Dr. Agota Szabo is a distinguished expert in leadership and governance, with many years of experience in both academia and practice. She currently teaches in the MBA in Leadership in Sustainability and also serves as a Leadership & Board Governance Researcher.
With her profound understanding of governance processes and her passion for bridging the gap between theory and practice, Dr. Szabo has helped countless professionals integrate governance effectively into their leadership roles. Her work emphasizes the importance of sound governance in enhancing organizational performance.
In this interview, Dr. Agota Szabo takes us into the realm of Strategic Leadership 2.0: Shaped by Mission, Governance, and Legislation. She demonstrates how mission, governance, and legislation together form the foundation for future-proof leadership—where ambition and responsibility go hand in hand.
When we talk about leadership, we often picture leaders with inspiring speeches or bold decision-making. However, strategic leadership today is increasingly defined by something deeper: the ability to connect mission-driven thinking with robust governance and the rapidly evolving landscape of legislation. Together, these elements shape how leaders set direction, ensure accountability, and drive sustainable value creation at all levels of organizations.
"Strategic leadership today is increasingly defined by something deeper: the ability to connect mission-driven thinking with robust governance and the rapidly evolving landscape of legislation."
Mission and Vision as Compass
A clearly defined mission and vision act as the guiding compass for leaders. They answer two fundamental questions: why do we exist and where are we going. Research in leadership theory highlights that leaders who embed mission and vision in their organizations create alignment and resilience. Employees know not just what they do, but also why it matters.
Without this compass, organizations risk drifting and chasing opportunities without coherence or purpose. The result is often fragmented strategy, diluted culture, and loss of stakeholder trust. On the contrary, mission-driven leadership builds legitimacy, motivates employees, and attracts partners who share the same values. In a world where talent and capital increasingly flow toward meaningful organizations, mission and vision are no longer abstract statements, but real strategic compasses for organizations.
Governance and Finance as Enablers
While mission and vision define purpose, governance and finance ensure it can be realized. They act as the structural strength of strategic leadership:
-
Governance provides accountability and direction
-
- Establishes clear roles between boards, executives, and stakeholders.
- Ensures that decisions are efficient, ethical, and transparent.
- Mitigates risks and fosters stakeholder confidence.
- Embeds structures such as oversight committees, risk management protocols, and transparent reporting mechanisms.
- Finance sustains long-term growth and innovation
-
- Extends beyond performance metrics to support long-term resilience.
- Enables investment in innovation, human capital, and sustainable business models.
- Aligns portfolio allocation with organizational mission
- Signals to stakeholders that financial decisions focus on purpose, not just profit.
- The risks of weak governance and short-term thinking
-
-
Erodes public trust, credibility, and organizational resilience.
-
Misaligned incentives drive short-term returns at the expense of sustainable value creation.
-
This leads to lesser focus on innovation and disengagement from key stakeholders.
-
For MBA leaders, the takeaway is clear: governance and finance are not merely systems of control but essential building blocks of strategy. When aligned with mission and vision, they enable organizations to combine accountability with ambition.
Sustainability as Catalyst
Sustainability, once a “nice to have,” has become a core determinant of long-term value. Studies show that companies that integrate ESG into their strategy attract more investment, innovate faster, and build stronger reputations. For leaders, this means shifting from reactive to proactive: from ticking boxes to embedding sustainability into the heart of business models. Sustainability acts as a catalyst, ensuring that organizations cannot decouple strategic leadership from societal responsibility. Sustainable leadership is becoming one of the most important elements of any forward-thinking MBA education program and challenges future leaders in many ways. The question of how we are going to get the desired outcomes is more relevant than ever and shapes the future that we are all going to be part of.
Conclusion
Strategic leadership today requires more than vision alone. It demands the interplay of mission-driven thinking, strong governance and finance, and alignment with sustainability legislation such as CSRD. Together, these modules shape leaders who are accountable, future-oriented, and resilient.
For MBA students and professionals alike, the lesson is clear: leadership in the 21st century is not only about ambition, but about responsibility. Mission sets the compass, governance and finance provide the structure, and legislation ensures accountability to society. When these forces align, organizations not only succeed, but they lead with purpose. By mastering this integration, leaders can build organizations that thrive across different economic cycles. Ultimately, strategic leadership becomes not just a role, but a long-term commitment to value creation for all stakeholders.
De Kracht van een goed bestuur: leiderschap in een dynamische wereld
