The 5 Truths for Transformational Leaders

4Truth 4: Execution Drives Results

“Strategy is a commodity; execution is an art. Leadership is defined by results not attributes.”

Peter Drucker

Strategy is useless unless it can be executed. A bold vision, big goals, and a thoughtful strategy mean nothing unless leaders can turn the words into actions that produce meaningful and measurable results. The work you have done so far to implement the first three truths is the foundation for building an efficient, well‐managed, high‐performance organization with a mission‐driven strategy. Transformational leaders work relentlessly to create clarity across the organization about how to execute the strategy. They ensure everyone—staff and board members, donor‐investors, and other stakeholders—have clarity about how the organization will execute its mission‐driven strategy. To achieve extraordinary results, stakeholders must be aligned on strategy and understand their role in executing the strategy.

Let's take a moment to review what we have discussed so far.

The first truth—Be Fanatical About Mission—focuses on the importance of a fanatical belief in the mission. Mission is why nonprofit organizations exist; it is the basis for every decision big and small. Passion about the mission is the foundation for success, but by itself it does not ensure success. There are many people passionate about mission who fail as leaders.

The second truth—Fix, Stabilize, or Replace Systems, Practices, and People Who Are Not Working—requires leaders ...