies they governed. After Enron and World Com and the advent of Sarbanes-Oxley legislation, the luster of boards has faded and the scrutiny of their work has increased. This is demonstrated most recently by the public’s attention to the board fiasco at Hewlett-Packard.

Jim Brown’s The Imperfect Board Member: Discovering the Seven Disciplines of Governance Excellence (Jossey-Bass / October 2006 / $27.99) is a fictional account of CEO David Slater who goes public with his company only to be frustrated by his board of directors. David joins the board of a non-profit organization and discovers for himself what it’s like to be a board member. His co-board member, Trevor, guides him through the roles and responsibility of an effective board as they face various challenges.

“In a compelling style like no one before him, Jim Brown helps leaders understand the keys for boardroom excellence. The Imperfect Board Member ought to be required reading for people on every type of board. The great thing is it won’t need to be required—it’s such a fun book, every leader will want to read it.”
Jim Balsillie Chairman and Co-CEO of Research in Motion (RIM)
and Chair of the Centre for International Governance Innovation(CIGI)

“I know no board members, myself included, who won’t learn valuable lessons from Jim Brown’s book The Imperfect Board Member. Don’t miss it!”
Ken Blanchard Co-author The One Minute Manager

The Imperfect Board Member makes the work of boards accessible for the average person, as well as for managers and board members. Written in an easy-to-read narrative format, it traces the journeys of both a corporate board and a non-profit board using fictional characters to provide a representative and composite portrait of what leaders who have the privilege—and challenge—of being on a board must face. As the story unfolds, characters discover the elements of what great board governance is all about, including:

• The Secret Formula. For sustained success, readers will find Jim Brown’s unique Secret Formula to be a powerful graphical tool to help leaders clarify and maintain appropriate connections between their roles.
• The Governance Excellence Model. G.E.M. examines corporate governance from top to bottom and the facets that contribute to board excellence.
• The Seven Key Disciplines. Reflecting on organizational results. Respecting owner expectations. Selecting your prominent leadership. Directing and Protecting organizational performance. Expecting great board-management interaction. Connecting For Healthy Board Relations.

Many boards are focused on being smart. It has been assumed that if you get talented people into a room, the board will be effective. The Imperfect Board Member helps boards develop a team culture that enables them to capitalize on the strengths of each member while covering each other’s weaknesses. To be smart and healthy, boards need to work as a team.

About the Author:

Jim Brown is a founding partner of STRIVE!, a leadership development firm that specializes in governance. With offices near Toronto and Cleveland, STRIVE! has provided coaching and consulting services to boards and leaders across North America and around the world for over ten years. He has coached key leaders from scores of prominent organizations and personally serves on boards at the local and national level. To learn more about Jim and STRIVE!, please visit www.strive.com.