The Director's Manual

Each board of directors has its particular nuances relating to leadership, group dynamics, and decision making that create a board culture. Yet, all boards must fulfill specific fiduciary duties and meet federal reporting requirements and regulations. The Director’s Manual gives directors a reliable guidebook of proven techniques for meeting those requirements, while staying true to the unique culture of their boards.

Current and aspiring board members now have an authoritative, up-to-date governance guide that blends rigorous research-based information with the wisdom found only through practical, direct experience. This flexible approach to developing governance solutions reflects the authors’ belief that no two boards nor the cultural dynamics driving them are the same. The proven framework is equally useful to both established boards and new ones that are just beginning to learn what it means to truly be an effective board. Only a powerhouse authorial team like Peter Browning and William Sparks can simplify the complex, symbiotic relationship between the world inside the corporate boardroom and the realities outside into a single resource of insightful research findings and practical, straightforward advice. Board members and their directors can use the handpicked selection of proven practices to expedite understanding their board’s own unique strengths and challenges, while simultaneously contributing targeted information to drive key improvements in performance and efficiency. With this convenient reference at your fingertips, you can:

• Better understand just what is the role of the board, it’s limits and possibilities
• Predict which classic group decision-making dynamics your board is most likely to experience
• Customize assessments to better match your company’s processes and board culture, as well as benefit from hard-earned tips on conducting peer reviews
• Handle a director who is so disruptive to the vital chemistry of a board that the only solution is his or her departure

In addition to each chapter’s clear and concise guidelines, which are immediately implementable by every board type in any industry, this complete resource solidifies itself as a time saving asset by providing a robust appendix of assessment tools. From individual to group assessments—including lead director, nonexecutive chairman, CEO, compensation and audit committees, and more—these vetted and easy-to-use forms ensure accurate and thorough evaluations.