Product Description Despite the many changes in governance regulation over the past decade, few boards function as a true corporate asset to the companies they oversee. In this book, Behan offers practical advice that a CEO, Chairman or board member can introduce at the very next meeting. Boardrooms are filled with intelligent, accomplished people-yet seldom achieve their full potential and add the kind of value for the CEO, executive team and company shareholders that many boards are actually capable of. Beverly Behan draws on her experience working with more than 100 boards over the past 14 years-from major Fortune 500s to recent IPOs-offering no-nonsense insights that can take any board from mediocrity to the top of its game including establishing a constructive working relationship with your board; addressing some of the dysfunction that may lie within the board you’ve inherited, and making your board a significant asset to you, your company, and your executive team.Working with the Board of Directors is one of the most important components of any CEO’s job-and most will admit it is something they wish they knew more about. Nearly all CEOs want to change at least something about their board, yet many are unsure how to go about this in the right way. This book not only alerts the reader to common pitfalls that CEO's can make with their boards, it provides workable approaches to a tackle a variety of boardroom issues from getting new talent into the boardroom to engaging effectively with the board on strategy and succession planning. Review “I have attended over 500 board meetings of Fortune 100 companies and I wish I had read this book before I went to the first one! It is excellent.” -Norm Augustine, retired Chairman and CEO, Lockheed Martin“This book is a must-read for any CEO or board member that wants to create a high-performing board” -Steve Bennett, former CEO, Intuit and board member QUALCOMM, Symantec “Beverly Behan has made a compelling argument for getting better value from many public companies’ most under-used asset-the board of directors-and has given us an accessible, practical guide to making it happen.” -Nell Minow, Co-Founder, The Corporate Library“I’ve probably served on more than 50 boards over the last dozen years and was amazed to discover so many ‘new’ ideas in this book. A must-read for directors and perhaps more importantly, new CEOs.” -Frank McKenna, Deputy Chairman, TD Bank Group and former Canadian Ambassador to the United States“Should be mandatory for C-level executives, a threshold requirement for anyone likely to be elected CEO and a vehicle for all CEOs and directors to study and discuss in order to make the board and themselves more effective.” -Warren Batts, 2006 NACD Director of the Year, retired CEO of four companies, and Adjunct Professor, University of Chicago Business School “While Great Companies Deserve Great Boards is a useful primer for first-time CEOs and board members, the book also provides helpful reminders for those more experienced in the boardroom.” -Arthur D. Collins, Jr., retired Chairman and CEO, Medtronic, Inc. and board member of three Fortune 500 companies “A powerful resource for CEOs and board members packed with relevant, real-life examples” -Joe Herring, Chairman and CEO, Covance “Crisply written and chock-full of insights for CEOs and board members” -Leonard Coleman, former President, National League of Professional Baseball and Presiding Director, Avis-Budget Group “I highly recommend Great Companies Deserve Great Boards as an excellent read for CEOs, directors and others…Beverly Behan has consulted far and wide in preparing this comprehensive book.” -Frank Brown, Dean, INSEAD “A well-written book from an author who has grappled with the challenges of the boardroom. Contains penetrating insights into the CEO/Board dynamic; offers clear and refreshingly pragmatic recommendations for more effective boards.” -Gail Cook-Bennett, Chair of the Board,
