A Leader’s Legacy
Sep 11th, 2008 by admin
I wasn’t sure I heard her correctly. It sounded like she said, “Someday we’re going to be a billion dollar business.” I can remember thinking that she probably meant to say million. But then she said it again, in a self-confident and assured way, “A Billion dollar business.”
She was the receptionist sitting at a secondhand desk in a lobby situated at the front of a small warehouse that was being used for office space. The lobby was smaller than most bathrooms. Phone lines dangled from the ceiling tiles along with a number of other cables and wires that disappeared somewhere under her desk. I was crammed into the corner sitting in the only chair in the lobby.
I was there for an interview…well, sort of an interview, but not really. I was new to the Phoenix area, and the consultant I was working with recommended that I go out for several practice interviews before I met with a real opportunity. This was my first practice interview.
After sitting there for a while and surveying the scene, I was convinced the consultant was an idiot. My instinct was to excuse myself, make a dash out the door, jump in my car and peel out of the parking lot without looking back. About that time, one of the company’s founders walked into the lobby and greeted me. His name was Jeff.
After about an hour with Jeff and another hour with a few other leaders on his team, I was convinced the receptionist was right. This company was up to something big. It was poised to catch the first wave of a technology revolution, and I wanted to be a part of that. I was ready to confess my interview ploy and ask for a job, but Jeff beat me to the punch. He asked if I wanted to be a part of something great – to change the way the world worked. In less than a split second, I said yes.
We did go on to become a multi-billion dollar Fortune 500 company. The 15 years I spent with Jeff were extraordinary. Not because we grew into a large company, but because Jeff created a culture where people could be great. They were encouraged to take risks, test their limits, continuously learn and apply those lessons to get even better. That’s what drove Jeff personally. As a leader, he never stopped learning, and even more importantly, he never stopped teaching his team. That’s quite a legacy, isn’t it?
A legacy is the difference you make and the lasting impact you have on others, both good and bad. What is your legacy? It’s never too early to think about it. Far too many managers are playing a small game and pursuing trivial metrics just to meet their quarterly objectives. That small game keeps their people small too.
But if you’re up to something great, you’ll see that your people are growing in personal power, significance and capability. You’ll be tested, stretched, challenged and learning just as your team will if you are in a game changing venture.
It really doesn’t matter if you are an individual contributor, manger or executive – anyone can choose to be or do something truly extraordinary…or not. It’s your legacy.
