Disaster In The Boardroom

Why when companies come crashing down, do we hear of boards who have failed in their fiduciary duties? Or that they have been ignorant, complacent or downright complicit in these scandals and downfalls? Of course, corporate scandals are nothing new, nor are they limited to any one geography. They are a damning indictment of our systems of corporate governance around the world. And yet, despite this frequency, little or nothing changes. We shrug and move on, accepting they are an unavoidable part of the system that produces incredible wealth for economies and societies. But it should not be that way. Disaster in the Boardroom shows how boards can be better. Looking at why these scandals happen, authors Peterson and Brown present in-depth case studies of major global corporations – including recent contemporary scandals associated with companies such as BP, Facebook and Uber – using the optic of their unique, original and compelling ‘six dysfunctions of the board’ analysis to reveal their particularities but also how they can be overcome. In this book, Brown and Peterson explore common attributes of scandals such as lack of independence from management, missing key voices, cultural amplification, diffusion of responsibility, rule-bound cultures and groupthink. They also identify ways to strengthen boards, improve their culture and competence, and give directors and others the power to take action and ultimately prevent disasters from happening. Disaster in the Boardroom is essential reading for every executive in every boardroom, those aspiring to board positions as well as anyone interested in why boards fail. It has never been more important to pre-identify and eradicate these boardroom dysfunctions – not least so that their impacts upon society can better seen, understood, mitigated, and avoided.

Why when companies come crashing down, do we hear of boards who have failed in their fiduciary duties? Or that they have been ignorant, complacent or downright complicit in these scandals and downfalls? Of course, corporate scandals are nothing new, nor are they limited to any one geography. They are a damning indictment of our systems of corporate governance around the world. And yet, despite this frequency, little or nothing changes. We shrug and move on, accepting they are an unavoidable part of the system that produces incredible wealth for economies and societies. But it should not be that way. Disaster in the Boardroom shows how boards can be better. Looking at why these scandals happen, authors Peterson and Brown present in-depth case studies of major global corporations – including recent contemporary scandals associated with companies such as BP, Facebook and Uber – using the optic of their unique, original and compelling ‘six dysfunctions of the board’ analysis to reveal their particularities but also how they can be overcome. In this book, Brown and Peterson explore common attributes of scandals such as lack of independence from management, missing key voices, cultural amplification, diffusion of responsibility, rule-bound cultures and groupthink. They also identify ways to strengthen boards, improve their culture and competence, and give directors and others the power to take action and ultimately prevent disasters from happening. Disaster in the Boardroom is essential reading for every executive in every boardroom, those aspiring to board positions as well as anyone interested in why boards fail. It has never been more important to pre-identify and eradicate these boardroom dysfunctions – not least so that their impacts upon society can better seen, understood, mitigated, and avoided.

Ward reveals ten specific failings that are built into our boardroom model and provides real-world fixes to get boards back on track. Ward mixes tart, insightful analogies (what do boards have in common with volunteer fire departments, the U.S. electoral college . . . and Howard Hughes?) with proven nuts-and-bolts advice for putting any board back on track. Order your copy today!

This analysis of catastrophes provides a pathway for those who want to foster truthtelling in their organization and head off disasters in the making. We tend to think of disasters as uncontrollable acts of nature or inevitable accidents. But are such incidents unavoidable or ever truly accidental? The authors of this remarkable book say we actually do have the power to prevent tragedies such as the flooding from Hurricane Katrina, the death toll from dangerous medicines like Vioxx, and the explosion of the Space Shuttle Columbia. Marc Gerstein and Michael Ellsberg insist that disasters need not be inevitable if we learn from history, prepare carefully for the worst case, and speak out when we see danger looming. This revelation makes their compelling study extremely valuable for readers in business, government, medicine, academia—indeed all walks of life. Flirting with Disaster will do for catastrophe what Blink did for intuition, and The Black Swan did for probability: provide a popular audience with an engaging, in-depth view of a complex and important topic. Gerstein and Ellsberg examine the culture of institutions: why even people of good will and inside knowledge underestimate risk; feel psychologically incapable of averting tragedy and unable to pick up the pieces afterward; and don’t come forward forcefully enough to head off catastrophe. They also celebrate those who go beyond the call of duty to save others, including Dr. David Graham of the FDA who courageously stood up to reveal Vioxx’s deadly effects. One such whistleblower contributes both a foreword and an afterword: Daniel Ellsberg, renowned for releasing the Pentagon Papers.

Things will always go wrong in organisations. The question is how quickly will they get caught and put right? The problem facing every organisation today – our businesses, universities, health services, or the many other sporting and charitable institutions that shape our society – is that the relationship between their executive management and those whose job it is to oversee them (whether they are called non-executive or independent directors, trustees, or governors) has become unbalanced. The Independent Director in Society shows how to rebalance it. Based on original, in-depth research from Henley Business School, this is the first book to survey and analyse the governance crisis right across society rather than just focus upon the business sector. The authors show that – despite their many differences – all organisations have many issues, behaviours and problems in common. The same problems require, in many cases, the same solutions. Sometimes they don’t. The authors offer two answers. The first lies in the realm of policy. Not a need for more legislation, but a move to give the existing codes of practice back their teeth and make them fit for purpose. The second lies with independent directors themselves. Urgent improvement is needed in standards of thought and action as well as the calibre of these directors. Above all, directors need to develop an independent mindset that will enable them to make better, more accurate decisions. There are many elements to creating this culture, including selection, training and education for directors, and support from chairs and executive teams, but most of all directors themselves must recognise their responsibilities in a complex and volatile world.

Non-executive directors play a very important role in modern business. Providing a rare emphasis on 'soft skills', culture and relationship building, this comprehensive guide offers a unique insight into what it's actually like to be a non-executive director, backed up by global case studies, research and interviews.

The perfect board - Board manners and the director from hell - Things boards could do better - Ten best practices of modern corporate governance - Board and director evaluation - Advisory boards - Board responsibilities - Compensation of company directors - Director accreditation - Executive compensation issues - The rubber meets the road : challenges facing corporations - Corporate responsability - Institutional investors - Some contemporary board issues : hostile takeovers - Three core principles of effective coporate governance.

Mysterious and powerful, for decades America's boardrooms have remained closed to all but a handful of director in the club. Now, former Fortune 500 exectuves Dorothy Light and Kathleen Pushor reveal an insider's look at what goes on in the boardroom and how you can get ther. CEOs and directors of some of America's most prestigious corporations share their stories of what really goes on behind closed dorrs, who gets selected to sit on a board and who doesn't, and why being a part of this influential group should be the goal of today's up and coming executives, professionals, and community leaders.