Boards That Lead: Corporate Governance That Builds Value

Wharton’s Boards That Lead program helped me understand more deeply how to navigate the governance issues board leaders are facing today. Wharton’s instructors were top notch, and the people they brought in to speak with us were experienced executives who were able to engage us with tried strategies. As the CEO of a consulting firm, I found the program particularly useful both to my firm and personally. Most of our clients are large public companies, and we help them identify their current and emerging governance issues. The course was useful to me personally as I serve on two boards.

As we worked through the exercises, I came to understand that the issues I struggle with are the same ones that challenge directors who have served on boards for years. To be an effective board member, you really need to vet your conscience and speak up, even if your idea is contrary to the prevailing sentiment within the group. Board members must also be cognizant of conflicts of interest that exist among board members, and also within themselves.

I’ve already applied insights from the program in a recent board meeting I attended, during which we discussed candidates to fill two board positions. We discussed how board members not only must have the right skill sets and areas of expertise; it’s important to understand what kind of board culture you want to cultivate. We came to a pool of prospective candidates who we believed would actively serve and be there for the advancement of the organization rather then merely their own self-interest. Wharton’s program underscored how important it is for board members to have an open and collaborative relationship with each other in order for the board as a whole to be an effective leader."

Kathee RebernakCEO, Framework LLC, a management consultancy

Wharton’s Boards That Lead takes corporate governance to an entirely new level with a new leadership framework — so we know when to lead, when to partner, and when to just get out of the way. This approach is cutting edge, as was the thought leadership that emerged during our peer-to-peer discussions. An energizing experience — and a ‘must attend’ for all board members."

Mary Kay Scucci, PhD, CPAManaging Director, SIFMA

Boards That Lead provides the essential road map for corporate leadership. With gripping accounts and compelling illustrations, Charan, Carey, and Useem show how directors can lead in strategic partnership with company executives. This is a game changer, required reading for all who seek to bring out the best in their boards."

Alan MulallyCEO and President, Ford Motor Company

This book shows how, through leading, partnering, and delegating, boards are now starting to shape the architecture of the company in unprecedented ways. This book is rich with stories — there is nothing like learning from three world-leading practitioners on advancing board capabilities to get the company to raise its game."

Fred HassanManaging Director (Health care), Warburg Pincus; Chairman and Director, Bausch + Lomb; Former Chairman and CEO, Schering-Plough; Former Lead Director, Avon Products; Director, Time Warner

Boards That Lead offers an illuminating road map for how a board of directors can effectively engage and motivate its corporate management team to successfully navigate even the most complex of situations. This book should be on the ‘must-read’ list of every corporate board member and senior executive."

Roger W. Ferguson, Jr.President and CEO, TIAA-CREF

This research, complete with compelling anecdotes and practical information, brilliantly explores how creative, flexible, and innovative processes provide the foundation for long-term, sustainable partnerships between the board and the companies they serve. This work captures the true innovation intended to guide the leadership mandate for any board."

Ivan G. SeidenbergFormer Chairman and CEO, Verizon Communications; Former Chairman, Business Roundtable

Boards That Lead is chock full of real-world examples that directors can use to improve their leadership and decision making — an impressive one-stop shop outlining board member roles, responsibilities, and actions, including the boundaries that boards and companies often fail to recognize. The checklists for putting this advice into action are comprehensive and practical — the best I have seen."

Maggie WilderotterChairman and CEO, Frontier Communications; Director, Procter & Gamble and Xerox Corporation