A great director I served with: James R. Martin, 'Folks, we have just crossed the line.'(Putting In Place the Right Board for the 21st Century)

• Author: Horton, Thomas R.

KNOWING JIM MARTIN, I have no need to fashion a composite director endowed with every possible virtue for effective board service. For Jim has demonstrated them all: integrity, talent, and a dedication to doing his homework. Most importantly, more than any other director I have known, Jim has always had a crystal-clear insight as to just where governance ends and management begins.

James R. Martin, retired chairman and chief executive of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co., served on the boards of Missouri Pacific Corp. (later merged into Union Pacific), the Bank of Boston, Hasbro Inc., Textron Inc., Stanhome Inc. and, of course, Mass Mutual, although not all at the same time. He has contributed his talents to numerous not-for-profit corporations as well, including the Business Council for the United Nations, the National YMCA Retirement Fund, and the American Management Association, where I first met him during my time there as president and chief executive. Later, thanks to his recommendation, our terms overlapped briefly at Stanhome and, since his retirement, I have done my inadequate best to succeed him. I have talked with others who have watched Jim on other boards and without exception they regard him as an extraordinary role model.

A great director must possess certain talents: financial acumen, knowledge of the business, and judgment, to name but three. Still, without the ability to communicate, tactfully but persuasively, these talents are of limited use. Jim always managed to get his point across. At times he would act as coach, sending the CEO an occasional hand-written note. Typically his note might end, "This may be the dumbest idea in the world, but if you'd like to talk about it, I'll buy you lunch." Of course, his ideas were far from dumb.

At meetings, Jim would quietly express his opinions and, when necessary, would pursue a point to its conclusion, carefully laying out his argument. If his position failed to garner support from the other directors, he...