Leadership and Your Long Term Legacy

Perhaps you've heard the story about the Renaissance era traveler who came upon a group of three men smashing rocks by the side of the road.  He asked the first man what he was doing and the man said, "I am engaged in the daily drudgery of smashing large rocks into smaller rocks." The traveller then asked the second man what he was doing.  With more energy and enthusiasm, the man said, "I'm shaping these rocks into bricks."  Finally, the traveler asked the third man the question.  With a fire in his eyes, the man joyfully replied, "I'm building a cathedral to celebrate the glory of God."

It's all about perspective and intent.  Today, I got a different perspective by climbing to the top of the cathedral in Florence, Italy.  Construction on the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore began in 1296 and ended 170 years later. It's capped by a 375 foot high duomo which is the largest brick dome in the world.  If you have eight Euros and some cardiovascular endurance, you can walk up 464 steps that lead to an outdoor platform at the top of the dome.  From there, you're treated to a 360 degree view of Florence and Tuscany. 

As I was walking through this ancient city searching for dinner tonight, I started thinking about the kind of leadership that must be required to start a project you won't live to see the end of.  It's easy to look at a cathedral and conclude that you'll likely never work on something like that.  That doesn't mean, however, that your leadership can't build a legacy that outlives you.

Here are a couple of examples that might hit closer to home.

Over the past few years, I've had the good fortune to work several times with newly promoted admirals in the US Navy and US Coast Guard.  As I began that work, a retired admiral said to me "It's likely that some of the people you're speaking to will have buildings named after them some day."  That's a pretty cool legacy, but it's about as likely that most of us will end up being legendary admirals as it is that we'll build a cathedral.  The admirals are a little closer to home, but maybe we're not quite there yet.

So, here's an example that any leader should be able to relate to when considering the opportunity to leave a legacy that lasts beyond one's time on earth. 

I've been in Florence this week to speak to newly promoted executives of a global energy company.  Last night, I went to dinner with a good friend who helps head up executive development for the company.  We were talking about a session earlier in the week where the new execs were encouraged to consider their legacies.  My friend told me about an executive she knows named Bill who's been with the company for more than 30 years and who, through his leadership and tough love mentoring, has developed two generations of world class supply chain managers.  They've set the standard in their discipline for their industry and others. That's a legacy that's going to outlast Bill.

Is it a cathedral or a memorial building?  No, but the work of Bill and his proteges have made a huge difference to their company and, in turn, to the lives of its millions of customers around the world.

It's all about perspective and intent.  How long term is your perspective?  What intentions do you have as a leader that could leave a legacy that extends beyond your time here?  Those aren't rhetorical questions.  I'd love to hear what you come up with.

Comments

[Gayle Ely]

I am an assistant administrator for a govt field office. The administrator(head of staff)is the first female to be appointed to the position and has been an exceptional mentor for me. Over the 12 years I have worked with her, she has provided me with the opportunities she wishes she had had in order to prepare her for the administrator position. She has allowed me to travel with her and introduced me to many stakeholders in the industry we serve. She has allowed me to try new things in our organization and has been gracious enough to allow me to learn from my mistakes. As she now approaches retirement (no date is yet set), I reflect with gratitude on the ways in which she is leaving her legacy. Both I and our organization will benefit from her efforts.

[eric dubbin]

I worked with a supervisor in the National Park Service. He told of a custodian at one park when asked what drove him, he replied: "That people who visit the park never have to consider the cleanliness of the bathrooms. That they spend their time paying attention to the grandeur of the park and getting closer to their families. If I am successful, visitors can focus on why they came to visit and not be sidetracked by a dirty public area." He believed in the mission of his workplace. This true story is another example of why mindset matters.