Deliver

Future and Engage can so often be the focus of musings on leadership. However, follow-through to Deliver is key as Nelson Mandela simply puts it:

Vision without Action is merely a dream.
Action without Vision is merely passing time.
Vision with Action can change the world.

The best book I know on Deliver is Execution by Larry Bossidy. I'll unashamedly quote him often in this section. Starting with:

No company can deliver on its commitments or adapt well to change unless all leaders practice the discipline of execution at all levels. Execution has to be a part of a company's strategy and its goals. It is the missing link between aspirations and results. As such, it is a major - indeed, the major - job of a business leader. If you don't know how to execute, the whole of your effort as a leader will always be less than the sum of its parts.

And... The person who is a little less conceptual but is absolutely determined to succeed will usually find the right people and get them together to achieve objectives. I'm not knocking education or looking for dumb people. But if you had a choice between someone with a staggering IQ and an elite education who's gliding along, and someone with a lower IQ but who is absolutely determined to succeed, you'll always do better with the second person.