Tuesday Morning Focal Point – January 26, 2016 – Leaving a Legacy
Recently there has been a lot of talk in the sporting world about one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game of football, likely being on the brink of retirement. This player, Peyton Manning of the Denver Broncos will leave an incredible legacy when he does leave the game, whether at the end of this season or sometime in the future.
The concept of legacy is something that anyone who wants to be significant in the world of business (or anything else for that matter) must consider. Most leaders in their early to mid-career range are not even contemplating their legacy, and in many cases those headed towards the end of their careers are not either. What consideration have you given to the legacy you want to leave? Have you stopped to consider the impact you want to have in the world and how you want to be remembered? What kind of a mark do you want to leave?
In my coaching and consulting work, I have found that the majority of the most successful individuals in business are those who have a life purpose and even a company purpose far beyond just making money and increasing profitability. Growing a business is a tall order, and doing it successfully is a great accomplishment in its own right. However, true leaders and the greatest business women and men are those who have a purpose that extends beyond great profits and earnings. These individuals do indeed achieve great profits and earnings but the success is fueled in part by a desire to have an impact on society and the world on a macro-level.
Regardless of where you are in your career, and how successful your current business or enterprise is in terms of profitability and earnings, how successful are you being in the bigger picture? If you were to leave the business world tomorrow, what would you be remembered for? Would it be that you knew how to sell, knew how to make a lot of money, come up with innovative ideas? Perhaps one of those things is what you would really like to be remembered for. Or, perhaps you have a desire to make an impact that is greater and to be remembered as someone who contributed in a much more significant way to our world.
Peyton Manning will of course be remembered for being an incredible quarterback, and the holder of many records. However, he will be remembered for much, much, much more than that as a result of his much broader and more significant contributions to society. And you???
Cameron’s Call to Action
- Stop and write a few sentences that describe how you want to be remembered i.e. the legacy you want to leave.
- Review your business plan for this year. Identify some specific goals or actions in your plan that will actively contribute to building the legacy you want to leave.
- Identify and eliminate any business activities or strategies that are incongruent with the legacy you want to leave.
- Choose 2 tiny actions (to be completed this week), 2 medium actions (to be completed in the next quarter) and 2 large actions (to be completed in the year) that will advance your efforts to accomplish your larger purpose, and contribute to the legacy you want to leave.
