This book clears the smoke for boards faced with the challenge to make their governing model, either Policy Governance® or Coherent Governance® , work in real life. Boards of directors thoughtfully engage in the exciting work of developing new policies and adopting their new governing model, then immediately confront reality: how does the board actually put the new model into motion and allow it to deliver on its promise of excellent board performance? Boards That Matter is a practical guide that takes the mystery out of that process. It is a book that is loaded with down-to-earth solutions, all based on processes successfully in use today by boards across the United States and internationally. Although many of the examples offered in the book come from the world of public school boards and non-profit boards of various types, the implementation processes are equally applicable to boards of all types. The challenge of governing a complex organization is difficult enough in itself, without layering on top of that challenge the struggle to make the board's own operating system seem natural and meaningful. The authors draw from their combined 60-plus years of experience in working with public and non-profit boards, including work with hundreds of boards using both Policy Governance® and Coherent Governance®, as they present their insight about how to use the models effectively. Their easily-understood implementation strategies for helping real boards deal with real issues, and doing it through faithful utilization of their new governing tools, makes this a continuing reference source for boards as they translate theory into practice.

By Randy Quinn and Linda J. Dawson

Chapter 1: A Word About Governing Models
Chapter 2: Rolling Out Your Model
Chapter 3: Monitoring Governance Culture and Board-CEO Relations Policies
Chapter 4: Monitoring Operational Expectations Policies
Chapter 5: Monitoring Results Policies
Chapter 6: Evaluating the CEO in this New Governing Environment
Chapter 7: Stakeholder Dialog
Chapter 8: Building an Effective Board Work Plan
Chapter 9: Building a New Board Meeting Agenda
Chapter 10: Change: It's a Leadership Conundrum
Chapter 11: Now What?
Chapter 12 Appendix A: Operational Expectation Monitoring Reports
Chapter 13 Appendix B: Results Monitoring Reports
Chapter 14 Appendix C: Dialogue
Chapter 15 Appendix D: Agendas