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Intentional Leadership — D1, W1, M7 — Legacy

Can’t believe we are starting the second half of this year, already. It seems like it was just January!

I’m sure you can think of leaders who have left a lasting legacy; some positive and some not so much!

When I ponder this concept, I think of Tom Stokes, long-time CEO of Tree Top, Inc. I worked with Tom a number of years ago, and have a great deal of respect for him. Over the course of my career, I’ve worked for 10 different companies, and Tom stands head and shoulders above any other executive I’ve worked for or with over the past 20+ years.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t put him on a pedestal as the perfect leader, but he did a number of things I’ve not personally experienced to-date. First, he worked his way up through the company, so he knew the organization from all angles. He was/is conscientious about building strong relationships with the people around him, both inside and outside the organization. He hires the talent he needs and empowers them to do what they were hired to do, respecting their expertise and listening to their advice before making decisions. He’s open, humble, has a good sense of humor, and knows what he’s there to do and who he’s there to serve.

I’ve been hearing he may be thinking of retiring in the next few years. If that’s the case, he’s certainly earned it, as he has carefully steered the company through many years — some quite prosperous and some quite bumpy! I imagine the Board will be hard pressed to replace him with someone of equal caliber.

There’s no doubt in my mind, Tom will be leaving a positive, lasting legacy.

As a leader, it’s critical that you behave in accordance with your espoused values. If you merely pay lip service to them, it will become quickly apparent, and will have a damaging affect on your effectiveness, credibility, and potential for accomplishing anything. However, when you are in sync with your value, and authentically model them over time, the ripple effects of your influence can be felt over the course of several generations.

Take some time today to consider how well you have modeled the values you claim to hold dear. What effect are you having on those around you?

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Intentional Leadership — Month Seven — Legacy

Legacy: Something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor of the past. ~Merriam Webster

Your legacy is the impression that remains long after you are gone; it’s the story people tell of who you were, what you were made of, and what your character was.

What does it mean to leave a legacy? One must lead with the future in mind; taking a long-term perspective, focused on others rather than oneself.

This is a topic I teach on frequently, both formally and informally. You see, the potential for leaving a legacy lies within each of us, regardless of our job, our status, our career, or official “title.” Every single person has the opportunity to leave a legacy.

Like so many things about leadership, you get to choose who you will be and what you want to be remembered for when you are gone. Will you be remembered as the kind of person who led by example, managing yourself as a person of high integrity and character, one who worked his/her way through adversity with dignity and respect for others?

Will you be remembered as the person who gave up at the first sign of difficulty, who treated others poorly…as stepping stones on your path to obtain whatever goal you set for yourself?

There was a time when I had a gift bow stuck to the door of my office; it was there to remind me that I should be a ‘gift’ to the people whose lives I touched each day. I want this to be my legacy — that I added value to others any time I had (or could make) the opportunity; that I was a river (allowing my gifts to flow freely to others) rather than a reservoir (holding my knowledge and wisdom to myself). There are other things I want to be remembered for, of course. But these two thoughts may give you some idea of what I’m striving for.

This month, on our Intentional Leadership* journey, we will explore this concept of legacy — the lasting impression that lingers after a person is gone.

Before we get started, take out your journal and spend a little time pondering these questions:

What legacy do you want to leave? How do you want to be remembered?

What can you do to build that legacy?

Where do you need to invest your energy and influence to achieve the greatest impact?

How can you share this concept of legacy with your team and your organization, as you develop them into leaders, as well?

 

*The Intentional Leadership journey is drawn from a handbook of the same name, developed by Giant Impact, purchased at Leadercast 2012.

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