The Little Book of Boards

By: Erik Hanberg

Narrated by: Erik Hanberg

Length: 5 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's Summary

Are you new to a board and have no idea what's expected of you? Do you know what a board's six key responsibilities are? Do you know what your relationship with the Executive Director should be? If not, this book is for you.

So many board members - especially of small nonprofits - want to support a nonprofit and readily accept the invitation to join the board. It's only then that they discover they are in over their heads, with no idea of their expectations and responsibilities. The Little Book of Boards is here to throw that drowning board member a rope.

Told with a conversational style, this book will lead you through the basics of being on a board, how meetings work, and what's expected between meetings. In addition, at the back of the book are several in-depth resources for understanding Roberts Rules of Order, bylaws, committee structures, board leadership, and much more. Perfect for any new board member - or for an entire board that is feeling lost - this book and its common sense approach will serve you every year you are on the board.

©2015 Erik Hanberg (P)2015 Erik Hanberg

Loved this book!

I loved all the practical advice! This book was really helpful in getting me to understand how a functional board should operate.

what you need to know

everything you didnt know you needed to know about joining a small or very small non profit board (under $1.5 million)

solid book

Good book for 1st timer board members or long timers as a reminder how to run a better board.

Should be mandatory reading

Such a great, short little book. As a first time nonprofit Executive Director, I found it incredibly helpful and reassuring in understanding the division of labor between the board and myself - or at least in how it should work.

Excellent

This is an excellent resource for anyone who is new to a board or considering a board officer position. I highly recommend!

Very helpful intro to boards

This is a very helpful book on jump starting your understanding of joining a board. It would be very helpful for the entire board to create a common language.

The book lends itself nicely to the audible format!

Loved this!

This book was so incredibly helpful. I will probably use this book as a reference point over and over and over.

If there was any one critique it would only be that I wish the chapter names showed on Audible because it’s hard to go back and find what you need.

A listen for every big or small board member

Anyone considering starting a non-profit organization should read this book and give it to every potential Board member. If the Board is hiring an Executive Officer they should read it too. An Executive Officer has two jobs; 1. Running the day-to-day operation of the non-profit and 2. knowing how to work with a Board of Directors. Not easy, but it can be done if the Board and the Executive Officer work together as one, with common goals.

okay

there is a lot of helpful information. however, there are no legal references made. it makes General recommendations. the last chapter becomes very political and controversial.

Highly recommend!

I’d highly recommend this book for anyone working on a nonprofit board or working as an executive director under a board.
My first board was highly dysfunctional when I entered it, but I didn’t have any other experiences, so I didn’t know how to make it better. This book has helped me understand my roles better and has helped me hold other board members accountable to their responsibilities. I plan on buying several copies of this book for other board members!