RAM CHARAN is the go-to adviser for corporate directors and CEOs. Known for his insights and practical wisdom, Charan has counseled some of the world’s most successful business leaders. He is coauthor of the bestseller Execution and author or coauthor of 14 other books including Leaders at All Levels, Boards That Deliver, and Boards at Work. He serves on three boards and was named one of Directorship's top 100 directors. He has an MBA and a doctoral degree with corporate governance as a field of study from the Harvard Business School.

• Foreword by Jack Krol viiWhat Boards Need Now ix1. Question 1. Is Our Board Composition Right for the Challenge? 12. Question 2. Are We Addressing the Risks That Could Send Our Company over the Cliff? 193. Question 3. Are We Prepared to Do Our Job Well When a Crisis Erupts? 334. Question 4. Are We Well Prepared to Name Our Next CEO? 415. Question 5. Does Our Board Really Own the Company’s Strategy? 576. Question 6. How Can We Get the Information We Need to Govern Well? 737. Question 7. How Can Our Board Get CEO Compensation Right? 858. Question 8. Why Do We Need a Lead Director Anyway? 1019. Question 9. Is Our Governance Committee Best of Breed? 11710. Question 10. How Do We Get the Most Value out of Our Limited Time? 12711. Question 11. How Can Executive Sessions Help the Board Own Up? 13712. Question 12. How Can Our Board Self-Evaluation Improve Our Functioning and Our Output? 14913. Question 13. How Do We Stop from Micromanaging? 16314. Question 14. How Prepared Are We to Work with Activist Shareholders and Their Proxies? 173About the Author 187Acknowledgments 189Index 191

RAM CHARAN is the go-to adviser for corporate directors and CEOs. Known for his insights and practical wisdom, Charan has counseled some of the world’s most successful business leaders. He is coauthor of the bestseller Execution and author or coauthor of 14 other books including Leaders at All Levels, Boards That Deliver, and Boards at Work. He serves on three boards and was named one of Directorship's top 100 directors. He has an MBA and a doctoral degree with corporate governance as a field of study from the Harvard Business School.

• Foreword by Jack Krol viiWhat Boards Need Now ix1. Question 1. Is Our Board Composition Right for the Challenge? 12. Question 2. Are We Addressing the Risks That Could Send Our Company over the Cliff? 193. Question 3. Are We Prepared to Do Our Job Well When a Crisis Erupts? 334. Question 4. Are We Well Prepared to Name Our Next CEO? 415. Question 5. Does Our Board Really Own the Company’s Strategy? 576. Question 6. How Can We Get the Information We Need to Govern Well? 737. Question 7. How Can Our Board Get CEO Compensation Right? 858. Question 8. Why Do We Need a Lead Director Anyway? 1019. Question 9. Is Our Governance Committee Best of Breed? 11710. Question 10. How Do We Get the Most Value out of Our Limited Time? 12711. Question 11. How Can Executive Sessions Help the Board Own Up? 13712. Question 12. How Can Our Board Self-Evaluation Improve Our Functioning and Our Output? 14913. Question 13. How Do We Stop from Micromanaging? 16314. Question 14. How Prepared Are We to Work with Activist Shareholders and Their Proxies? 173About the Author 187Acknowledgments 189Index 191