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29 Jun 2007 13:30:36
A top business professor has used his expertise at board level to write a book on how to develop successful company directors.
Dr Colin Coulson-Thomas, Professor of Competitiveness at the University of Bedfordshire, is launching his new book Developing Directors, A handbook for building an effective boardroom team, next week.
More than 4,000 organisations, from smaller firms to major corporations and Government bodies, have participated in research for the book and it also draws upon the author’s extensive experience of advising more than 100 companies on how to improve performance.
He said: “Improving directorial competence and board effectiveness is the key to boosting the performance of many organisations. Often the most cost effective way of building a business and ensuring continuing relevance and corporate success is to develop the board.
“Apart from forming your own company, or joining the board of a family company, there is no standard or automatic path to a directorship. The route can depend upon the company, retirements and vacancies, and the requirements of a particular board.
“It requires more than being a good manager, and building an effective board demands more than assembling a group of impressive individuals.”
Developing Directors addresses a desire for better board and corporate performance, as well as contemporary concerns over corporate governance standards. It also identifies the knowledge, skills and personal qualities required by directors.
He added: “Direction is a separate but complementary activity to management and establishes the framework of aspirations, goals, values and policies within which the people of an organisation operate.
“Yet while large investments are made in management training, director and board development is largely overlooked in many companies and public bodies.”
The book has been praised by top people in the business world including Dr Madhav Mehra, President of the World Council for Corporate Governance, and Ian Davies, Chairman of The Independent Director.
Developing Directors, A handbook for building an effective boardroom team is available from www.policypublications.com/developingdirectors.htm To find out more about studying at the University of Bedfordshire Business School contact 01234 400400 or visit www.beds.ac.uk/departments/ubbs
Latest news» 2007» June» Book outlines effective boardroom tactics for company directors
