Building a Lasting Leadership Legacy
Retirement and legacy are far from the minds of leaders who are asked to deliver immediate results in today’s fast-moving world. Even so, having an eye on the future beyond the active career years is crucial to ensure the positive contributions, values, and impact endure even after leaving the corner office with a view. This perspective is not only about preserving achievements; its about building a lasting leadership legacy that is meaningful.
“If you’re going to live, leave behind a legacy. Make an impact on the world that can never be erased.” – Maya Angelou, Civil Rights Activist
What is Leadership Legacy?
A leadership legacy transcends the active years of professional life that continues to resonate with others. This is more than the positions, titles, and achievements held prior to beginning a new chapter in life. It’s about creating a lasting impact that endures beyond one’s career
Consider a study by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) on the memory of public figures after death. It found that artists are remembered more than other notable individuals, such as politicians and athletes. The hypothesis behind this phenomenon is that artists leave behind a lasting body of work that continues to be accessed and appreciated. In contrast, the actions of politicians, athletes, and others are often tied to their lives, and interest in them tends to decline once they are no longer able to actively contribute.
This study supports the position that legacy goes beyond accomplishments of a lifetime. Legacy is the capability to continue to influence, impact, and inspire others even after moving on from formal leadership capacities.
Benefits of a Strong Leadership Legacy
- Establishes Lasting Influence: Ensures the values and vision of the leader continues to guide decisions and drive action long after they have transitioned to focus on other areas of life. Influential leadership is not only about creating results for today, but also about empowering others for tomorrow.
- Impacts Communities and Organizations: Leaders who desire to build a legacy of their own are driven to continue their contributions to the communities they live in. Many leaders still aspire to expand their professional influence even as they transition from active corporate roles to advisory or consultancy functions. In this, ITD World’s LETs Coach Golden Years (LCGY) initiative supports leaders who want to build a lasting and meaningful legacy by positively impacting people around them.
- Inspires Upcoming Leaders: Leaders whose vision and values resonate set a powerful example for future generations to emulate. Their actions become a blueprint for leading with focus, integrity, and purpose. This ensures the values and practices that inspire others continue to flourish and enrich lives.
“No matter what happens in life, be good to people. Being good to people is a wonderful legacy to leave behind.” – Taylor Swift, Multiple Grammy Award Winner
How to Build a Meaningful Leadership Legacy
Moving from being actively involved in leadership to a new chapter in life may seen daunting. To mitigate such feelings, reframe this transition as an opportunity to redefine the approaches to make a positive impact. Such a process requires intentional self-reflection, planning and action. Consider the following steps to start creating a legacy that matters:
1. Defining Leadership Purpose and Vision
A legacy starts with understanding the purpose — the “why” behind the person’s desire to lead. Answering the following questions can aid in defining, and redefining what the someone’s leadership purpose and vision can be: (i) What do you want to be remembered for? (ii) What values do you want to stand for? (iii) What impact do you want to create? Once these answers are clear, crafting a compelling statement that encompasses the vision and purpose serves as a roadmap for decisions, actions, and strategies to drive a meaningful leadership legacy.
2. Coach, Mentor and Develop Future Leaders
One of the most impactful ways to create a leadership legacy is by investing in the growth of others. Coaching and mentoring allow leaders to share their wisdom, experiences, and insights with those who will carry on their values and vision. Developing a pipeline of future leaders ensures influence is extended beyond tenure of the leader. This fosters continuity and growth in the organization or community.
3. Cultivate a Coaching Culture
A coaching culture focuses on continuous development to drive sustainable growth. In cultivating such an environment, leaders empower their teams to take ownership of their development and drive high performance. A coaching culture amplifies your impact but also embeds leadership values deeply into the fabric of the organization.
4. Drive Sustainable Impact and Community Engagement
A leadership legacy is not confined to the immediate circle of a leader. It extends to how they affect their community and the broader world. Engaging in activities that drive sustainable impact and community building, such as philanthropy, volunteer work, and thought leadership are crucial building blocks for meaningful and lasting leadership legacy. Demonstrate commitment to positive change with actions that inspire others to follow suit
5. Leave a Legacy of Values and Principles
It’s not just about what was achieved, but how it was achieved. A values-based legacy focuses on the principles which guided decisions and interactions. Identifying the core values and actively living out those values in daily actions is vital. When leaders model integrity, empathy, and purpose-driven leadership, these qualities become part of the legacy that comes after.
“Other teams win and are happy, but it’s not the same. The identity is lacking. In football the result is an impostor. You can do things really, really well but not win. There’s something greater than the result, more lasting – a legacy.” – Xavi Hernandez, World Cup Winner for Spain
Overcoming Challenges in Building a Leadership Legacy
The journey of building a leadership legacy that endures can be difficult. It can be challenging to maintain influence and relevance when moving away from being actively involved in leading people and organizations. Here are three strategies to use when faced with challenges.
1. Transitioning from Corporate Roles to Advisory or Consultancy Functions
Moving from an active leadership role to an advisory position can be a challenging transition. Nonetheless, this stage offers opportunities to coach and mentor others through strategic consulting or board roles. Doing so allows leaders to continue making a difference while leaving space for others to step up.
2. Navigating the Emotional Journey of Transition
Transitioning from an active leadership role to retirement or advisory positions can bring a mix of emotions, including uncertainty, loss of identity, and even anxiety about the future. Acknowledging these feelings is crucial to effectively navigate this change. Leaders can benefit from exploring these emotions through self-reflection, mindfulness practices, or seeking guidance from those who have embraced the journey. Embracing this emotional journey allows leaders to reframe their perspectives, recognize opportunities for growth, and approach the next chapter of life with renewed purpose and confidence.
3. Staying Relevant Post-Retirement
Many leaders worry about staying relevant. A key move to maintaining influence is to engage in thought leadership. This can be done through speaking engagements, contributing to industry discussions, or writing. By sharing expertise, insights, knowledge, and wisdom, leaders continue to shape conversations that inspires. Some approaches include regularly publishing insights on industry trends; continue to stay engaged and network with others on professional social media; and collaborate on research or white papers in a field of the leaders’ expertise
“The need to leave a legacy is our spiritual need to have a sense of meaning, purpose, personal congruence, and contribution.” – Stephen R. Covey, Educator & Author
Start Building Your Leadership Legacy with “Let’s Coach Golden Years”
The Let’s Coach Golden Years (LCGY) initiative provides the perfect opportunity to make a meaningful impact beyond retirement and continue your leadership journey. Led by ITD World CEO Dr. Peter Chee, this approach offers personalized coaching, mentoring, and the chance to contribute to a community of senior leaders driven by the desire to leave a profoundly meaningful legacy.
Redefine your golden years and transform your future now. Join the Let’s Coach Golden Years initiative today to start building a legacy that matters. Book a complimentary consultation with the remark “Golden Years” to ensure your golden years are your most impactful yet.
“Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” – Warren Buffet, Billionaire Investor
