This book provides board members with a new understanding of their leadership role, enabling them to get down to their real business of governance, making policy, articulating the mission of the organization, and sustaining its vision. It helps boards to concentrate their energies on the overall purpose of their organization and guides them in working with managers to accomplish that purpose. It also sets forth procedures for evaluating the executive staff, delegating authority to management, making decisions as a board, and establishing bylaws for the board's governance of itself. This book advocates principles that boards of organizations of all sizes can apply to keep them on course toward their long-term goals.