Quick…name the top three people you look to for leadership advice.
Who’s on your list? Martin Luther King, Jr., Steve Jobs, Sojourner Truth, Sir Richard Branson? So many possibilities.
I’m willing to bet that Dolly Parton was not on your list…but maybe she should be. Dolly really gets what we mean when we talk about leading your legacy as one of the three pillars of leadership. Here’s what she has to say about legacy.
“If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, then you are an excellent leader.”
She’s right on target. The greatest responsibility of a leader is to support everyone around them to Rise Up.
So, where are you creating your leadership legacy?
Perhaps you are inspiring others to dream more…supporting innovation and creativity in your business, your family, or your community. Or maybe you’re leading others to learn more, providing access to training in new skills or serving as a mentor to the next generation.
Who are you inspiring to do more…finding ways to lean into more responsibility, greater ownership, increased participation? Is your own leadership journey serving as an example that shows others how to become more and to continue growing personally and professionally?
Leadership starts as an inside job. That’s the first pillar. When you commit yourself to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you inspire others to do the same. That’s where the second pillar of leading your team and the third pillar of leading your legacy come in.
As this year unfolds, think about the people – famous or not – who inspired you to rise up to be a leader. And then, take conscious action to lead your own legacy.
The world is waiting for you.
Blessings,
Chris Ann Williams
CEO