Cover Story

When you need to lead partners and peers
By Russell L. Palmer
At age 37, Russ Palmer was thrust into the top spot of one of the most complex organizations anyone could tackle. Here from his new book, Ultimate Leadership, are the cardinal rules he learned about leading your equals. Plus, a Q&A with the author, a veteran of 14 NYSE boards, on his life in governance: ‘The board can only do so much.’

Features

Requisite mindsets for good governing
By Michael F. Kipp
Watch out: Most directors are inclined more toward business as usual than bold moves. This is one of seven verities that help answer the question of why some boards add value while others fritter away their time, talent, and energy. Meetings of the flat earth society, anyone?

When illness comes to the corner office
By John Tropman, Robert Winfield, and Penny Tropman
Boards and staff colleagues are left stumbling because, incredibly, there still are no accepted approaches to executive impairment. At what point must the board or senior executives intervene?

Blackberry emails, et al: To save or not to save?
By David B. Hennes, and Sarah F. Warren
Many record retention programs are flawed, lacking in sound policy and good judgment. Advice for boards: ‘Be consistent and systematic.’

Does your CFO make the grade?
By Chris Lafond
Solid foundational financial reporting is just the price of entry for what boards need nowadays from their CFOs. The author’s CFO Report Card gives you the opportunity to evaluate capabilities and contributions.

Governance in the public sector
By John Quelch
There are significant opportunities and satisfactions in public agency directorships — as long as you know what you are getting into.

Directors to watch
Edited by Scott Chase
The order of the day, as seen by these accomplished executives — partnering with management and their fellow board members to build value. A third annual compilation of future leaders in governance.

Book it: Best bets for board reading
From a roundup of new books, leadership insights on director independence, hedging your bets, rethinking a succession decision, eliminating internal fraud, and becoming expert at ‘bull watching.’

Essential underpinnings
By Kenneth A. Macke
A remembrance: Dayton Hudson’s corporate governance — maybe not the ‘ideal’ model, but certainly principles worthy of emulation.

Departments & Columns

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