The leader needs to know how to balance his work between the sword and the shovel. With the sword, he is driving revenue, making deals. With the shovel, he is building an organization that institutionalizes revenue growth. If the leader spends all his time with the sword, he forfeits the long term for the sake of the short term. If he spends all his time with the shovel, he forfeits the short term for the sake of the long term. As leaders, we must balance our time between the sword and the shovel. However, one thing is certain; as long as you lead, you must carry the sword. You don’t get to lay it down. You must carry it until the final moment you lay down the final responsibility.
