Boards That Make a Difference

Preface to the Third Edition

Preface

The Author

Prologue: Beginning and Ending with Purpose

Introduction

1. Leadership by Governing Boards: A Vision of Group Accountability

2. Policy as a Leadership Tool: The Force of Explicit Values

3. Designing Policies That Make a Difference: Governing by Values

4. Focusing on Results: The Power of Purpose

5. Controlling Ethics and Prudence: What's Not OK, Even if It Works

6. Strong Boards Need Strong Executives: The Board-Executive Relationship

7. The Board's Responsibility for Itself: Governing Oneself Precedes Governing Others

8. Officers and Committees: The Chief Governance Officer and Other Divisions of Board Labor

9. Policy Development by Levels: Adding Details Judiciously

10. Making Meetings Meaningful: Creating the Future More Than Reviewing the Past

11. Maintaining Board Leadership: Staying on Track and Institutionalizing Excellence

12. But Does It Work? Criticisms, Effectiveness Research, and Model Consistency

Resource A. Varieties of Policy Governance Applications

Resource B. Bylaws

Resource C. Glossary

References

Index

John Carver is known internationally as the creator of the breakthrough in board leadership called the Policy Governance Model. He has worked with boards in the United States and Canada as well as on four other continents for over twenty-five years. His clients have included the National Association of State Boards of Education, the National Ballet of Canada, the American Institute of Architects, the Pentagon Federal Credit Union, Lutheran World Relief and the American Cancer Society. He is author of the bi-monthly newsletter workshop Board Leadership and his books have sold over 250,000 copies around the world.

"John Carver is a revolutionary of the very best kind. Carver's Policy Governance model has provided the means for trustees to live out Greenleaf's challenge to boards to act as both servant and leader."
-Larry C. Spears, CEO, The Greenleaf Center for Servant-Leadership; editor, Reflections on Leadership, Insights on Leadership, Servant Leadership, The Power of Servant Leadership; coeditor, Practicing Servant Leadership and Focus on Leadership

"It took an inspired social scientist to record and describe the fundamental principles of [the Policy Governance] model, which provides deep insight into the role of the Board in the modern corporation."
-Jeremy Booker, vice president, corporate governance, British Petroleum, London

"Dr. Carver's governance model has been the key in empowering the State Bar of California Board of Governors to focus on policy that would help our judicial system."
-Andrew J. Guilford, 1999-2000 president, State Bar of California

"An indispensable guidebook to leadership excellence."
-George Weber, executive director, Canadian Dental Association, Ottawa; former secretary general, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Geneva

"Boards That Make a Difference explicates the model, which is simple, powerful, and above all, successful."
-W. H. Hann, former executive director, Association of Independent Schools of Western Australia

"This book's sound premises regarding proper role delineation and its practical advice provide an invaluable resource."
-Dr. John R. Seffrin, CEO, American Cancer Society, Atlanta

"Dr. Carver offers a visionary yet practical approach to governance design."
-Adalberto Palma Gómez, senior partner, Aperture S.C.; former director, Institute for the Protection of Bank Savings; chairman, Center for Excellence in Corporate Governance, Mexico City

"Policy Governance gives governing bodies and CEOs a clear insight into their mutual relationship and their distinct