How Do I Become a Legacy Leader?

Becoming a Legacy Leader is not a complicated matter, but it isn’t easy. The steps along the path are very visible but the road is narrow and steep. The further you travel, the narrower and steeper it gets. But, the destination is so worth the journey.

There are 3 absolutes in this Legacy Leadership journey. The first is you must be values driven. Everything you do must be generated from your core values and anything that distracts, obstructs, or diverts or you from those values must be discarded. So, this first absolute gives us a glimpse into why such a simple road can be so difficult to travel. If my core values include integrity, there are many things that will challenge my living that value on a daily basis. And that leads me to the second absolute, you must “talk your walk!”

We’ve all heard how we have to “walk our talk,” but I propose that it is just as important for us to “talk our walk!” Setting a values driven behavior example is very important, in fact, you cannot be a Legacy Leader without doing that. That is what the first absolute is all about. But, assuming that your people will magically absorb the value from observing your behavior is an expectation that has never been fully attainable. People need to know what the values are. They need to hear their leaders constantly and consistently talk about those values . Not as lectures or sermons but as explanations. Letting people know that I do this because this is a manifestation of our value, (insert the appropriate value here). Let me provide an example. Our company, Culture By Choice, has a set of values that creates an acronym; PAIL. We value People, Action, Integrity, and Love. We talk about filling the PAIL for each of our clients, every day. So, for our team and our clients, we describe what we do each day in terms of how what is being done is filling the PAIL. It’s intentional. We are “talking our walk!”

The third absolute is accountability. Legacy Leaders must hold themselves accountable for their actions and they must allow others to hold them accountable as well. Once you’ve done that, you can hold others accountable and this leads to the path that takes you towards a Legacy Culture. You cannot be a Legacy Leader without being accountable. You cannot have a Legacy Culture unless everyone is accountable. Once again, we see why this Legacy Leadership journey is so difficult. You can’t travel the road by yourself. Doing it all alone is impossible. The really good news is that having company on this journey is liberating and fulfilling. Having the support of others can make it easier.

I wish you success in your endeavors. I want to offer my help should you try to take this journey. Message me and let’s start a conversation. Together we can change “our world!”