The Fish Rots from the Head: The Crisis in Our Boardrooms - Developing the Crucial Skills of the Competent Director - Hardcover

Garratt, Bob

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0002556138 ISBN 13: 9780002556132

Publisher: HarperCollins Business, 1996

Synopsis

In a recent IOD questionaire, 92 per cent of the respondents said they had no training or development for their directorial role. This explains why most directors don't recognize that directing is very different from managing, or what their tasks as director should be. The problem is not only a business one but also effects health services, local and central government. This book attempts to clarify the role of director and suggests how broad structures should operate.

About this title

About the Author

Bob Garratt is editor of the Successful Manager and Strategist series and author of ‘The Learning Organization’, ‘Learning to Lead’ and ‘The Fish Rots from the Head’. He has worked in many European countries, the USA, Australia and New Zealand and has been developing management education in China and Hong Kong since 1976. He lives in north London.

From the Back Cover

An organization's success or failure depends on the performance of its board – an ancient Chinese saying is that 'the fish rots from the head'. Yet the vast majority of directors admit that they have had no training for their role and are not sure what it entails.

As boards' activities are made more and more transparent under national and international law, there is an urgent need for a transformation in the way directors' competencies are developed.

Bob Garratt argues that directors need to learn new thinking skills to apply to the intellectual activities of direction-giving and implementing strategy. They need to develop a broader mindset to deal with the uncertainty of higher-level issues such as policy formulation, strategic thinking, supervision of management and accountability.

'The Fish Rots from the Head' is the first book to clarify and integrate the roles and tasks of the director and provide a programme of learning. As the tide of regulation swells, no board director can afford to ignore it.

'No director can afford to ignore this book'
SIR ADRIAN CADBURY

'An important contribution to the corporate governance debate and clear and intelligent advice on how to improve the performance of a board'
TIM MELVILLE-ROSS, 'Institute of Directors, London'

'This clear, very readable book should ensure that many more fish swim rather than rot'
SIR MICHAEL BETT, 'Chairman, Cellnet plc'

Edition details

• Publisher: HarperCollins Business
• Publication date: 1996
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0002556138
• ISBN 13: 9780002556132
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 240