Cover Story

Getting from a good to a great board
By Janice Reals Ellig and Ilene H. Lang
You can do it through gender diversity. The qualified woman candidate for your board is out there — if you look for her in the right places and with the right process. Recent research from Catalyst speaks volumes, as does the transformation of the Texas Instruments board.

Features

HBS focus: The reality of corporate boards
By Jay W. Lorsch
As Harvard Business School celebrates its first century, it can take pride in being a pioneer in exploring what transpires in the boardroom … and how it helped shape the evolution of enlightened governance. Early research honed right in on “what makes a good director.”

Choosing a new CEO: This board got it right
By Robert C. Muschewske
There were three strong internal candidates, each with champions on the board. Only a rigorous step-by-step evaluation process resolved the selection dilemma to confirm the best person for the job.

What should we pay board members for?
By Jack Dolmat-Connell, and Gerry Miller
Oversight responsibility? Performance of the company? Or both? This is one of the most basic issues of compensating directors — and it is one that is rarely addressed. Plus, pay practices ripe for rethinking.

Dos and don’ts for managing a monitor
By George A. Stamboulidis, and Lauren J. Resnick
Worried that a compliance issue may result in a government-imposed monitor in your midst? Be proactive to help select the monitor, demonstrate remediation, and avoid disruption of company operations.

Get real with your real estate dealings
By James L. McCormick III, and Harvey Pitt
As federal regulators continue to expand the reach of Sarbanes-Oxley, directors and CEOs who sign off on conflict-ridden real estate leases may find themselves facing enforcement actions.

For your more robust personal protection
By Priya Cherian Huskins
Yes, you need a personal indemnification agreement … and here is what should be in it and what it should cover. Get further protected against the deficiencies of D&O insurance and governmental pressure.

Book it: Best bets for board reading
From a roundup of new books, leadership insights on chief executive humility, managerial development, the problem with pocket vetoers, interweaving the work/life fabric, and a strange case of CEO tone deafness.

The heart of the matter
By Diana McLain Smith
Good governance depends on good relationships between management and the board. Sounds simple and straightforward? It’s not.

Departments & Columns

Buy this issue