Governing for Results: A Director's Guide to Good Governance

by Mel D. Gill

Overview

BEST SELLER

This BEST SELLIING book provides a comprehensive guide to effective governance for board members and their senior executives. The author offers a new framework for understanding boards and proposes practices that boards can use to fulfill their stewardship responsibilities, strengthen board performance and improve organizational effectiveness. The book discusses the basics of governance - what it is and why it matters; essential duties and liabilities of the board and its members; and the essentials of an effective board/management partnership.

It provides detailed guidance on the seven primary areas of board responsibility: i) mission and planning; ii) financial stewardship; iii) human resources stewardship; iv) performance monitoring and accountability; v) community representation and advocacy; vi) risk management; and, vii) managing 'critical events' and 'transitional phases'. It discusses the legal structure of nonprofits, who owns them and how to organize for accountable governance.

Governing for Results will assist boards in dealing with recurring issues around board and committee structures; their terms of reference and effective use; and job descriptions for key officers. The discussion of board development, board management, decision-making and organizational culture will prove invaluable in helping many boards deal with these complex issues. A discussion of the essential principles of governing for results includes a logical framework for planning and evaluation.

The book provides tools that can help boards decide which governance practices will best fit their particular organization and strengthen their performance as a governing body. It outlines the factors that may interfere with a board's ability to adopt appropriate governance practices and presents twelve keys to successful governance that were identified through research. It offers a sample letter of agreement for new board members, and samples of an agenda for board meetings, an oath of confidentiality, a values statement, conflict of interest and donor confidentiality policies, a template for financial monitoring, self-assessment tools for the board and individual directors and a basic guide to 'Rules of Order' for conduct of meetings. It also provides outlines for comprehensive by laws and governance policies, and references to additional resources.

Although this book is intended to fill a gap in the resources available to volunteer members of nonprofit boards of directors, much of its guidance will also be useful for directors of public and private sector corporations. The strong research base underpinning this work also makes it of interest to researchers, academics, and consultants. It adds perspective to the debate about governance models and offers guidance to board members with respect to board structure, responsiblities, governance practices, and problems that commonly afflict boards. It is designed as a user-friendly guide for busy directors and executives who want concise, compact and well-researched answers to perennially troubling questions about governance, the role of boards and their relationship to staff.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781466954922
Publisher:	Trafford Publishing
Publication date:	08/13/2007
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	1
Sales rank:	432,311
File size:	778 KB

About the Author

Mel Gill is President of Synergy Associates, Consultants in Governance and Organizational Development, Ottawa, Canada since 1999. He brings perspectives from studies in Political Science, Psychology, Economics, Law and Social Work to the consulting practice.

Mel spent 17 years in the Saskatchewan public service in a variety of front-line, policy and senior management positions. His responsibilities included development and management of standards and funding criteria for community service and employment grants to voluntary sector organizations as well as implementation of Program-Based Management Information Systems as a Senior Analyst with the Treasury Board.

Mel served for 12 years as executive director of one of the largest nonprofit social service organizations in Canada. He has served as a member of a score of local, national and provincial voluntary sector boards. He is also the author of several journal articles. Synergy's clients range from international private corporations, through provincial and national industry and professional associations, regulatory bodies, school trustees and united ways to local service agencies.

Contact Information:
Mel Gill, President
Synergy Associates
Consultants in Governance and Organizational Development
E-mail: [e-mail]
synergyassociates.ca

Check www.synergyassociates.ca for further information on the book, complementary CD ROM and the Governance Self-Assessment Checklist.