In this episode, I want to talk to you about legacy and how you can develop a legacy in your leadership. This episode is brought to you by my Goal Setting Guide, it is a FREE guide that you can download. The link is at the end of this blog. It is going to help you refine your goals and set them in such a way that they will be achievable and you will actually see success.

Prefer to watch the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_0HI5W5LOA&t=2s

We are going to be talking about legacy, why it matters and how you can develop legacy in your leadership. This week I had the privilege of attending the funeral of my great aunt, she died at age 89 and what amazed me so much at this funeral was listening to the story of her life and the imprint or the legacy that she left on the lives of others. She was a school teacher and when the eulogy was read, some of the points that came out about her life as a school teacher was that she always taught with kindness. She invested in children, she was a funny teacher, she was an approachable teacher and she built relationships with her students.

After hearing the eulogy there were some tributes that were read out and you know a number of tributes that came in were from children that she had actually taught decades earlier but they still remembered her. They talked about the impression that she had left on their lives and the legacy that she had left on their lives in their time with her as their teacher and it really got me thinking about leadership and how we leave a mark on the people that we lead.

When it is all said and done,when you hang up your boots and you move on, all that is left of your leadership is the imprint that you left on the people that you led, that is your legacy. It is not the things you built, things that are built can be pulled down but the imprints and the relationships that you make and the impact you make on people, that is what you will be remembered for, so legacy matters. As you lead you have to be thinking about what legacy you are creating ? Ask yourself, “Does my style of leadership build a legacy or leave an imprint on my people that I actually want to be remembered by ? Does it leave an imprint that makes people remember me in a poorer light or perhaps not remember me at all because of the way in which I led?”

I have three things that I think really lead to developing a positive legacy in your leadership and investing into people who are coming behind you.

1. Prioritize relationships

The first thing is this, prioritize relationships. In leadership, relationships are the absolute key. Do not underestimate how important they are. You have got to keep asking yourself if all the relationships that you have with the people you lead, are leaving an imprint or a memory of you that is positive ? Is it going to leave a lasting impact on their lives ? Is it going to have a positive impact on the next steps in their future? Are the relationships I am building, investing or sowing the seeds for the future development of these people just built around what I can get out of them or what I need from them? 

Investing in and prioritizing relationships, positively builds a legacy where people are lifted up for the future and that is really key. So the first thing is this, prioritize relationships. Get to know your people, learn what makes them tick, take an interest in them, take an interest in their hobbies, in their families, in their life. Learn to know how your people live. As you do that, you will develop positive wholesome relationships with your people, this will leave a lasting impression and legacy.

2. Lead the Whole Person

The second thing is, you need to lead the whole person. Leadership is never just about outcomes, it is never just about spreadsheets, it is never just about numbers, it is about the whole person. Sometimes the way people behave or the way they perform is tied up in a world of experience, in a world of pain, a world of disappointment that we do not see that is all beneath the surface. If we just look at what a person did that might have disappointed us or what happened that maybe did not meet the mark,  we may miss being able to invest in and lead the whole person.

Take the time to converse with your team if they are not meeting standards or if they are not performing the way you would like them to before you jump on them and criticize them or reprimand them. Take the time to just inquire, “Hey how you doing? What’s going on? I noticed this did not get done. Is there something that I can help you with? Are you worried about something? Are there any challenges you’re facing in your private life that might be impacting your work life?” Take the time to lead the whole person.

When you understand what motivates people’s behaviors, when you understand what drives them to do the things they do, you can very often address the problems more effectively rather than just targeting the result or the person that was responsible for the result. You can actually get beneath the surface and actually lead them towards greater outcomes.Then they will feel valued because you took the time to inquire, they will feel supported and they will actually come away from that experience wanting to work harder for you and perform better for you. So lead the whole person, do not  just lead for outcome or results.

3. Lift people up for the Future

The third thing is this, lift people up for the future and invest in your people. Train them to learn new skills, train them to be better at what they do, pay for them to go to courses or training, why ? because as you lift people up for their future you are not just investing in what you are doing but you are investing in their future so that they can be  better individuals. You are making more opportunities available to them, as Richard Branson once said “Train people so well that they actually have to leave you and go on to better employment but treat them so well that they actually want to stay.” This is what relationship and legacy is all about.

You invest in your people, equip them to be the best they can be, equip them to outgrow their jobs and their positions. Do not hold them back, do not stifle them, do not stop them from using their creativity or stretching themselves, release them, let them grow but then build such positive relationships with them that they actually want to stay and they actually want to be a part of what you are doing. When they understand that they are building not only a legacy for you but they are also building a legacy for themselves, people will invest in your vision and they will invest in what you are asking them to do with greater enthusiasm. 

So these are my three reflections about legacy. I’m just reflecting on my great aunt and the legacy she left and imprinted on the lives of the students and the people that she worked with throughout her many years. I want to encourage you to do the same. Look beyond today, build for the future, prioritize relationships, equip people by leading the whole person not just for outcomes and make sure you lift them up and invest in them to be better for their future as well. 

I hope that was really helpful for you, don’t forget if you want to learn more about leadership check out our course “Leading for Success” the link will be in the description below.

If you would like to learn more about effectively growing in your leadership, why not check out our FREE Goal setting guide. See below for details. https://leadcommunicategrow.com/free-goal-setting-guide/

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