You Might Be Good, but Are You Great?

Stage 1: Disciplined people

• Level 5 leadership. G2G organisations have level 5 leaders. These kinds of leaders are ambitious for the cause, the organisation, the work — but not for themselves. They have a fierce resolve to do whatever it takes to deliver results, while displaying personal humility and professional will. What does level 5 leadership mean for current charity leaders — especially the "charismatic" ones? And how do you reconcile this with the growing class of "professional" leaders?

• First who … then what. G2G organisations recruit a team capable of creating greatness. Charity leaders need to make sure they have the right people on the bus — in the organisation — and the wrong people off the bus. This means making tough decisions where necessary. They also need to be sure the right people are in the key seats before they work out where to drive the bus — the overall direction. These level 5 leaders think first about "who" and then "what." In a market where everyone complains about skill shortages, how do you get the right people on the bus? And what does this mean for the organisation obsessed with strategy rather than building human capital?

Stage 2: Disciplined thought

• Confront the brutal facts. G2G organisations are absolutely rooted in reality and the harsh reality of their performance against mission. But this reality check doesn't stop them from having a visionary focus. They believe they will succeed in the end, regardless of the difficulties. Does your annual report, like so may others, boast of your successes but ignore the failed programmes, the poor investments, the weak appointments? What's the harsh truth about your real performance against mission, and do you acknowledge it?

• The Hedgehog Concept. G2G organisations identify their core 
competencies and strive to be best in those — even if that simply means being the best local hospice charity in Wiltshire. Greatness comes about by consistently applying a simple, coherent concept — a Hedgehog Concept — to your work. This model involves three intersecting circles: what you can be the best at, what you're passionate about and what drives your resource engine. In the charity sector, people spend a lot of time pursuing the "new" rather than 
focusing on core competencies. What's your core, and do you play to it?