[.ca] Corporate Boards: New Strategies for Adding Value at the Top (ISBN 0787956201)

I really wish I had read this first.:
We picked up this book after our first board actually became a liability! It was only after the failure of original the board (which failed for exactly the reasons the book outlined as primary reasons boards fail!) that this book was recommended to us. The five founders all read it and discussed it. Since we were in the midst of a reorg, it was exceedingly helpful in reshaping the new board into a more effective and cohesive part of the company. We did a much better job of first creating the criteria to evaluate candidates and a lot of the politics went out of the process. I don't agree with all of the authors assertions about what a strong board can do for a company. I still think much of that is up to the people doing the actual work. However, since a board is a critical element of any modern company, read this first and do it right the first time.

Excellent resource for both CEOs and Board members:
Insightful and immediately useful. Having served in many of the roles that the book touches upon--CEO, Board Member, Chairman--I find that unlike other business strategy books, authors Conger, Lawler and Finegold provide a straightforward and powerful vision by which today's board can function much more effectively. If my own experience in using this resource within the boards I am involved in is any indication, any board that reads this book and implements its teachings will improve its effectiveness immensely. I particularly like the balanced view of the legal responsibilities of today's board versus their leadership "voice" for the various stakeholders.

Coporate Boards:
I am not a businessman, so I haven't read too many books on management, but I certainly am glad I read this one. I'm a scientist in the process of putting together a small biotech company. I have recently been turning to friends in the coporate wold as well as those still in B-school for advice about business structuring. When I asked about developing an effective board, one of them recommended this book by Conger, Lawler, and Finegold....what a education. The book deals with the basics of board structure, but then goes beyond using thier extensive database to craft an in-depth analysis of the inner-psychology behind these fundamental corporate entities. Putting together a solid board of directors has been one of the toughest hurdles for me, and this book has and will continue to be a wonderful resource for me.

Best Source for Corporate Board Effectiveness:
In my role advising mid- and senior-level management of Fortune 100 companies, I found this book by Conger, Lawler and Finegold to be of immediate value. "Corporate Boards: New Strategies for Adding Value at the Top" is positioned towards people who are perhaps on boards or who are executives dealing with boards. The authors are extremely credible, having dealt with and advised senior leadership from nearly every Fortune 100 company. This book really brings together in one source all you need to know about building a more effective board - it is filled with real and practical guidelines and actionable how-tos. At the same time, it challenges the current governance approaches, arguing that despite all the "best practices" available, we still have a relatively simplistic understanding of how to build a great board. This book gives the reader more sophisticated insights into what it takes to have an effective board. The authors also raise a number of issues that are critical given today's environment. For example, are boards solely responsible to shareholders or are there other, equally critical groups to which boards need to be accountable? Finally, the authors discuss the implications of the Internet for the boardroom. In short, I strongly recommend this book, particularly for those who deal with senior leadership, corporate boards and governance issues.

A must read for board directors:
This is a must read for every board director. Newly-electeds will find a treasure trove of important material; experienced directors will find data to either support or challenge their beliefs on corporate governance. Bruce R. Ellig Corporate Vice President HR (retired) Pfizer, Inc.