The one job nobody else has

If you lead a business or nonprofit, you're responsible for something no one else in the organization is responsible for.

The whole thing. And where it's going.

Customers. Finances. Operations. People. Opportunities. Risks. The future. All of it lands on your desk eventually, and only your desk.

A customer needs something right now. An employee has a problem that can't wait until tomorrow. An opportunity shows up out of nowhere and has to be chased before it closes. The numbers need attention. Something unexpected happens, because something always does.

None of this is optional. It's the job. And most days, it's a full job on its own.

But while you're handling all of it, somebody still has to be thinking about where the organization is going. Not next week. Not this quarter's fire drill. Three years out. Five years out. The direction, not just the day. How to innovate. New products or services that will win you customers and revenue. How to stay relevant and profitable, or, if you are a nonprofit, how to deliver more on your mission