Leadership is for tomorrow
When you finish your time as a manager or leader, what do you want to leave behind? What do you want to be the results of all your efforts? That’s your legacy.
Far too many organisations are stuck in managing ‘today’ rather than planning ahead to the end. Short-term thinking can be incredibly limiting. This year’s profit and loss account is not the be all and end all. Rather than focusing on the here and now, look ahead to the success you want to deliver. Leading is done now, for tomorrow.
Leave a legacy
It’s always best to agree a vision of the future that every stakeholder can get behind. If everyone mucks in and helps to deliver that vision, then you can all achieve more than you could alone.
Work out the legacy you want and work backwards from there. What would you see if everything goes well? What would your team or organisation have achieved? They are your goals. By working hard to achieve them now, they will come later.
Plan for success
Success comes as a result of preparation and planning. Winning comes from delivering on your plans. No mission, no plan. No plan, no winning. No winning, no legacy.
Start with the vision of the future you want to see. Create the best mission to deliver it. Set the winning standards you need to achieve it. Agree the process, culture and winning behaviours to bring everyone together. What do you want your legacy to be?