You are walking through a graveyard and you see a headstone. You walk towards it and you see a name engraved on it. It’s the same name as you. Wow! What a coincidence. You notice that there is a date of birth. It’s the same as yours. You realise that you have died. What else is on the headstone? What does it say about the difference you made when you were on Earth? What was your legacy?
Okay, let’s lighten up a bit and realise that you are not dead. Think about if you leave your current organisation. At some time in the future someone goes up to one of your ex-colleagues and asks them about you. They ask what you were like as a leader. How did you treat people? Did you grow and develop others? What difference did you make to people’s lives?
What would they say about you? What legacy did you leave? Did you make a difference?
In my book, Road Rules for Leadership, I talk about 21 things that you can do to become a better leader. Rule number 21 is ‘create your legacy now’. Don’t wait until you have left your current organisation (or are dead). Make a difference!
Create your legacy now.
