“To lead you must be a doer.  The way to quickly spot a nonleader is to watch for “should”….The real leader never uses the word “should”.  His or her response to a good suggestion is “Let’s do it.” — Jack Trout (author)

Leaders get things done — they execute.  Veteran consultant, Dr. Ram Charan writes, “Execution is the great unaddressed issue in the business world today.  Its absence is the single biggest obstacle to success.”

An action orientation is a distinguishing mark of a leader.  But action itself does not ensure success.  An action orientation can also be the mark of a nonleader if the action is not aligned with a vision of where you are going.  Vision with action can change the world.

The Bottom Line: Leaders translate big thoughts into concrete action steps – and they execute.