YOUR LEADERSHIP LEGACY

"A name is better than good oil, and the day of death than the day of one’s being born... Better is the end afterward of a matter than its beginning. " (Eccl. 7: 1, 8; NWT)

A former colleague of mine, along with his aged father and siblings, put his mother to rest this morning. Yesterday afternoon a bright February sun splashed the Fellowship Hall with warmth as well-wishers and family friends displayed their love, concern and support for the family. Their mother fought off cancer for sixteen years and only in the most recent two did its debilitating effects extract the most from her. She led a bountiful life that fell shy of 87 years by just two weeks.

In many respects there isn't anything particularly special about this except for those she personally nurtured, influenced and served. You know and likely have lost wonderful people just like my dear friend's mother.

TURN, TURN, TURN

Many my age are very familiar with Solomon's words from those penned in the bible's book of Ecclesiastes, the third chapter. Pete Seeger's "Turn, Turn, Turn (To Everything There is A Season)" was popularized commercially by David Crosby and Roger McGuinn, the prominent two of the five that comprised The Byrds. Turn, Turn, Turn though written by Seeger in 1959 wasn't recorded until 1962 and, as a single, went to the top of the charts in 1965 after the Byrds recorded and released it on the Columbia label.

Setting that aside, less often than other popular biblical verses, those noted above from Ecclesiastes the seventh chapter have a certain application as we contemplate and celebrate one's life passing.

The reasons I decided to highlight this particular woman's life and death with the objective of raising the issue of one's "leadership legacy" are many. Like numerous others of her generation, the child of immigrants, she was born in the Midwest, schooled there, graduated from a small college in Minnesota and went to work to support her husband while he finished school after serving in World War II. Both eventually became educators with a desire to serve and teach young ones from Whitehall, WI to Tripoli, Libya and that they did. You and I know there is a substantial leadership legacy embodied here and it is safe to assume it has less to do with students who sat in her classrooms than it does the impact she had on some of their lives, forever.

APPETITE FOR LEADERSHIP

Leadership is a fascinating thing and of course today, we talk and write about constantly. There is obviously a great appetite for Leadership Lessons as evidenced by the plethora of books, seminars, blog posts and endless opportunities for business owners and executives to improve their lot by paying attention to and applying even a small share of what is available to them.

Thinking back on my business career and leadership positions I was privileged to serve in, I don't recall ever being asked about what I was doing to assure that my leadership legacy would include those things I considered important when I finished. I wish someone had.

The point Solomon was making, of course, was that at the beginning of life, as happy an occasion that is for most parents, the newborn has yet to contribute to the family and society as a whole. It is only at "the day of death" that someone who had the responsibility of leading any other single or collective group of humans beings can be lionized for the good or bad they undertook as leaders. It is my belief that those who accept and actively engage in leadership ought to think about and answer the question I was never asked.

THINKING AHEAD - YOUR LEADERSHIP LEGACY

You've heard or had the experience in one way or another when the theoretical question is asked, "If you were to write your own eulogy today, would you be satisfied with it?" Our tendency may be to cooperate with the facilitator of such an exercise but readily set the thought of it aside once we step away from it. The reality is that we must give thought to our leadership skills as it relates to a leading a "High Performing Company" just as we must seriously map out the direction we intend to take the company or enterprise we lead.

Business owners and CEOs have to be reminded that a well-executed exit strategy isn't something results from a happenstance notion to do so. Many do lose sight of the fact that often times the planning required for the "Exit" is far more important than the planning to begin. Not unlike the difference between birth and death and I say that in anything but morbid terms.

So then, what do you want your "leadership legacy" to include and if it is to be a true legacy, what impact would you care to leave on those you have the privilege to lead? The leaders that led me didn't resonate with me because of earned or inherent wealth created for themselves or financially invested stakeholders. That isn't to say some of them didn't achieve great financial success, but that happens to be the least of their qualities that comes to my mind.

Those that have a left their leadership legacy with me did so out of a generosity of spirit, firm but kind guidance, a sharing of well-timed wisdom and doors that were to be closed only if I pulled them shut before me. We could argue that certain people just have that ability and without much thought, gave their best. While that may be so, it is my contention that a leader who consciously does the same now will not be easily forgotten by those that benefit from that determination.

Jim Naleid is a Life-long Entrepreneur, Change-Agent and Thought Leader, Managing Director of Naleid & Associates and Regional TEC (“The Executive Committee”) Chair leading a group of executives to become Better Leaders, Making Better Decisions with Better Results. http://www.linkedin.com/in/jimnaleid