Dig A Little Deeper

Gordon Rapkin

April 8, 2016

It is critical for board members to be engaged with management to a level that they clearly understand the market and strategy of the company, and they are intimately aware of, and familiar with, the financial, legal, and risk elements of the business.

Gordon Rapkin

April 6, 2016

Communication

Less is More in Board Packs

Gordon Rapkin

April 6, 2016

Communication

Creating the pre-meeting board package is typically a group effort for the executive team, with the CEO as the managing editor. The problem is that not everything needs to be said, and not everything is relevant or important to the board. Every item in the book has to pass the "so what?" test.

Gordon Rapkin

April 4, 2016

Communication

Which Way Is Up?

Gordon Rapkin

April 4, 2016

Communication

Many organizations adopt a traditional stop-light model of Red / Yellow / Green to indicate status. Traditional stop-light reporting is valuable, but it is only one dimensional. It conveys status, but not direction.

Gordon Rapkin

March 29, 2016

Governance

Trust But Verify

Gordon Rapkin

March 29, 2016

Governance

Board governance can be boiled down to a focus on the board’s fiduciary duty to the shareholders. Board members should focus on checks and balances

Gordon Rapkin

March 28, 2016

Governance

Set Clear Guard Rails For Board and Management Roles

Gordon Rapkin

March 28, 2016

Governance

A fundamental practice for board members and the CEO is to draw a clear line between the role of management and the role of the board. One of the most important jobs of the board of directors is to hire and, if necessary, fire the CEO. The board's role is not to act as the CEO.

Gordon Rapkin

March 28, 2016

Governance

Private Company Governance and SOX Intersect

Gordon Rapkin

March 28, 2016

Governance

Sarbanes Oxley, or SOX, is all about establishing internal controls and procedures that are transparent and can be monitored and audited. Whether you are a public or a private board, you don’t want to find that the company has been operating in a fraudulent or illegal manner...

Gordon Rapkin

March 27, 2016

Communication

Board Engagement With Management

Gordon Rapkin

March 27, 2016

Communication

It is critical for a board to be engaged with management to a level that they clearly understand the market and strategy of the company, and they are intimately aware of, and familiar with, the financial, legal, and risk elements of the business.