"Building Better Boards bridges the gap between talk and action. A must-read for board members, CEOs, governance experts - really for anyone who cares about the future of the corporation." Anne M. Mulcahy, chairman and CEO, Xerox Corporation

"Building Better Boards covers all the key issues facing boards in the post-Sarbanes-Oxley era. It provides practical advice based on the authors' wide-ranging experience with major companies that have built successful boards." Marty Lipton, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen& Katz

"This important new book uses concepts gleaned from the collective wisdom of our Blue Ribbon Commission on Board Leadership and adds practical, real-world board examples. The section on crisis management is particularly helpful." Roger W. Raber, president and CEO, National Association of Corporate Directors

"This book provides a comprehensive review and effective guide to making any board an effective team, and thus an asset, for their company." Richard H. Koppes of Counsel, Jones Day, and former general counsel, CalPERS

"A balanced, insightful, thoughtful, and, above all, useful look at what can be done to create excellent boards." Edward E. Lawler III, director, Center for Effective Organizations, Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California

"Improving board effectiveness is easier said than done. Building Better Boards lays out the how-tos in a clear and compelling way that is of practical value for directors and CEOs alike." Kenneth W. Freeman, former chairman and CEO, Quest Diagnostics Inc.

The Editors

David A. Nadler is chairman of Mercer Delta Consulting. He is the author or editor of fourteen books, includingChampions of Change, Discontinuous Change, Executive Teams, Competing by Design, and Organizational Architecture.

Beverly A. Behan is a partner in the corporate governance practice of Mercer Delta Consulting. She has worked with more than fifty boards in the United States and Canada.

Mark B. Nadler is a partner in and the executive editor of Mercer Delta Consulting, overseeing the firm's publications and consulting to senior executives on communication issues.

Preface.

Part One: Board Leadership and Dynamics.

1. A Blueprint for Building Better Boards.

2. Board Composition.

3. Director Performance.

4. Board Leadership: Structures and Roles.

5. Board Work Processes.

6. The Role of Leaders in Shaping Board Culture.

Part Two: Critical Areas of Work.

7. Engaging the Board in Corporate Strategy.

8. CEO Performance Evaluation.

9. The Boards New Roles in CEO Succession.

10. The Boards Role in Corporate Crises.

11. Board Assessment.

Part Three: Emerging Issues Outside the United States.

12. Special Issues in Corporate Governance in Canada.

13. U.K. Corporate Governance.

Conclusion: Recommendations for Building Better Boards.

Appendix: 2004 NACD Blue Ribbon Commission on Board Leadership.

Notes.

References.

Acknowledgments.

The Authors.

Index.