This week I went exploring the idea of a leadership legacy and what I wanted to leave for others when I retire or move on to my next chapter.  There are several things leaders should keep in mind when creating their legacy and here are a few for you to think about.

Creating a legacy is about the perception that is left to those behind you.  To start, leaders should keep office doors open to show that they are available and care for employees.  Shelley Provost (2015) also notes that leadership is “1-Part Authority, 2-Parts Humility”, which is about being humble and allowing your team to see you can make mistakes too.  Another idea is to allow team members to take ownership in aspects of their work to build connections.

I think this quote just about sums it up… “A leader’s legacy is established by leaving something of enduring quality behind for the organization and its people” (Site Staff).  This article on leadership legacy further went on to discuss how this legacy doesn’t have to come from the top dog of an organization, but any leaders who can share experiences with others.   This value of knowledge handed down to the next generation or leader may not be apparent at first, but evident down the road.  For instance, an employee may be taught the proper skill to perform a task that isn’t routine.  Not until the task is performed again repetitively will the employee gain value in the trade that was shared with him.  Often today, just the simple exchange of information can be important as older generations are retiring and younger ones are moving into the work force.

Bates (2012) summarized some recent work by David Casullo identifying “Five Steps for Creating Your Leadership Legacy”.  First step is to communicate in a way to keep people focused, bring teams together and have a call to action.  Secondly he suggests focusing on high performers and those who are hardworking.  Third is to ensure staff has the training to create the results you are hoping to achieve.  Taking steps to remain focused on your legacy plan is the fourth step.  Last, prepare the team for crisis a few times a year.  All of the items Mr. Casullo identified can help prepare your leadership legacy.

Now that we’ve heard about what a few others think about leaving a leadership legacy, how are you going to leave a legacy?  First I think we need to define what a legacy is.  To me, it is being remembered for something positive I’ve left to others.  That might be to a non-profit I work with or my daily career.  This positive thing may not be a tangible item, but could be a system or procedure that helps something occur more efficiently.  As an engineer, I don’t focus on designing something or solving a problem to be visible and evident.  Most of the work I have done for water and wastewater utilities is often not recognized by the general public but keeps them safe daily.

Currently, I want to educate people around me on the “why” of doing something.  It could be the passion for something like water and keeping it clean to enjoy it.  It might be achieving a goal repeatedly, such as meeting a budget, or even exceeding results by coming in under budget.  Having others learn the why will help them understand and appreciate why something is being done.  This is an exchange of passion and direction.

As I work with teams on various projects, I want to engage team members to openly discuss ideas at the onset of a project.  As we work through details, more collaboration may be needed to vet ideas that might be possible.  This visioning allows exchanges of information among all team members and allows the team to look for other possible routes or solutions for a better product or outcome.  It also allows for team building amongst staff, team members to gain some ownership in the process, and the ability to set more specific goals for the end of the project.

At my current place of employment, I’d like to leave a legacy by accomplishing a few things.  First would be getting upper management and some middle level managers together to work to create a strategic plan, which currently doesn’t exist.  I think creating that vision and then working towards it will be a huge legacy to start.  We have a mission statement that is about 10 years old, but no plan to meet that vision.  Second, I’d like to create a mentor or training program that allows employees to grow and create a path for employees to grow and move up within our company.  Some employees need licensure and training paths.  We need to create some new cross-training between departments to grow interest and retain employees.  I also want to improve some systems that we have that are still archaic and could be improved to make daily operations making things easier for staff.  Lastly, I want to improve employee relations with new social opportunities for employees to get to know each other from different departments.  That might be the form of annual picnics, bowling nights or even joining together to help charities in our area.

I can’t wait to hear more about  your leadership legacy in the comments below.  Here are a few video clips that might make you think about your leadership legacy:

 https://api.vzaar.com/videos/981027.embed

Monica

References:

Bates, S. (2012, Jul 12).  Five steps for creating your leadership legacy.  Bates Communications Inc.  Retrieved from:  https://www.bates-communications.com/bates-blog/bid/86741/five-steps-for-creating-your-leadership-legacy

Northouse, P.G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and Practice (7^th Ed). Thousand Oaks, California : SAGE

Provost, S. (2015, Sep 16). 3 ways to leave a leadership legacy. Inc.com.  Retrieved from: https://www.inc.com/shelley-prevost/3-ways-to-leave-a-leadership-legacy.html

Site Staff. (2012 Dec 10). The benefits of creating a leadership legacy.  Chief Learning Officer.  Retrieved from:  http://www.clomedia.com/2012/12/10/the-benefits-of-creating-a-leadership-legacy/