Jim Collins, who wrote the influential business book Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t, also published a short booklet specifically about the nonprofits and the social sectors, called Good to Great and the Social Sectors: Why Business Thinking Is Not the Answer.

Collins shares numerous insights throughout his booklet. One of my particular favorites is his “Hedgehog Concept.”

As Collins asks:

Are you a hedgehog or a fox?

In his famous essay “The Hedgehog and the Fox,” Isaiah Berlin divided the world into hedgehogs and foxes, based upon an ancient Greek parable: “The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing.”

The Hedgehog Concept suggests that greatness comes from focusing at the intersection of three circles:

  • What you are deeply passionate about (your core values and reason for being),
  • What you can realistically be the best at (not just what you “want” to be best at), and
  • What drives your “resource engine” (not just money, but how you attract and sustain support). This concept resonates with my belief in the importance of disciplined leadership. In nonprofits, passion and mission are rarely lacking — but focus often is. Too many organizations spread themselves thin, chasing funding or opportunities that take them off course.

As I’ve often said, doing “the whole job” requires a clear alignment between mission, operations, and resources. The Hedgehog Concept reminds us that success isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing what truly matters, and doing it exceptionally well.

Great leadership also requires the courage to say no. Whether it’s declining a grant that doesn’t fit your mission or avoiding the temptation to overextend, staying true to your core strengths is what builds resilience and long-term impact. I’ve seen this firsthand: organizations that embrace a clarity of focus inspire their teams, attract committed supporters, and achieve lasting results.

Leadership is about discipline, alignment, and focus. Define your purpose, align your resources to it, and let those principles guide your decisions. When your organization implements with conviction, greatness follows—not by chance, but by design.

In this short video three nonprofit executives take a look at leadership.