Every sector
Whatever you lead, the same eight hats keep it in balance.
Only the names change. Find your sector below to see what each hat is called where you work.
Choose your sector
Every sector fits
The most common objection to this framework is not that it is wrong. It’s that it is wrong here. Nonprofits say they have no sales. Government agencies say they have no marketing. School districts say they have no customers. Hospitals say fulfillment is a word for factories. Manufacturers say it was written for service companies. Military units say the whole vocabulary belongs to business.
Every one of those objections is about vocabulary. Not one of them is about function.
See all sectors side by side
| Function | Business | Nonprofit | Government | Education | Healthcare | Military |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finance | P&L and cash flow | Grant compliance and reserves | Appropriation and audit | Levy, budget, per-pupil spend | Reimbursement and margin | Budget execution and funding accountability |
| Fulfillment | Product or service delivered | Program delivered to beneficiaries | Service delivered to citizens | Instruction and student outcomes | Care delivered and patient outcomes | Mission execution and readiness |
| HR | Employees | Staff and volunteers | Career civil service | Faculty, staff, credentialing | Clinicians, licensure, credentialing | Manning, training, and retention |
| Legal | Contracts and liability | Charitable status and donor restrictions | Statute, rulemaking, public records | Student rights and safety compliance | Malpractice, privacy, licensure | Law of armed conflict, UCMJ, and rules of engagement |
| Marketing | Brand and demand generation | Awareness and the case for support | Public information and trust | Reputation and enrollment appeal | Community reputation and referral | Public affairs and recruiting appeal |
| R&D | Product development | Program design and pilots | Policy and program innovation | Curriculum and pedagogy | Clinical protocols and trials | Doctrine and capability development |
| Sales | Revenue | Development and fundraising | Appropriation and authority | Enrollment and levy support | Payer contracts and referrals | Program funding and recruits |
| Technology | Systems and tools | Donor and case management systems | Case and records systems | Student information and classroom tech | Electronic health records and clinical systems | Command, control, and communications systems |
If you have to translate a word to make the framework fit, the framework fits. If you have to remove a function to make it fit, you have not found an exception. You have found your tilt.