It was time for Canexus to move to an independent review for our board evaluation questionnaire. Now directors can make their comments with greater confidentiality, we get a detailed report that includes strategic governance advice and the work load for me (the Committee Chair) is eased so that I can focus on the broader mandate of the Committee.
We are extremely pleased with the outcome. Governance Studio built an orientation process that fits our organization, adapts to the needs of the incoming director, and ensures that person quickly becomes an engaged and high-contributing member of the board.
Sylvia Groves has done the impossible. She distilled decades of governance experience into the most practical guide I have ever seen for preparing great board minutes while avoiding the usual pain and agony.
AAA+ Minutes™ is a godsend for every corporate secretary, every minute taker and every director who wants to know, without a doubt, that their minutes are top notch!
Minutes are the cornerstone of documenting good governance for any board. Well-written minutes reflect a board’s skills, behaviours and diligence – critical issues in this day and age of heightened transparency and accountability.
Drawing on over 20 years of award-winning secretarial and chair experience, Sylvia Groves’ AAA+ Minutes™ provides the resource for state-of-the-art advice on overseeing and drafting great minutes. Balancing what to exclude and include and why, this practical guide offers tips, examples and samples.
It is a must-read for any director, corporate secretary, officer, or advisor – of any board in any jurisdiction – concerned with preserving reputation, establishing diligence, and documenting and defending actions and decisions taken.
Integrity and ethical behaviour at the board level is under intense scrutiny in our current climate of financial crises and corporate failures. Minutes that include the must-have items and exclude risky practices are a director’s best defense to evidence the seriousness with which the role is taken. Those same minutes are also imperative in protecting the organizations that directors serve.
Beyond just a book for minute-takers and corporate secretaries, AAA+ Minutes™ sets out not just the key fundamental principles that can apply to organizations in any sector, but gives practical advice on how to implement them. It is sure to be an invaluable resource for every director, corporate secretary and minute-taker out there.
A “go to” guide for a wide audience of corporate secretaries and a great refresher for those who have participated in Sylvia Groves’ seminars on minute preparation.
Sylvia’s book is true to her AAA+ approach; an accessible guide to the current state of the art.
The best part of working together was that Governance Studio has a very clear vision on how to help an organization and Sylvia is able to articulate it in layman’s terms. She thinks quickly on her feet and can shine a light on situations from different perspectives. She stays impartial, doesn’t take sides and is capable of making us all feel heard.
With director accountability and liability at unprecedented levels, the ability to document clear, accurate, and neutral minutes is a critical skill.
In consideration of this landscape, AAA+ Minutes™ is an easy must-read for both seasoned and new corporate secretary’s tasked with the critical minute taking function.
Sylvia’s attention to detail and practical examples clearly define the value and benefit for each practice, all while maintaining a big–picture perspective.
Sylvia Groves is a leading authority in Canadian corporate governance circles.
AAA+ Minutes™ is a must-read for all governance professionals and a vital addition for every corporate secretary’s book shelf.
Sylvia Groves is a Governance Goddess. She has demonstrated her divine status once again by writing a book that is as clear and straightforward as her advice – and as the minutes she would have us write.
While some of her sage advice is focused on compliance with Canadian law and practice, most of it applies to all kinds of legal and regulatory schemes, and all of it is practical and wise.
Thanks, Sylvia!
AAA+ Minutes™ is a must read for all corporate secretaries and governance professionals. It sets out exceptionally clear fundamental rules, provides real-world solutions and gives tons of concrete examples of great minute-writing practices. More than that, it explains why good minutes are so critically important!
The fifth-sector has been craving exactly this kind of information. Often those who take minutes in charitable foundations and not-for-profit organizations have little or no experience in board governance or the importance of well-prepared minutes. Even where the importance is understood, practical advice is nowhere to be found.
Now, with AAA+ Minutes™, boards and management teams across our sector can breathe a huge sigh of relief. Sylvia Groves is sharing her extensive expertise as both a Corporate Secretary and a Board Chair to provide us with step-by-step guidance on how to protect our organizations and our boards through great minutes. It is cutting edge information that is vital to the business intelligence of not-for-profits.
Do your board and your organization a great favour – buy this book for the “lucky” soul who takes your minutes!
If you are new to the profession (like me), AAA+ Minutes™ is a great book and a necessary light read. It will grab your attention within the first chapter, and guide you with exceptional quick tips and clear examples. The author answers your new and lingering questions in a gratifying manner, and provides you with information you want and need to know in your role.
A must-have reference book for every Corporate Secretary and anyone who takes minutes for a board. Sylvia shares the insights from her decades of hard-won expertise to provide tons of practical advice and real-world solutions to protect every organization and its directors through well-written minutes.
I wish a resource like this was around when I first landed in the role. Now, as a director, I have an even greater appreciation for accurate, consistent minutes that are truly easy to read.
Groves is a shining example of what a governance guru should be – experienced, wise and willing to share her knowledge. This book will no doubt be on every corporate secretary’s shelf, as the advice within is pure gold and practical in every sense. Those who know Sylvia will hear her voice enunciate every word.
AAA+ Minutes™ brings home the adage ‘Read this, before you write that.’
Sylvia Groves epitomizes the governance professional. In her new book AAA+ Minutes™ she navigates you through the often treacherous waters of minute taking. A must have book for all Corporate Secretaries, with or without the title.
WHERE was this book when I needed it most?
In AAA Minutes™, Groves displays a fine appreciation for simplicity in all its glory. She strives to make the life of the corporate secretary easier by highlighting techniques to achieve consistency, without sacrificing functionality and the human element – and she succeeds.
AAA Minutes™ understands that minutes, like life, are all about balance. This book is one of those rare pieces that will help you do your job better and maybe – just maybe – give you back a few precious minutes in your day.
Governance Studio specializes in helping you structure corporate governance strategies for your organization by creating completely tailored programs for each individual board of directors.
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