The boardroom is evolving. Are you?

Today’s directors face broader mandates than ever. Governance spans strategy, technology, culture, and stakeholder dynamics. Experience still matters — but directors today need fluency, range, and relevance.

The Contemporary Board Member is a concise guide for this shift. Based on the skills model from The Contemporary Leader, it adapts key competencies for the boardroom — where influence replaces authority and decisions carry weight without control.

WHY THIS BOOK MATTERS
Governance expectations have accelerated. Directors now engage with digital disruption, ESG, risk, and stakeholder demands — all under rising scrutiny.

The seat hasn’t changed. But the demands have.

Written by board director and strategist Tom Mawhinney, this book skips theory and checklists. It focuses on leadership skills you can apply — in the room, under pressure, and at the edge of complexity.

THIS BOOK HELPS BOARD MEMBERS:
– Navigate ambiguity with clarity
– Contribute across evolving issues
– Influence without control
– Engage on tech, risk, and culture
– Strengthen boardroom presence

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS: Visioning, Decision Making, Communication, Problem Solving, Motivation, Translation

PERSONAL SKILLS: Coaching, Authenticity, Emotional Intelligence, Curiosity, Adaptability, Resilience

TECHNOLOGY SKILLS: Technology Awareness, Technology Objectivity, Technology Application

Includes examples and the evolving case of David Chen — a seasoned director navigating modern governance.

WHO THIS BOOK IS FOR
– Board members seeking greater impact
– New directors stepping in with focus
– Committee or board chairs, and future directors

Whether you serve on a public, private, or nonprofit board, The Contemporary Board Member helps you lead with clarity and confidence.