This book provides the reader with a fresh and comprehensive approach to both considering and implementing an uncommon governance practice that emphasizes a lasting, effective, and a sustaining relationship between the board and president. This discussion encapsulates pre-hiring practices, and principles regarding CEO selection, onboarding, various board membership constructions (both appointed and elected), and new dimensions of board governance that emphasize competition, agility, transparency, effectiveness, and new business models. The discussion also includes elements of policy and by-law design, intentional governance design and development, committee structures and use, parliamentary procedures, meeting construction and effectiveness, CEO contracts and evaluation, board self-evaluation, generative thinking and planning, transparency and addressing board and organizational challenges.Given that transitioning to a new, enhanced or blended governance model can be difficult, the book will offer suggestions and guidance about how to move toward a more preferred, effective model. This component will include tools, such as a strategy canvas, and other processes to assist boards in addressing questions along the way, such as how and where to begin, how to evaluate the efficacy of the current model and how to structure the transition process and the timing thereof.

Daniel J. Phelan, Ph.D. has served as President& CEO of Jackson College, Michigan since April 2001. He has extensive experience and training in community college governance and has served on, and held leadership positions on a wide variety of public and private organization boards. (Jackson College utilizes the Policy Governance Model created by John Carver).

Table of ContentsList of FiguresForewordPrefaceAcknowledgmentsAbbreviations and Farming TerminologyChapter One: Board Governance, the President, and the Why of the WorkChapter Two: Governance Archetypes and Their SignificanceChapter Three: Evaluating the Efficacy of Board Effectiveness and AgilityChapter Four: Successful Boards and their CEOsChapter Five: A Case for Highly Effective GovernanceChapter Six: Transitioning to Covenant GovernanceChapter Seven: Forward, Ever ForwardAppendixIndexAbout the Author