The inspiration for my op-eds is simple, but urgent.
For too long, we have taken for granted that people know what they may never have been taught.
Many who step forward with good intentions have never had formal exposure to business operations, finance, budgeting, or process quality. That is not a personal failing—it is a systemic one. Yet without this foundation, well-meaning leaders often repeat the same mistakes, cycle after cycle, unaware of why outcomes never change.
My writing is an effort to close that gap.
After decades of leadership in education, nonprofit governance, and business operations, I learned two lessons that shaped everything I did as a senior leader—especially during my tenure running a line of business at Educational Testing Service (ETS).
The first lesson is this: the mission must drive the work.
At ETS, no initiative—no matter how exciting or politically attractive—moved forward unless it clearly aligned with and supported the mission. Mission was not decorative. It was a discipline. It forced clarity about purpose, priorities, and tradeoffs. Just as important, it told us what not to do.
A mission without strategy is merely aspiration. Strategy is what translates purpose into execution—into plans, sequencing, accountability, and measurable outcomes. Without strategy, effort fragments and resources are consumed by activity instead of impact.
The second lesson is equally unforgiving: cash is king.
Cash flow is not a technical detail; it is the lifeblood of any organization. You cannot sustain a mission you cannot afford. Managing expenses is not about cutting for the sake of cutting—it is about eliminating waste so that resources can be reinvested where they deliver the greatest return.
Strong organizations do not stumble into financial stability. They budget intentionally, monitor performance rigorously, and continuously evaluate whether spending advances the mission. Surplus is not excess—it is capacity. It is what allows innovation, resilience, and long-term investment in people, systems, and infrastructure.
In public governance, the failure to connect mission, strategy, and cash flow has real consequences. Budgets become political documents instead of management tools. Spending follows habit rather than outcomes. Leaders react to crises instead of preventing them. And communities lose trust—not from cynicism, but from lived experience.
Mission tells us why we exist.
Strategy tells us how we will deliver.
Cash flow tells us whether we can sustain it.
When these three are aligned, transformation is possible. When they are not, even the most sincere efforts fall short.
A Call to Action
If we truly love our cities and the people who live in them, we must raise our expectations—not just of leaders, but of ourselves as residents and voters.
Ask better questions.
Demand alignment between mission and spending.
Insist on strategies that are resourced, measured, and transparent.
And for those seeking office or entrusted with leadership: commit to learning the disciplines of finance, operations, and process quality. Good intentions are not enough. Competence is an obligation.
Our cities do not need more promises.
They need disciplined leadership grounded in purpose, strategy, and fiscal responsibility.
That is why I write.