The Imperfect Board Member

Praise for The Imperfect Board Member "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.

Foreword, Patrick Lencioni ix Introduction: Boards Matter xiii 1 On the Edge 1 2 A Glimmer of Hope 15 3 The Secret Formula 27 4 The Enemy Within 43 5 Unraveling From the Inside 57 6 Rebuilding From the Ground Up 71 7 One STEP FORWARD, Two STEPS BACK 83 8 Expect More 93 9 Catching the Wind 107 10 Uncovering the Gem 119 11 Breakthrough 139 12 The Big Day 149 Afterword: Making Application 157 Recommended Reading on Governance 193 Notes 195 Acknowledgments 199 The Author 203