Good to Great: Growth Strategies for Up-and-Coming Nonprofits

Then, once the right people are on board, the leader must make sure the right people are in the key seats to steer change and growth. It's all about determining who first, then the what. You can't truly achieve your mission unless you have the right team in place to get the job done.

Disciplined thought. The best organizations and leaders are rooted in reality, including the harsh reality of their performance against the mission. Still, they don't allow the situation to prevent vision and focus, and they believe the organization will succeed. So you need to not only boast of success, but acknowledge failure and relay the truth—all of the truth—about your performance against mission.