How do you want to be remembered? What will people say about you when you reach the end of your leadership career?
Your leadership legacy is a reflection of the impact that you have had on the lives of the people you touch during your career. Often people think about their legacy as they near the end of their leadership journey. I would argue that the time to start thinking about your legacy is today – and every day that you work as a leader.
I love this statement by authors Marta Brooks, Julie Stark and Sarah Caverhill in their remarkable book, Your Leadership Legacy:
Your leadership legacy is the sum total of the difference you make in people’s
lives, directly and indirectly, formally and informally. The way you behave
in your day-to-day life defines your legacy. The challenge is how to live in a way
that creates a legacy others want to be a part of, too.
A great legacy doesn’t just happen. Your legacy is built moment by moment, in small interactions. How you live your legacy can uplift people’s spirits and inspire them
to live or perform better than they thought possible. Or it can drag them down and
create the opposite effect.
You are building your legacy every moment of every day. Be intentional about how you choose to treat people. Do you view each person as a construction opportunity or a demolition project?
Invest part of you into every person you touch today. They will value you for that. It’s your legacy that you are creating. Make it matter.