High Performance Boards. Didier Cossin

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Preface

      Governance, or the quality of decision-making at the very top of an organisation, has become central to success. But although an effective board can be a huge asset in this regard, boards often fail their organisations – typically in the areas of risk management, strategy, the selection and support of the CEO and senior management, and integrity. Making boards more effective, therefore, is crucial to improving governance around the world.

      My own interest in the subject began more than 30 years ago, when I studied the governance of risk. I was fortunate to have many inspirational teachers, including five Nobel Prize winners – one of whom, Robert C. Merton, chaired my PhD committee. In parallel with my mathematical work, I quickly became convinced that the human element is crucial to effective governance, and my interest in psychology, philosophy, and ethics increasingly shaped my approach.

      In the decades since, I have worked with boards across the globe to assess and improve governance – in big global companies, sovereign wealth funds, government bodies, international organisations, non-profits, family businesses, and tech start-ups. Over the years, I have developed a systematic approach to increasing a board's effectiveness that rests on four pillars: the quality, focus, and dedication of individual directors; sophisticated information architecture; well-functioning structures and processes; and, healthy group dynamics and board culture. By focusing on continuous improvement across all four dimensions, my methodology has repeatedly shown its ability to transform boards for the better.

      Diagnosing governance problems is often relatively straightforward, although in some rare cases the causes can be deep and hidden, especially with integrity failures. Improving governance, on the other hand, is often a longer-term process, requiring a gradual, sustained effort over several years.

This book covers both the diagnosis and treatment of governance problems, and aims to provide directors with a practical guide to making their boards more effective. Part I introduces the Four Pillars of Board Effectiveness methodology that my team and I use to assess governance health. Readers may wish to think of this section as a check-up process. Part II addresses the most common areas of governance failure, and how boards can guard against these. Finally, Part III is a compendium of best-in-class governance practices, with each chapter covering a specific aspect of board work.

      My colleagues at IMD business school, and especially the team at the IMD Global Board Center, have contributed hugely to the content of this book. So, of course, have the thousands of board members whom I have had the pleasure of working with. I pay tribute to them in this book by describing the board experiences of a character called Joanne Marker (not her real name). The real Joanne, an exceptional woman of great energy and dedication, has softly (and sometimes not so softly) impacted the governance of three of the world's most iconic large-cap companies and one of its most influential philanthropic organisations.

      As Joanne's experiences illustrate, good governance is about balance, responsibility, and genuine personal accountability. I therefore hope the following chapters will inspire you and your organisations to even better governance and further success.

      Didier Cossin

      Lausanne, January 2020