The author delivers on his goal of providing a quick, easily read, plain-language overview of basic board mission and action.' The book is chock full of practical nuggets on the board's relation to the chief executive, including three key exhibits: Twenty Tips for Effective Interviews, Twenty-One Good Interview Questions, and Checklist for the Termination Decision Process. There are also informative sections on long-range planning, marketing, commercial ventures, applying for grants, taxes and legal matters, and the use of outside consultants. . . . Waldo stands out among writers on governing boards in stating clearly that unpaid, part-time trustee-directors can't be counted on to provide the matrix of behavioral cues we call organizational leadership. "Foundation NewS"

Geared toward volunteer directors of not-for-profit organizations, this work offers an easy-to-read, non-technical overview of basic board mission and action. The lay director will discover the primary roles, repsonsibilities, and relationships between himself/herself and the not-for-profit organization he or she serves. The book is divided into the three primary areas of responsibility of a director: fiduciary and legal; monitoring and controlling; and planning and directing. Several chapters are devoted to legal matters and responsibilities, tax considerations, and board structure and committees. Written in a reader friendly style, non-business trained or inexperienced directors will find especially helpful the chapters covering the numbers game. Another chapter discusses the essentials of an effective information package that will help directors monitor and better plan for their organization. The bibliography at the end of the work suggests other books and articles that explore in-depth many of the topics discussed.

Charles Waldo takes a penetrating, behind-the-scenes look at today's trends in the corporate board room. He details the current and likely future roles boards of large firms will have to play and describes the interplay between the CEO and the directors. He describes current board composition and committee makeups and suggests the need for some new and uncommon committees. He notes the impact that changes in roles and structures have on the need for better information by board members and details the the types of financial and operating information directors receive from management today. Waldo prescribes a model information package, emphasizing the use of trend charts, financial ratios, and other kinds of visual and comparative data put together in simple, easy-to-use formats. He also addresses the need for softer, qualitative kinds of information not generally derived from accounting systems, but even more important for directors trying to analyze what is going on and what is likely to happen.