Creating Excellence In The Boardroom

Corporate governance has become a hot topic on both sides of the Atlantic. Myths and misunderstandings abound. What constitutes a competent director and an effective board? How are directors selected and prepared for boardroom appointments? How can a director become a more effective member of the boardroom team? Are you satisfied wit the performance and composition of your company's board?

In Boardroom Excellence, author Paul Brountas, a corporate attorney with more than forty years experience, discusses the qualities and components of effective boards in today’s post-Enron environment. Written in a concise format, the book is filled with informative practical advice for board members of private, public, and nonprofit organizations. Boardroom Excellence contains an informed discussion of fundamental corporate governance issues, including the duties and responsibilities of directors and the proper interaction of the board with the CEO and management. Brountas reveals how board members can be most effective when they are independent, possess integrity, are well-informed and involved, and are proactive. Boardroom Excellence offers timely information about Establishing the values and qualities that board members should possess Developing an environment in the boardroom where skepticism and serious discussion are encouraged Understanding what the CEO expects of the board and what the board expects of the CEO Creating effective independent audit, compensation, nominating, and governance committees Formulating guidelines for periodic evaluation of the performance of the board and individual board members

Distinguished governance experts offer cures for what ails our boards of directors In light of corporate malfeasance in recent years, the governance of corporations has been receiving great attention from regulators, researchers, shareholders, and directors themselves. Based on Richard Leblanc's in-depth five-year study of 39 boards of directors of both for- and not-for-profit organizations, Building a Better Board goes behind the scenes to reveal the inner workings of boards of directors, including how they make decisions. Recently chosen as one of Canada's "Top 40 Under 40"(TM), Dr Richard Leblanc is an award-winning teacher and researcher, certified management consultant, professional speaker, professor, lawyer and specialist on boards of directors. He can be reached at [email protected]. James Gillies, PhD (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), is Professor Emeritus at the Schulich School of Business, York University, where he serves as Chair of the Canada-Russia Corporate Governance Program.

The perfect board - Board manners and the director from hell - Things boards could do better - Ten best practices of modern corporate governance - Board and director evaluation - Advisory boards - Board responsibilities - Compensation of company directors - Director accreditation - Executive compensation issues - The rubber meets the road : challenges facing corporations - Corporate responsability - Institutional investors - Some contemporary board issues : hostile takeovers - Three core principles of effective coporate governance.

This book is an exceptional resource for leaders at every level across industries. An insightful guidebook comprised of 40 illuminating principles showcasing the fundamental competencies that impact performance in the boardroom and beyond, each chapter includes the following core components: 1) a robust, but succinct discussion introducing each principle; 2) key strategies providing straightforward guidance on how to master each principle; 3) a selection of thoughtful journal questions that allow for meaningful introspection, and finally, 4) a leadership challenge—a stretch goal—that brings each principle into immediate, scalable focus. Whether a seasoned or emerging leader, each reader will discover useful perspectives contained within each chapter designed to firmly orient their thinking and behavior towards leadership excellence. An enduring resource for circumstances in which every leader will inevitably find him or herself confronting, it will also serve as the “go to” professional development resource for elevating leadership brands and facilitating the necessary trench work required to develop competent and confident leaders regardless of industry or expertise. Different from traditional books that provide a one-dimensional view of what leadership is and do little more than categorize existing traits, Poised for Excellence breaks the mold. It creates the context for understanding leadership development as a holistic process: By focusing on the mastery of fundamental principles structured to develop the whole person through service to self and others, it ignites an evolutionary process that cultivates 360 degrees of effective leadership. It directs readers to stake a bold claim to their success and transform the way they show up in the boardroom and beyond. Poised for Excellence was written to nurture the leadership potential in business leaders who desire to operate in excellence and believe that learning and practice are non-negotiable aspects of leadership success.

Why top scholars make the best university leaders Socrates in the Boardroom argues that world-class scholars, not administrators, make the best leaders of research universities. Amanda Goodall cuts through the rhetoric and misinformation swirling around this contentious issue—such as the assertion that academics simply don't have the managerial expertise needed to head the world's leading schools—using hard evidence and careful, dispassionate analysis. She shows precisely why experts need leaders who are experts like themselves. Goodall draws from the latest data on the world's premier research universities along with in-depth interviews with top university leaders both past and present, including University of Pennsylvania President Amy Gutmann; Derek Bok and Lawrence Summers, former presidents of Harvard University; John Hood, former vice chancellor of the University of Oxford; Cornell University President David Skorton; and many others. Goodall explains why the most effective leaders are those who have deep expertise in what their organizations actually do. Her findings carry broad implications for the management of higher education, and she demonstrates that the same fundamental principle holds true for other important business sectors as well. Experts, not managers, make the best leaders. Read Socrates in the Boardroom and learn why.

Welcome to My Impact Zone! My book is not a sports book, nor just a book about leadership, nor only about my time playing Notre Dame football. Linebacker in the Boardroom discusses the demand for excellence and accountability in all things we do. I talk about how those demands translate into lessons in our successes and failures in life. This book has leadership at its foundation. It is a search for our leadership inspirations. It's an examination of and a demand for personal and professional accountability, and shows you how to search for your individual opportunities to make a difference: what I call Impact Zones . To help you search for and define your Impact Zones, I developed 3E Leadership: Essential, Exceptional, and Ethical Leadership(TM) . It's a model for behavioral competencies and tools to help you transform yourself into a high-performer. On the field, in your cube, or in your office, on the factory shop floor, at your school desk, or in the boardroom, you can make an impact. Whether you view this book from a personal or professional perspective, whether you read it as a member of a work team, a community-based organization, athletic team, or religious group, whether you pick it up as the leader of a multi-billion-dollar company or as someone just starting out on your career journey, you will see how my thoughts and inspirations, successes and failures, philosophies and real-life experiences can and will have an impact on you. Welcome to the Impact Zone! Welcome to my world of 3E Leadership(TM)! Become the Essential, Exceptional, and Ethical Leader!

THE QUICK-ANSWER GUIDE TO YOUR CORPORATE GOVERNANCE QUESTIONS Serving on a corporate board isn't what it used to be. In today's complex business landscape, meaningful corporate governance requires solid skills in problem-solving, relationship-building, crisis management, leadership development, management oversight, and much more. Written for both seasoned and first-time directors, Claiming Your Place at the Boardroom Table is a roadmap to becoming a highly knowledgeable and effective board member. Whether you’re dealing with intricate business regulations, powerful personalities, crucial audits, or the many other challenges that come with serving on a board, you’ll find all the information and insights you need in these pages. Written by experts in the field, Claiming Your Place at the Boardroom Table covers: The essential objectives of the corporate board An overview of effective corporate board service Securing an invitation to your first corporate board Positioning to join your next or ideal corporate board Understanding financial issues board members must cover All the critical information you need to know about public company reporting Proven ways to be a leading member of any board you serve on Packed with real-life case studies illustrating the best of the best practices, Claiming Your Place at the Boardroom Table helps you identify and navigate nuances that will make all the difference in becoming an outstanding board member. Fascinating discussions of legal cases, reporting requirements, regulatory matters, reputational risks, and lessons on all the overarching fiduciary duties of directors are included. Being a member of a corporate board can be a remarkably rewarding journey both professionally and personally--if you go in with the right attitude, skills, knowledge, and instincts. Claiming Your Place at the Boardroom Table takes you step by step down this exciting path to make it the most enriching experience it can be. PRAISE FOR CLAIMING YOUR PLACE AT THE BOARDROOM TABLE: "An excellent resource tool for all directors--a book that I know will be a "go-to" book for both new and seasoned board members." -- Margaret M. Foran, Chief Governance Officer, VP & Corporate Secretary, Prudential Financial, Inc.; Director, Occidental Petroleum, Inc.; former Chairman, Society of Corporate Secretaries and Governance Professionals "A terrific handbook for every executive and director looking to achieve excellence in governance, and a great read." -- Benjamin F. (Tad) Edwards IV, Chairman, CEO and President, Benjamin F. Edwards & Co., Director Cass Information Systems, Inc. "Practical and substantive; directors will find useful and productive. Bakewell is an expert who earned the right to share with influence and impact." -- Nido Qubein, President, High Point University; Chairman, Great Harvest Bread Company; Director, BB&T, La-Z-Boy Corporation, and Dots, LLC "Rarely does a book have insights to offer to such a wide range of people. For first-time directors, experienced directors, up and coming executives, academicians, and investors, it is a must-read." -- James S. Turley, former Chairman and CEO, Ernst & Young; Director, Citigroup, Emerson Electric Company, and Boy Scouts of America; and Trustee, Rice University "Tom Bakewell has been active in the governance community for many years. His wisdom and insights, presented here, are entertaining, informative, and clearly worth the read for both the new and veteran director. Don't miss it!" -- Professor Charles Elson, Director, Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance, University of Delaware; Director, HealthSouth

A renowned meeting mentor and author offes a proactive guide to preventing conflict in even the toughest boardroom situations.

The definitive leadership guide on safe practices The release of chemicals and other hazardous materials pose significant, potentially catastrophic threats worldwide. An alarming number of such events, all of which are preventable, occur too often. Reducing the frequency of serious incidents is a fundamental responsibility of leadership at all levels, from frontline managers and supervisors to C-suite executives and the board of directors as well. Process Safety Leadership from the Boardroom to the Frontline is a practical, authoritative guide that clearly demonstrates how to create a viable culture of safety within an organization, implement and maintain disciplined management systems, and address the risks of process safety deficiencies. The most important factor in any management system is leadership. For chemical process safety management, effective and informed leadership provides direction, reinforces commitment, and drives responsibility. Written by experts from the Center for Chemical Process Safety, the world's largest provider of engineering curriculum materials for process safety, this pragmatic book contains the critical information and guidelines required to lead and manage process safety. Detailed yet accessible chapters examine topics such as strengthening management system accountability, driving operation within constraints, ensuring corporate memory, verifying execution, and more. Designed to be frequently used, shared, and discussed by leadership teams throughout an organization, this indispensable resource: Demonstrates the many ways process safety benefits an organization, based on benchmarking and broad industrial experience Develops skills and expands knowledge needed to drive consistent, reliable process safety performance Describes essential behaviors and actions for leaders to drive excellence in process safety cultures and disciplined management systems Helps establish risk criteria and safeguards for companies Presents new and previously unpublished experiences, approaches, and thinking Written for executives, plant leaders, functional managers, frontline supervisors and also individual contributors, Process Safety Leadership from the Boardroom to the Frontline provides a much-needed guide for instituting safe practices within a company. The Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS) has been the world leader in developing and disseminating information on process safety management and technology since 1985. The CCPS, an industry technology alliance of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), has published over 100 books in its process safety guidelines and process safety concepts series, and over 10 training modules through its Safety in Chemical Engineering Education (SAChE) series.