June 14, 2001 | Read Time: 1 minute
Extraordinary Board Leadership: The Seven Keys to High-Impact Governance
by Doug Eadie
Extraordinary boards, the author of this book writes, “make a powerful contribution to their organizations’ performance, enabling them to translate their visions for the future into reality, to capitalize on opportunities for innovation and growth, to cope successfully with threats, to carry out their missions fully, and to deliver their products and services effectively and efficiently.”
Yet despite the prevalence of talented, high-achieving board members, many nonprofit boards fail to reach the level of “extraordinary,” writes Doug Eadie, a management consultant in Frisco, Tex. Mr. Eadie attributes some of those failures to misconceptions about the role and management of boards.
Mr. Eadie provides practical advice for nonprofit leaders who want to increase the impact and leadership of their boards. Among his guiding principles: Boards can significantly help nonprofit groups if board members are chosen carefully and nurtured, and chief executive officers should be the primary motivators in developing extraordinary boards.
Chapters discuss the traits of a successful board, how to identify the right people for the board, the relationship between the board and the executive director, board management and the structure of standing committees, and involving the board in strategic, operational, and management planning. The final chapter also discusses how board members can use their clout to help build an organization’s public image and expand its financial resources.
Publisher: Aspen Publishers, Distribution Center, 7201 McKinney Circle, Frederick, Md. 21704; (800) 638-8437; fax (800) 901-90750
