Building Better Boards: A Blueprint for Effective Governance

Consultants David A. Nadler, Beverly A. Behan and Mark B. Nadler are experts on how boards of directors work. In fact, they may be boosting their consulting business just a bit by noting their expertise a few times but they offer solid concepts. They emphasize key ideas, such as the need to choose board members who speak their minds and have the stomach to change a corporation's culture. They warn that members of most boards don't work well together. Worse still, people who don't know anything about a company's industry can still end up on its board. The authors delve into considerable detail, which getAbstract believes is a big plus for board members who seek specific information, such as how to conduct a CEO review or manage a crisis, but which may leave general readers not only outside the boardroom, but glad to be in the lobby drinking coffee.

With the increased scrutiny on company accounting practices, executive compensation, and the Board's role in setting strategy, this book on corporate governance is an extremely timely and important one. The authors thoughtfully detail the issues Boards face, how best to work with CEOs and plan for their successor, and develop strategies for effective leadership. There's even a section on Boards for companies outside the U.S., which I found extremely valuable. For anyone interested in how Boards work and the steps they need to take going forward (and I think any shareholder should be), this is essential reading. Highly recommended.

This is a superb book. Comprehensive and well-written, it addresses a vitally important topic with innovative ideas and practical solutions. In a field increasing crowded with prescriptions for solving the dilemmas of corporate governance, Building Better Boards stands out as a book worth reading.