Thinking of Legacy as Your Presence in Your Absence

This past year, I lost two dear mentors - Frances Hesselbein and Janet Hill. Frances was the CEO of the Girl Scouts, the first woman on the cover of BusinessWeek and recognized by Peter Drucker as the most natural leader he has ever known.

Janet was a board director (Kennedy Center, Duke University , and The Carlyle Group ), and sports royalty (as National Basketball Association (NBA) Commissioner Adam Silver puts it) - as mom to Hall of Fame inductee Grant Hill and wife to NFL Hall of Fame inductee Calvin Hill.

Their influence spanned multiple generations - from captains of industry to military generals and trailblazers - and across multiple sectors and industries.

There are days still when I reach for the phone to call them only to realize they are no longer with us. Their presence, in their absence, persists because of the care, love, and investment they poured into us. From Frances, one of my favorite saying of hers is - "Be ye an opener of doors for others." And Janet always pushed me always to think bigger. Both helped me see possibilities in myself that I had not dreamt of before.

Their legacy endures because they minded the small moments as well as the large public ones. Their character superpowers of generosity, kindness, and curiosity made them compelling mentors and role models for so many.

In my latest MIT Sloan Management Review Coaching for the Future-Forward Leader column, a reader had posed a question about legacy. I share this as I reflect on these two remarkable mentors of mine and the legacy they’ve created.

Here’s an excerpt:

How can I shape my legacy as a leader?

Q: I feel that much of my leadership over the past few years has been crisis management. While I’m proud that we’ve achieved stability and growth in difficult times, that doesn’t feel like a lasting legacy. How can I make my mark here?

A: The notion of building a legacy is daunting because we frame it in terms of what we leave behind: the final tally of our accomplishments netting out as the inheritance we pass to the next generation. From this perspective, the idea of legacy is inherently transactional and creates the illusion that building legacy is all about posting great results.

Of course, creating new sources of value or transforming operations for greater sustainability may be part of the legacy you’ll be proud to leave behind. But this way of thinking about our legacies is also temporally disjunct. It makes our legacy appear far off, something that is manifest in the future.

We forget that legacy is actually something we’re continually building in the present. And we do it in small moments, such as those monthly breakfasts you have with new hires to seek their perspectives, showing that they matter. It can be in the stories that you share, highlighting not only those who closed the deal but celebrating those whose assists enabled the win. It can happen when you mentor a colleague who’s experiencing a crisis of confidence.

Instead of focusing on grand accomplishments, think about legacy as your presence in your absence. That doesn’t mean legacy is your memory living on — it’s more dynamic. Cultivating legacy as presence in absence means asking: How do you want the person you are now — your values, your imagination — to continue to helpfully animate the organization after you’ve left? How do you shape the culture of your company? Why are you doing this in the first place — what purpose drives you?

This shift in mindset accomplishes two big things……

For the rest of the column, click here: MIT SMR Sanyin Column

As you read this, I'd love to hear what resonates and what advice you would also share as this is something we encounter different times in our careers. And hopefully, we’ll remember that in the end, our enduring legacies are what other people make of what we have passed on to them.

And please share with me questions that you might have for future columns.

Other Perspectives on this Question

Something I’ve discovered is that we can benefit from each other’s perspectives. So the vision for this feature is to also create the space for wisdom from each other. Here are additional pieces of advice that my friends have shared via askSanyin@mit.edu and on LinkedIN:

Ed Magee  (VP of Strategic Operations, Belmont University ):

“There is no legacy but the legacy you leave in the hearts and minds of your people. 

I used to have this thing for digital clocks. Every organization where I led or ran factories (Fuqua School of Business, Harley-Davidson, ABB, Fender), I’d make sure that by the time I left, there would be digital clocks prominently displayed so that I could come back and say, “I did that.” 

Digital clocks are cool, but beating hearts are what cement legacy. When you leave an organization and someone tells me, “your leadership changed my life.” That’s the legacy that matters. 

I always strive to connect with my teams in a way that (1) makes them better leaders for the company; (2) makes them better leaders in the development of their career goals/objectives and (3) gives them runway to grow as a human being. 

This often times involves taking a bit of risk. Regardless of the risk, the gratification and appreciation from someone saying, “this opportunity made a difference in my personal/professional life” is the legacy that I strive to leave behind everywhere I go.“

Danette Leighton  (CEO, Women’s Sports Foundation)

“I have always tried to live and work to my personal values and principles. I have never been perfect. I have made many mistakes throughout my life and career. My goal was to not beat myself up over those mistakes or failures, but to learn from them, be more resilient, get comfortable being vulnerable, in order to pay it forward to help the next person, either professionally or personally.

Legacy to me is not about my professional or personal accomplishments. Its about always remembering where I started and those that helped me along the way to support me and to make sure I do the same for those that come after me. Leading by example as best I can, knowing that failing, making mistakes and being vulnerable are just as important to share as your accomplishments. 

Taking the time to help the next group that wants to follow in your path. It will go a long way for those that are just getting started. Remember yourself in their shoes and what you did not know and how thankful you would have been if someone took the time for you. It may seem simple, but if my legacy is that I took the time to care and help the next, that is enough for me.”

Patrick Hunt (President, World Association of Basketball Coaches, and Inductee Basketball New South Wales Hall of Fame)

“Never underestimate the impact you have on people every time you you have an interaction with them.”

Lauren Thomas Ewing, ACC, CPC, ELI-MP  (Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Partner, GV (Google Ventures) )

“Build your legacy every day…..”

Kevin Anselmo  (Author, Reframing Career Success)

“Here is a counterintuitive idea regarding career legacy- nobody will remember you! If you go back 150 years, can you name the most notable business person of that time? If yes, how many can you name? There are 8 billion people on earth today. What are the chances that you will be remembered 150 years into the future? The reality is good news when approaching work from a faith perspective. It takes the pressure off us to make a name for ourselves. For me, as a Christian, I view my work as an important contribution - big or small- to the overall flourishing of an organization at a specific point in time as part of God’s masterplan.

I encourage all readers of this column to consider their worldview (regardless of their religion/faith) in thinking about their legacy. A particularly useful exercise is to write out a concrete definition of career success, taking into account that your work will one day be forgotten and incorporating your particular worldview. in clue in your definition the related metrics. keep this definition visible o it can serve as an ongoing reminder about what is important to you. I believe that this clarity provides peace, contentment and motivation as you go through the highs and lows of work.”

Thank you all for reading and for your continual support. I look forward to hearing from you, always.

The question that I'll be covering in my next MIT Sloan Management Review Column is:

My organization urgently needs to execute on a new strategic initiative but frankly, I’m not confident that current staff possess the skills and drive this effort requires. How can I field a championship team when I don’t have any all-star players?.

What insights do you have for this question? Or what questions might you have for me to cover in future columns? Email me at askSanyin@mit.edu or message me on LinkedIN.