There are Legends among us. In every culture and every time period, the world has relied on Legends and Heroes and today, some of the most valiant heroes are found in our business sector. These heroes fight the good fight every day to ensure our joint financial futures. Never before has the grit and determination of entrepreneurs been more necessary, yet 55% of entrepreneurs express extreme fear of losing their business entirely. More pressing, 70% of CEOs say they must have double revenue from new sources in the next five years. The truth is that success is not a lonely endeavor. Every hero relies on multiple guides and allies to successfully complete their quest. This book is in tribute and in service to our Heroes, the men and women who bring the rains of profit and prosperity.

If organizations are able to bridge the chronic disconnect between strategy formulation and tactical execution, profitable growth can be achieved. The 40% of companies that directly link strategic priorities to budget consistently outperform the 60% that neglect to connect strategy to execution. When budgets are aligned to strategy, needs, funding and resources combine to empower organizations to succeed, but a distressing 92% of organizations do not measure or report on lead performance indicators. 90% of well-defined strategies fail when execution falters. 85% of management teams spend less than one hour per month on strategy issues. Despite this undeniable rate of return, 2/3 of human resource and technology departments continue to develop plans that are not linked to the overall company strategy. 70% of middle managers and more than 90% of front-line employees have compensation plans completely independent of the company's strategy. Even more devastating, 95% of employees do not understand their company's strategy. This level of disconnect makes profitability a fantasy. These deficiencies find resolution in ancient times, when story and culture brought us together in cause, as illustrated in the Legend of the Great Explorer, adapted from an Amazonian folktale.