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

"Brown delivers a creative analogy that can be applied to both the corporate and nonprofit arenas. Anyone who leads boards or serves as a member of a board should sit up and take notice of this wonderful book." (www.charitychannel.com, October 2008) Jim Brown is a founding partner of Strive!—a leadership development firm that specializes in governance. With offices near Toronto and Cleveland, Strive! provides coaching and consulting services to boards and leaders across North America and in various countries around the world. Brown's seasoned wisdom and inspirational support have made him a trusted coach for leaders, and a sought-after speaker. Contact him at www.strive.com. Meet David Slater. He is an ambitious and overcommitted executive who is struggling to lead his business through its first year as a publicly traded company. Of all his challenges, his board of directors is the most frustrating. He thinks everyone else is the problem. But he's "the imperfect board member."

Support comes from a most unlikely source—a fellow director on the board of a community recreational association. As they volunteer together, David discovers the seven disciplines that will enable any board to lead effectively.

Presented as a captivating leadership fable, The Imperfect Board Member brings the disappointment and dysfunction of boards to life. The main characters in the story combine the contexts of business, nonprofit, and faith-based organizations, making it applicable to boards of every type.

David's struggles and the lessons he learns change how he views his role as a board member. You'll delight as he develops the Governance Excellence Model. And you'll see for yourself how any board, and any board member, can add value to the organizations they serve.

David's story reveals that while it's vital for board members to bring their skills and knowledge to the table so they are able to perform as a "smart" board, it's also imperative that boards be "healthy." A healthy board exhibits the qualities of candor and trust and understands the roles of board and management.

To help put these principles and practices into action, the book concludes by reviewing the model, offering tools and tips, and listing resources. The Imperfect Board Member is filled with insight and understanding to help you take the next step to developing a healthy board.

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.

"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."
—Richard Leblanc, coauthor, Inside the Boardroom

"It’s hard to overestimate the difference between an excellent board, a mediocre board, and a failing and complacent board. But all three have this in common: each of their board members is imperfect. What makes the difference? A clear vision of what a board is for, and how a good board functions. Jim Brown’s new book is the best resource I know of to convey that vision. What The Five Dysfunctions of a Team does for staff members this book can do for boards—from charitable organizations to local churches to educational institutions to professional associations."
—Brian McLaren, author, A New Kind of Christian and A Generous Orthodoxy

"Being a good board member is often hard, unrewarding work. How timely that Jim Brown, a real student of the director’s role, is sharing his best thinking. And how refreshing that he has embedded his wisdom in a compelling and entertaining story. You’ll enjoy and profit from The Imperfect Board Member."
—John Beckett, author, Loving Monday, chairman, R.W. Beckett

"The Imperfect Board Member is packed with learning for board members and those who aspire to be board members."
—Purdy Crawford, counsel, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt, LLP

"I’ve consulted with, served on, and even chaired boards in the profit and not-for-profit sectors for over twenty-five years. Most boards are well-intended, but confused at best, about their roles and responsibilities. I’m delighted to recommend The Imperfect Board Member to help board members and leaders to be confidently on-purpose."
—Kevin W. McCarthy, author, The On-Purpose Person and The On-Purpose Business

"An engaging story that works for family relations as well as board relations! Jim Brown’s clear and concise ideas put ‘hands and feet’ to solid governance principles. Not only will boards work better but so will staff. This book is full of applied wisdom."
—John Pellowe, CEO, Canadian Council of Christian Charities