What Makes Great Boards Great

To build better boards, CEOs, lead directors, and board members themselves can work to: Create a climate of trust and candor. If you’re CEO, share important and difficult information with directors in time for them to digest it—not the night before a meeting. If you’re a member, insist on receiving adequate information. To discourage members from creating back channels to line managers in pursuit of political agendas, give them access to company personnel and sites—then trust them not to meddle in day-to-day operations.