A few years ago I read a wonderful book that really expanded my perspective as I began a process of transition in my life from “up and coming” to “established and reinventing,” which continues today. The book, The Third Chapter by Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot (2009), deals with people like myself, who both personally and professionally are somewhere between being young and old and are seeking opportunities that will expand their reach, challenge their hearts, and make a lasting impact on generations to come. She speaks of a common imperative: “the wish to give forward, to be useful, and to make an imprint. They want their lives to have meant something.” I refer to this as leaving my leadership legacy. When I get to the end of my life, I want to know without a doubt that I used every moment of my life in the best way possible and that I have left an imprint on others, particularly those who will lead people.
Early in my career I owned a business that worked with children and teens. It was an exciting time and I am still in contact with a few of them. It is extremely gratifying to see how well they turned out as adults, and to see the way that the time we spent together may have made a positive impact on them. One day, I took my staff to lunch with the intention of casting a big vision in their hearts as to how we could better serve our students. I said to them, “I want what we do with these kids today to have a 200-year impact!” I figured they would all get as excited about this as I was, but greatly to my surprise, they didn’t. In fact, they mostly dismissed my vision as being unrealistic and unattainable. It was obvious that they didn’t quite understand how important our work was, or that there truly was the potential of making a long-term and far-reaching impact on our current students and generations to come. Needless to say, the partnership I had with that staff didn’t last long.
I am deeply committed to leaving a legacy personally, spiritually, professionally, and as a leader. My heart’s desire is to pour my life into the development of future leaders who will carry on the work to which I have devoted my life. My hope is that 200 years from now, there is someone who still goes about leading others in a manner similar to what I’ve done. It doesn’t matter if they know my name or if they know where their approach originated; the important thing is that some of the values and attitudes I’ve held will carry on.
So why am I saying this? My hope is that as you lead people, you will adopt my vision of having a 200-year influence, and that you won’t just do things that are easy or expedient, but things that will have the ability to make a significant impact on the lives of this generation and many to follow. The world needs people who care about making a positive impact on people today, but who will also look beyond just getting through this current age. If we are to live a life that has a lasting impact, our view must expand, our actions be those of a servant-leader, and our effort be an intentional investment into the leaders who will take our place in the future.
Lead well.