Introduction
Every leader should care about his leadership legacy. Leaders make differences to the lives of people around them. Whatever they impact on these people will be forwarded to the future of the organization and thus the leaders should see to it that they impact a positive legacy to the people. In order for managers to create a lasting legacy, they must come up with values and show them in their living (Galford & Maruca, 2006). During my retirement party, I would want people to appreciate me as a leader who impacted good leadership to them.
Main Discussion
On my retirement, I would like my successors to describe me as a legacy leader who practiced interpersonal skills. Interpersonal skills help in connecting the leaders to the employees and people around them in order to improve their performance. Interpersonal skills can be achieved by a leader through clear communication in order to avoid misunderstandings. I would want my successors to remember me as a leader who solved conflicts between the employees by acting as a mediator and thus gaining respect from them. I should also be appreciative which will lead to employees being motivated, should also pay attention to others and practice listening skills.
I would want to be remembered as a legacy leader who empowered the employees and people around me. Empowerment can be achieved by Leaders supporting their successors to grow and be successful in life. When people are empowered they will be in a position to make decisions in future when faced with a problem since empowerment creates self belief and resilience. I should inspire and train others to have a good future.
As a leader I would like to be described as a person who has a mission in life which will helps to visualize the performance of the organization in future. This can be achieved by coming up with strategies on how to achieve success in future and involving people to participate in implementing these strategies so that they also enjoy success in future (Brooks, Stark & Caverhill, 2004). A legacy leader should know what is to be achieved and how to achieve it. The leader should also avoid adversity in order to be able to help others who are in need.
I would like my successors to appreciate and admire my conduct after I retire. I should do what I say and be accountable for my actions and not hold other people accountable. Good conduct can be achieved when leaders use their powers in a better way to avoid pride, they should also be respectful and generous and this will result in admiration from their successors. I should also act as mentors to my successors by teaching them what I have learned through experience.
In order to have positive legacy I should be a leader who is approachable and one who helps people to work towards achieving excellence and not perfection. By being an approachable leader, good environment is created for employees to bring new ideas which will help in achieving success in future (Galford & Maruca, 2006). Leaders should always ensure that they maintain high performance standards and thus should not fear to take risks in achieving what is right. I would also want to be remembered as a teacher who influenced other people to learn in order to achieve improvements. Credibility is also an important trait which as a legacy leader I should have since people will always analyze the credibility of the leader after retirement.
Conclusion
Legacy leaders should positively influence their successor. This article explains that legacy leadership can be achieved by leaders who have vision in life and have knowledge of achieving the goals set. The leader should also have good conduct, be credible, be a teacher and also have interpersonal skills.
Reference List
- Brooks,.M., Stark, J., & Caverhill, S. (2004). Your Leadership Legacy: The Difference You Make in People’s Lives. Chicago.Koehler Publishers.
- Galford, R., & Maruca, R. (2006).Your leadership legacy: why looking toward the future will make you a better leader today. New York. Harvard Business Press.