This book gives nonprofit board leaders a solid resource that shows how to achieve excellence and peak performance in the boardroom by fully realizing and putting into practice, tri-modal governance: proficiency in the three modes of governance (fiduciary, strategic and generative). This model was first introduced in Governance as Leadership. The author showcases the practices of high performing nonprofit boards and provide practical guidance toward optimizing those practices: flow (high skill and high purpose); discernment; deliberation; prudence; divergent thinking; insight; meaningfulness; consequence to the organization; and integrity for improved organizational performance and trustee engagement.

List of Exhibits, Figures, and Tables xiii

Foreword xvii
by Richard Chait

Preface xxi

CHAPTER 1: THE GOVERNANCE AS LEADERSHIP MODEL 1

Premises 2

Underlying Assumptions 2

Governance Reform 3

The Three Modes or Mental Maps 4

Why Three Modes? 14

CHAPTER 2: GETTING STARTED AND GAINING TRACTION WITH GOVERNANCE AS LEADERSHIP 21

What Is Optimized at Board Meetings? 22

What Is Different about Generative Governance? 22

Moving to Higher Purpose and Optimizing Performance:

Beginning the Conversation 23

Moving to Higher Purpose and Optimizing Performance: Getting Started 26

Moving to Higher Purpose and Optimizing Performance: Getting Traction 33

CHAPTER 3: ENCOURAGING CRITICAL THINKING IN THE BOARDROOM 47

Critical Thinking and Metacognition 48

Getting on the Balcony 50

Ways of Thinking 51

Impediments to Critical Thinking 54

Cognitive Biases and Board Workarounds 62

Social Loafing 70

Groupthink 71

Avoiding Groupthink and Its Close Cousins 77

CHAPTER 4: TURNING YOUR BOARD INTO A HIGH-PERFORMING TEAM 85

Social Systems 86

Groups and Teams 87

Boards as Teams 89

Effective Board Teams in the Context of Governance as Leadership 91

CHAPTER 5: CREATING A GOVERNANCE-AS-LEADERSHIP CULTURE 125

Culture 126

Three Toxic Cultures 128

Culture Change 131

Culture Conducive to Governance as Leadership 132

Tools to Support a "Governance as Leadership-Friendly" Culture 143

CHAPTER 6: WHAT GOVERNANCE AS LEADERSHIP REQUIRES OF LEADERS 169

Leadership 170

CHAPTER 7: MEASURING AND SUSTAINING GOVERNANCE AS LEADERSHIP 187

Measuring Board Performance 188

Sustaining Governance as Leadership 211

EPILOGUE 215

REFERENCES 217

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 221

THE AUTHOR 227

BOARDSOURCE 229

INDEX 231

CATHY A. TROWER, PhD, is president of Trower & Trower, Inc., a board governance consulting firm founded in 1998. Formerly a senior research associate at Harvard University's Graduate School of Education, Cathy is nationally known for her expertise on board policies and best practices, leadership, organizational change, strategic thinking, group dynamics, faculty diversity/workplace satisfaction, and shared governance. She is in high demand as a speaker, consultant, coach, and advisor to boards and executives.

Email: catrower@trowerandtrower.com
Website: www.trowerandtrower.com