Thomas J. Tierney

Jay W. Lorsch

Aligning the Stars

Edited by Harvard Business School professor Jay W. Lorsch, the preeminent authority on corporate boards, this book gathers the leading voices from business and academia to address the challenges of governance in the 21st century. We are at a crucial juncture in the evolution of business and the economy. We must now reshape the structures and practices of business leadership to avoid going down the same path again. To a large extent this is a question of governance and the role of corporate boards, to help us wrestle with critical issues like CEO performance and succession, compensation, and forward-looking strategy. In The Future of Boards, governance sage Jay Lorsch has gathered thought leaders and some of the most experienced voices at Harvard Business School to describe the moment we are in, identify and analyze the salient issues, and chart a course for the future. Articles include Bill George on how boardroom conflicts can be understood and managed; Krishna Palepu on how directors can gain the knowledge necessary to effectively oversee strategy; Lorsch himself and colleague Rakesh Khurana on how boards can set reasonable compensation while still motivating top talent; and Ken Merchant and Kat Pick on group pathologies in the boardroom and how to overcome them. The Future of Boards will be must reading for CEOs, business and industry leaders, policymakers, and anyone involved in influencing and reshaping business in the 21st century.

Meeting the Governance Challenges of the Twenty-First Century

The Future of Boards

Most businesses rely on talent to succeed, but none so much as professional service firms. Within this rapidly expanding, trillion-dollar industry, professionals--and how they're managed--are the primary source of competitive advantage. In fact, success in this sector is determined more by the people you pay than the people who pay you. This path-breaking book provides readers with a practical and integrated perspective on how to win in the unique and tumultuous world of professional services. From strategy to organization to culture, it offers customized insights for businesses in which professionals drive bottom-line results and long-term company success. Respected academic Jay W. Lorsch and accomplished practitioner Thomas J. Tierney apply their broad experience to the realities of "Monday morning" decision making. Their work reflects decades of personal experience, combined with a rigorous study of outstanding professional service firms in industries that include law, information technology, accounting, advertising, investment banking, executive search, and consulting. Aligning the Stars explains what differentiates the "best of the best" within professional services. By describing how to attract, retain, motivate, organize, and lead the stars that shape a company's destiny, this book provides valuable lessons for the current and future leaders of every talent-driven business.

Jay W. Lorsch

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