The Leadership Legacy: What Will You Leave Behind?

What do you think about leadership? What do you think a leader is?”  We ask these questions at the start of a program to get people to examine understanding of leaders and leadership. When they come back with their opinion, I ask the next question: “Why do you think that?”. At this point they will usually tell a story about a boss they had at some point in the past. This opinion about leaders and leadership based on how someone led them.

Perhaps a previous boss set a great example which we emulate, or was so terrible their behaviour is a cautionary tale. In either case we are walking around being leaders based on how we were led. And that’s what we call a Leadership Legacy.

When I was fresh out of school, at my first job I screwed up something, and was very loudly, angrily, scolded by my boss. He was abusive, used terrible language and did it all in front of the entire department. The incident shocked me. But about 20 minutes later he called the department to the meeting room and publicly apologized to me. I remember this now 30 years later, as the moment that I learned that leaders take responsibility for their actions and are not afraid to own up and apologize.

The thing is, I have no idea what the project was, what the screw up was – in fact I barely remember what my job was. All that day-to-day stuff is gone. But what is not gone is the lesson I learned about leadership and who taught it to me. That is his Leadership Legacy.

It’s easy to focus on our day-to-day. The goals, projects, clients, OKRs, crises and milestones get our full attention. And we get stuff done. In fact, we have gone so far as to think that getting stuff done is leadership. But we forget that how we get this stuff done leaves a lasting impact. What kind of message are we sending to the people we lead about what leadership is or should be?

We don’t take time to reflect on what kind of leader we are and if it lines up with our values and principles, which means our leadership is reactive, short-sighted and inconsistent. We are building a legacy but not one we would be proud of (or even recognize). This is not just a personal problem, but also spells trouble for the organization. Bad leadership spreads and is replicated; bad habits perpetuate, harmful attitudes become the norm and soon workplace culture becomes toxic.

Why Legacy Matters

For organizations, a focus on the question of “what kind of leadership do we value?” is not just a rhetorical question. It’s a vital strategy for creating the kind of culture which we know yields the best results over the long term. It’s a strategy for sustainability in a different sense. When organizations adopt a people-centric approach they are able to think beyond the day-to-day results, and focus on how those results get achieved.

Becoming Conscious of Your Legacy

Building your Leadership Legacy requires deliberate effort – today. A politician, facing the end of a long career will often create big, audacious, projects. A process called ‘legacy shopping’; trying to do one last big thing to be remembered for. But they’ll be remembered for their whole career, not just the flashy thing they did on their way out the door. This is even more true for business leaders. Legacy is not something you can create in the last 5 years of your career.

If leadership is about achieving results, then leadership legacy is about how you did it. It starts with deliberation and self-awareness. Ask yourself:

1. What do I think about how to lead and where did that belief come from?
2. What kind of leader do I care to be remembered as?
3. How can I align my daily actions with the kind of legacy I want to have?

Do you foster trust, collaboration, and growth within your team? Or do you inadvertently create stress, confusion, or disengagement? This level of self-awareness allows leaders to make adjustments and course corrections where needed.

Practical Steps to Build Your Leadership Legacy

1. Cultivate Emotional Intelligence

Leaders leave the strongest legacies when they are in tune with the needs, emotions, and aspirations of their teams. Developing skills like active listening, empathy, and adaptability can significantly enhance your leadership impact.

2. Lead by Example

Your actions as a leader set the tone for your team. If you value integrity, demonstrate it in every decision. If you prize innovation, show a willingness to take calculated risks – and reward those on your team who do too.

3. Create Space for Reflection

Dedicate time to evaluate your leadership style and its effects on your team. Self-aware leaders keep a leadership journal where they record the lessons learned and write in it regularly.

4. Invest in Development

Great leaders are lifelong learners. Check in with your people and see how you’re doing, read, take courses, observe other leaders. Build a personal culture of self-improvement.

5. Focus on Relationships

Your legacy will be most deeply felt in the relationships you build. Prioritize mentorship, offer (and seek) constructive feedback, and celebrate the successes of your team members. These personal connections are often what people remember most about a leader.

Long View

For most of us, our Leadership Legacy is not about what we achieve – that will be lost to time – our legacy will be how we did what we did, the relationships we fostered and the influence we had on others.  

The best leaders don’t leave their legacy to chance. They engage with it actively, asking themselves not just, “What am I doing today?” but, “What am I building for tomorrow?”

In a world where the pace of work can feel relentless, stepping back to consider your leadership legacy might feel like a luxury. But in truth, it’s one of the most enduring investments you can make—for yourself, your team, and your organization.