Description
Book SynopsisAn accessible guide to the business of being a board director, through the lens of 18 crucial conversations.
- How do you understand what is really going on in an organisation, so you can exercise the oversight that is required from you?
- How do you overcome the information asymmetry problem, where the executive directors know more about the operation than you do?
- How will you collaborate as a board to set the right strategic direction in a context that changes constantly?
- How will you see the organisation through the eyes of your advisors, your employees and your key stakeholders?
- How can you manage the risks you know about as well as the ones you don’t?
Your best tool for all of this is conversation – about the right topics, with the right people, at the right time. This book shows you what these conversations need to cover and how to make them count. Whether you are a new director of a PLC, a long-standing Trustee of a charity, or a governor of an educational institution, this book will help you and your colleagues become the board your organisation needs.
Trade Review'...dense with information, the book breaks down complex board governance into actionable conversations across stakeholders that any director, trustee, or governor should have in their toolkit to ensure their board achieves oversight goals. For board members seeking to uplevel their governance conversations, this is a must-read playbook.'- NetGalley
...an invaluable guide that offers a refreshing perspective on the complex world of board directorship. As a new member of a Board of Managers, I am eager to learn more about my role and responsibilities, and this book provides a comprehensive and accessible roadmap for directors facing a variety of challenges...They stress the importance of having the right conversations with the right people at the right time, making this book an essential resource for anyone seeking to navigate the complexities of board governance. - NetGalley
This book is really valuable for anyone who holds any form of non executive board role or is considering taking on a non executive role. It really helped me think through the questions I need to ask. - Amazon
Table of ContentsPreface: Why you need this book and how to use it
Introduction: The conversation ‘kitbag’
Conversations… As a board member
1 …About joining: Understanding the role of a board member
2 …About the board :Exploring the role of this board
3 …About chairing: Conversations that matter to all board members
4 …With board members: Sense-checking conversations
To support and challenge
5 …About the organization: Talking about purpose, mission, vision and values
6 …About strategy: Turning central ideas into action
7 …About the future: Talking about what’s over the horizon
8 …About holding to account: Creating a culture of accountability
9 …About people and reward: Development, succession and remuneration
10 …About effectiveness: Talking about board performance In working relationships
11 …With the CEO: Coaching, confiding, challenging
12 …With staff: Talking and listening to those who work here
13 …With stakeholders: Developing a stakeholder mindset
14 …With regulators: Understanding the relationship
15 …With advisors: Finding the support the board needs
About key exposures
16 …About ethics: A new boardroom focus
17 …About risk: Preventing board blindness
18 …About a crisis: When things go wrong
Final words
Conversations with yourself: Reflecting as a professional practice
List of figures
List of tables
Appendix: Sources of useful information
Notes
Bibliography
Acknowledgements
Index
About the authors
