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Become the best board member you can be—and build a high-performing board around you.
Boards have become increasingly vital in this era of transformation, and you feel called to serve as a director. But high performance in the boardroom is a unique challenge—building and leading a governing board are skills you must develop.
The Harvard Business Review Board Member's Handbook is a practical, comprehensive guide to effective governance. Drawing on vivid insider accounts of boardroom excellence from companies worldwide, it provides clear frameworks, checklists, and step-by-step tools to help you navigate strategy, assess risk, and make high-stakes decisions.
You'll learn how to position yourself for the right board roles, build your influence, help design a strong boardroom architecture, and recruit the highest-quality executive and director talent.
Whether you're seeking your first board seat or expanding your impact as a seasoned director, this trusted resource will help you serve your board with confidence, establish your legacy, and steer your organization into the future.
HBR Handbooks provide ambitious professionals with the frameworks, advice, and tools they need to excel in their careers. With step-by-step guidance, time-honed best practices, and real-life stories, each comprehensive volume helps you to stand out from the pack—whatever your role.
Advance Praise for the Harvard Business Review Board Member's Handbook:
"If you want to serve on a governing board or work with a governing board, the Harvard Business Review Board Member's Handbook is your indispensable companion. The authors combine their hands-on experiences with narrative accounts and research insights to provide vital guidelines for your service on or with a board." — Ram Charan, Corporate Director; adviser to CEOs; and coauthor, New York Times bestselling Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done
"Through firsthand accounts and vast experience, Dennis Carey, Michael Useem, and Maggie Wilderotter have assembled the most comprehensive guide I've ever seen on all things governance. From getting on a board to leading one, this book will serve for many years as our go-to guide!" — Barbara Humpton, CEO, USA Rare Earth
"With face-to-face interviews of leading directors and CEOs, this handbook delivers valuable insights to anyone interested in the unique, ever-changing opportunities and challenges of serving on a public company board. From landing the right board seat to becoming one of the CEO's most trusted advisers, it demystifies what is required to excel in the heady business of maximizing shareholder value from a position that continues to be central to corporate governance in America." — David R. McAtee, Senior Executive Vice President and General Counsel, AT&T; Director, Archer Daniels Midland
"In today's volatile business environment, boards have never mattered more, and the Harvard Business Review Board Member's Handbook unpacks the dynamics of good governance with depth and practical wisdom. Dennis Carey, Michael Useem, and Maggie Wilderotter draw on their experiences, research, and sharp insights to show how the right directors with the right capabilities can profoundly and measurably shape the future of an enterprise. For anyone who leads, serves alongside, or invests in a board, this is an essential guide." — Julie Sweet, Board Chair and CEO, Accenture
"Boards make an enormous difference, especially at key pivot points. This book explains how to do that constructively and comes from deep experience. I highly recommend it to current and aspiring directors." — Allan Thygesen, CEO, Docusign
Dennis Carey is a board and CEO adviser, mentor, and recruiter. He has coauthored seven books on talent, strategy, and board governance. He founded The Prium, an elite learning platform for senior executives. He also helps companies integrate AI into their decision-making processes.
Michael Useem is faculty director of the Center for Leadership and Change Management and the McNulty Leadership Program and Professor of Management, Emeritus, at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. He is the author or coauthor of more than a dozen books, including Boards That Lead, The Leader's Checklist, and The Leadership Moment.
Maggie Wilderotter is the former Executive Chair and CEO of Frontier Communications. She has served on over fifty public and private boards, including Costco, Hewlett Packard, Juno, and Cadence.