The Ultimate Guide to business leadership.
why Choose this book
What’s inside the handbook. What we cover.
Inside The Director’s Handbook, you’ll find a practical and insightful guide designed to help board directors navigate the complex responsibilities of corporate governance. The book covers essential topics such as fiduciary duties, risk oversight, strategy development, financial literacy, and board dynamics.
Fiduciary Duties and Legal Responsibilities
Understanding the core obligations of care, loyalty, and good faith that every board member must uphold.
Financial Oversight
Interpreting financial statements, budgets, audits, and key performance indicators to ensure fiscal responsibility.
Strategic Planning and Risk Management
Guiding long-term vision while identifying and mitigating operational, financial, and reputational risks.
Board Governance and Structure
Best practices for board composition, roles, committees, and meeting effectiveness.
CEO and Executive Oversight
Evaluating leadership performance, setting compensation, and succession planning.
Ethics, Compliance, and Culture
Promoting ethical behavior, regulatory compliance, and a healthy organizational culture.
About the author
Michael Warner
Board Director/Entrepreneur
Michael Warner is a seasoned entrepreneur, board director, and industry leader with nearly 50 years of continuous board service across sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, technology, and philanthropy. He has helped start and guide companies with billions in assets and sales, including major food processors like American Crystal Sugar, Progold Corn Processors, and Dakota Growers Pasta Company.
Warner also co-founded Pedigree Technologies, an early innovator in IoT and SaaS, earning national recognition. His governance experience spans executive hiring, financial oversight, legislative advocacy, and organizational turnarounds. A former farmer, lobbyist, and tech entrepreneur, he blends practical wisdom with strategic insight.
“It’s not about having the best ideas. It’s about listening to everyone else’s. Great chairs are part conductor, part referee, and part therapist. They steer the conversation without dominating it. They hold people accountable without embarrassing them. They protect the agenda—and the mission.”
– Michael Warner
Business Consulting
Book Michael Warner for your next business event
Are you looking to inspire, challenge, and elevate your team or board to the next level?
With over five decades of leadership across business, nonprofits, and higher education, Michael Warner brings a rare blend of wisdom, clarity, and practical insight to any room he enters.
Get in touch if you’re hosting a leadership summit, corporate retreat, or industry conference, Michael will guide your audience through the kind of transformational thinking that builds stronger boards, healthier cultures, and more focused organizations.
Testimonials
As the CEO of a national agriculture organization for 43 years, I worked with Mike Warner from the beginning. His knowledge, experience and insights about being a member of a Board of Directors are tremendously valuable for anyone who serves in that capacity. His book should be mandatory reading for any director on any board.
I am especially grateful for your intentional effort to instill a Christian moral vision in this handbook. Those who follow the principles you offer will truly be a leaven for good as leaders in the world around us.
“One of the most comprehensive practical resources compiled for any one interested in serving on a board of directors. In short, if you want to make a difference serving as a highly effective board member you need to have this resource in your leadership library!”
“Well done. This handbook reflects on your common sense business philosophies which are also aligned with how I look at things.”
“Mike Warner has done our state a great service. He has reflected on his life’s work as a creative entrepreneur and system builder. who forever changed North Dakota’s AG economy. Any of us hoping to innovate, build, and create a better future for ourselves should read this book.”
So… you want to be on the Board? Start here.
Learn what it really takes to lead with integrity, influence, and purpose. Get your copy today! Order direct from the author or from Amazon.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to get the most out of this book
Is this book meant to be read start to finish?
No. This is a reference guide designed for directors to consult as needed. Each section stands alone and covers specific board responsibilities, so you can jump directly to topics relevant to your role or current challenges.
