The Imperfect Board Member: Discovering the Seven Disciplines of Governance Excellence (Hardcover)

by Jim Brown (Author)
Key Phrases: governance excellence, board relations, key result areas, Cedar Grove, Secret Formula, Prominent Leadership (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Finally! A book about boards that isn’t boring!"
—Patrick Lencioni, author, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

"Everyone wins with good governance--countries, corporations, and community groups. In a compelling style like no one before him, Jim Brown helps leaders understand the keys for boardroom excellence. The Imperfect Board Member ought to be required reading for people on every type of board. The great thing is that it won't need to be required—it’s such a fun book, every leader will want to read it."
—Jim Balsillie, chairman and co-CEO, Research in Motion; chair, Centre for International Governance Innovation

"I know no board members, myself included, who won't learn valuable lessons from Jim Brown’s book The Imperfect Board Member. Don't miss it!"
—Ken Blanchard, coauthor, The One-Minute Manager® and The Secret

"Thanks to Sarbanes-Oxley, boards have become active. The Imperfect Board Member clarifies sharply the lines of what boards need to do and what management needs to do. The time has come for the two groups to work together and yet keep independent."
—Ram Charan, coauthor, Execution, and author, Boards That Deliver

"The Imperfect Board Member by Jim Brown is a highly perceptive, eminently readable, engagingly human book on how boards and directors can improve their performance. In a breezy conversational style that uses dialogue invitingly and often, the author explores with sensitivity and a light touch not only the standard ingredients but also the more subtle nuances of excellence in both corporate and not-for-profit governance"
—William A. Dimma, author, Tougher Boards for Tougher Times; chairman, Home Capital Group Inc.

"Jim Brown has delivered a business fable that is as provocative as it is unconventional. Do you know the Secret Formula for Organizational Effectiveness? Are you making the wrong sacrifice? Does the board lead with its nose or its fingers? The Imperfect Board Member presents these concepts in a manner that is both illuminating and engaging."
—Scott Green, author, Sarbanes-Oxley and the Board of Directors

"For too long, regulators and critics have presumed that tinkering with metrics like board size and director independence is the key to governance excellence. But it’s not enough. Good governance is the product of skillful board members working well together with a solid grasp on the corporate strategy. In The Imperfect Board Member, Jim Brown captures this reality artfully. Read this book and discover for yourself the disciplines of governance excellence.