Reinventing Your Board: A Step-by-Step Guide to Implementing Policy Governance (J-B Carver Board Governance Series) [Hardcover]

John Carver (Author), Miriam Mayhew Carver (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0787909114 | ISBN-13: 978-0787909116 | Publication Date: August 29, 1997

John Carver's groundbreaking Policy Governance model has influenced the way public and nonprofit boards operate around the world. Now, as widespread experience with the model continues to grow, nonprofit and public board members can find a powerful resource and first-choice reading in the John Carver Set.

In the bestselling Boards That Make a Difference, Second Edition, John Carver enriches his definitive exposition with updated policy samples, a new chapter on the process of policy development, and additional resources for various types of boards. With creative insight and commonsense practicality, Carver presents a bold new approach to board job design, board-staff relationships, the chief executive role, performance monitoring, and virtually every aspect of the board-management relationship. In their stead, he offers a board model designed to produce policies that make a difference, missions that are clearly articulated, standards that are ethical and prudent, meetings, officers, and committees that work; and leadership that supports the fulfillment of long-term goals.

A natural companion to Boards That Make a Difference, Reinventing Your Board is John Carver and Miriam Mayhew Carver's recipe for putting Policy Governance into practice. With 25 figures, policy samples, forms, and other practical, "put-the-model-in-motion" materials, this is the nuts-and-bolts materials that Carvers' followers have been requesting. The authors illustrate effective board decision making, show how to craft useful policies, and offer practical advice on such matters as setting the agenda, monitoring CEO performance, defining the board role, and more. Step-by-step instructions and sample policies make this a valuable resource for boards in the public and nonprofit sectors.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"After reading Boards That Make a Difference and studying the theory behind John Carver's approach to improving the functioning of boards and their linkage with the chief executive officer, this book is a natural next stage for a board committed to improving its capacity. Reinventing Your Board is a must." (Mike Whitlam, director general, British Red Cross Society)

"This clear, chair-friendly book is the ultimate how-to manual for a board determined to ensure the future as they would envision it. No chairman should be without it." (George Dessart, chair, board of directors, American Cancer Society)

"This 'how-to' navigational tool will help boards get policy governance right the first time. It is a must for anyone looking to make their board effective into the next century." (Susan Elliott, president, The Law Society of Upper Canada)

From the Inside Flap

John Carver's revolutionary Policy Governance Model, introduced in his best-selling book, Boards that Make a Difference, is recognized as a highly effective, results-oriented approach to nonprofit board governance. With Reinventing Your Board, John Carver and Miriam Mayhew Carver show how to put the model in motion and take organizations to new levels of achievement.This hands-on, step-by-step guide serves as a practical manual for implementing the Policy Governance model and provides guidelines for staying on track. The authors illustrate effective board decision-making, show how to craft useful policies, and offer practical advice on such matters as setting the agAnda, monitoring CEO performance, defining the board role, and more. Step-by-step Instructions, sample policies, illustrations, exercises, and other practical materials make this a valuable resource for boards wanting to improve the performance of organizations in the public and nonprofit sectors through effective board leadership.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass (August 29, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0787909114
• ISBN-13: 978-0787909116
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #360,537 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John Carver is internationally known as the creator of the breakthrough in board leadership called the Policy Governance model and is the best-selling author of Boards ThatMake a Difference (1990, 1997, 2006). He is co-editor (with his wife, Miriam Carver) of the bimonthly periodical Board Leadership, author of over 180 articles published in nine countries, and author or co-author of six books. For over thirty years, he has worked internationally with governing boards, his principal practice being in the United States and Canada. Dr. Carver is an editorial review board member of Corporate Governance: An International Review, adjunct professor in the University of Georgia Institute for Nonprofit Organizations, and formerly adjunct professor in York University's Schulich School of Business.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Brief, readable, and pragmatic advice for effective boards, October 4, 2000

By 

Amazon Stitcher "Stitch-a-holic" (MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Reinventing Your Board: A Step-by-Step Guide to Implementing Policy Governance (J-B Carver Board Governance Series) (Hardcover)

Although its style is more academic than members of many all-volunteer organizations might wish, this book is short enough to be read on a board member's tight schedule, and pithy enough to provide ideas that can truly give a new perspective on problems in the board meeting. Carver makes it clear that board leadership is best when it distinguishes between ends and means, and that governance (and the highest satisfaction for board members) lies in articulating ends and the route to those ends. This book, for me, answered the question of why organizations might not get a lot done despite diligent meeting schedules and full agendas.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great counsel on Board/CEO relationship, August 11, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Reinventing Your Board: A Step-by-Step Guide to Implementing Policy Governance (J-B Carver Board Governance Series) (Hardcover)

Twenty years of working at CEO for a Board governed organization with 500 members. Numerous Board training seminars and this is the most practical counsel I have received. It is a hands on book, providing a model that will work for your organization.

17 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars a disappointment, June 1, 2002

By 

Cato Sapiens (Berkeley, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Reinventing Your Board: A Step-by-Step Guide to Implementing Policy Governance (J-B Carver Board Governance Series) (Hardcover)

As someone who has had twenty years of experience both at the executive level within nonprofit organizations and on the boards of others, I found this book disappointing narrow in focus, overly dependent on specialized jargon, and rather uninspiring. When Carver talks about "policy governance" he means his very specialized theory, the Carver theory on board organization. "Step by step guide" means a highly detailed and technical presentation of the Carver system. Essentially this book may be useful as a handbook to those who hire Carver or consultants who follow this particular system. I think this book is being sold to people who will form mistaken impressions based on Carver's reputation. The title "reinventing your board" is misleading in tone because the book is really intended ONLY for people who have "bought into" Carver's highly detailed system and who already have very strong familiarity with his way of thinking. Business books about "reinventing" generally try to inspire, offering a mine of interesting examples, and at their best, teach by "showing." While there are some very useful and important observations and suggestions embedded in the book, the pedantic style and insistence on numbered, sequential steps made me feel as though I were reading a manual about reinstalling Windows 98.