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<a title="Cynthia Montgomery - website" href="http://cynthiamontgomery.com/" target="_blank"><strong><em>The Strategist: Be the Leader Your Business Needs</em></strong> by Cynthia A. Montgomery</a> brings purpose directly into strategy and illustrates the essential nature of it in developing a sound strategy. The two are closely linked and in a real, results-oriented way.
<h2>Leading with Purpose and Strategy</h2>
<blockquote><img class="alignright  wp-image-7706" src="http://leadchangegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/The-Strategist-212x300.png" alt="The Strategist" width="148" height="210" />“You and every leader of a company must ask yourself whether your strategy is a real system of value creation – a clearly defined purpose tightly backed by a set of mutually reinforcing parts.” (<em>The Strategist</em>, page 78)</blockquote>
<a title="The Strategist – Bring Your Passion and Leadership" href="http://www.thindifference.com/2012/08/23/the-strategist-bring-your-passion-and-leadership/" target="_blank"><em>The Strategist</em></a> excels in driving purpose through in a way that is real, practical, and necessary to make strategies work. Here are four relevant elements of purpose in strategy, as defined by the author:
<ul>
	<li><strong>“A good purpose is ennobling.”</strong> There needs to be a level of inspiration; it delivers meaning to the people in the organization and the work they do.</li>
	<li><strong>“A good purpose puts a stake in the ground.”</strong> It defines what the organization will be and not be. It is about trade-offs.</li>
	<li><strong>“A good purpose sets you apart; it makes you distinct.”</strong> It is not about generic descriptions – software company or non-profit organization. It is what makes the organization different from others and what may drive innovation and approach.</li>
	<li><strong>“Above all, a good purpose sets the stage for value creation and capture.”</strong> It must create good economic outcomes.</li>
</ul>
<strong>The ultimate question is:</strong>
<blockquote><strong><em>“If your company disappeared today, would the world be different tomorrow?”</em></strong> (<em>The Strategist</em>, page 56)</blockquote>
This is a tough, necessary question to answer and then lead from it and build a strategy on it.

<em>The Strategist</em> delivers a strong message in a subtle way. The more you think about the concepts in the book, the more it challenges us in how we lead and why a <a title="Absorbed by Day-to-Day Challenges, Leaders Are Failing to Go to the Balcony Robbing Themselves, Their Organizations, and the World" href="http://leadchangegroup.com/absorbed-by-day-to-day-challenges-leaders-are-failing-to-go-to-the-balcony-robbing-themselves-their-organizations-and-the-world/">purpose-filled strategy</a> is necessary.

Purpose plays a core role in strategy, and we need to embrace it fully.
<h2>What strategy books do you value in your leadership library?</h2>
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<em>Disclosure: I received a copy of this book to review but I was not financially compensated in any way. The opinions expressed are my own and are based on my observations. </em>