The past, present, and future are the three dimensions of time. The past is irrevocably lost and unchangeable; the future has not yet come to pass. To build a better future, we can take lessons from the past and apply them to the choices we make today. The present is the only “real” dimension. Decisions made by leaders in the “now” shape the future, which, once realized, becomes their legacy.
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But being a leader involves more than just leading teams, accomplishing objectives, or making difficult choices now. Genuine leadership seeks to make a lasting impression and goes beyond the short term. A concept known as “legacy leadership” urges leaders to consider the legacy they will leave behind by their choices.
By analyzing the remarkable transformations taking place in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under the leadership of His Excellency Mohammed Bin Salman, the country’s crown prince, we will discuss the significance of legacy leadership and offer suggestions for how leaders can become more aware of the legacy they create. His goals are realized in the “Vision 2030” project, which swiftly transforms Saudi society through massive initiatives to modernize public life in the Kingdom and unprecedented reforms for economic diversification.
I. What Legacy Leadership Is
The concept of legacy leadership goes beyond all conventional leadership models. It highlights the long-term effects of one’s current choices and actions, looking past the short-term results and concentrating on the long-term effects on people, organizations, and society.
Success versus Legacy Legacy leadership distinguishes between legacy and success. Success is frequently gauged by short-term accomplishments like quarterly profits, project completion, or job promotions. On the other hand, legacy is the lasting impact a leader has on the individuals and organizations they lead. For a lot of leaders, it is a major paradigm shift that calls on them to think more deeply and intentionally about the future they wish to build by looking beyond the next quarter or year. By leaving behind not only the leader’s memory but also the cultures, systems, structures, and procedures that will guarantee the following generation of leaders has a strong base on which to build, enduring success transcends time.
The Everlasting Leader A legacy leader has no time constraints. Long after they have left their position, their influence still shapes the future. Leaders can change their focus from short-term successes to long-term advancement by realizing this.
II. Legacy Leadership’s Foundation
Purpose-Oriented Management
Legacy leaders are driven by a clear sense of purpose. They are aware that their choices will have an effect on future generations. Leaders must align their actions with a noble purpose in order to become more aware of the legacy they are leaving behind.
Making Ethical Decisions
In legacy leadership, ethics are crucial. Even in the face of temporary difficulties or temptations to compromise their values, leaders must make moral choices that endure.
Development and Mentoring
Developing the potential of those they lead is a crucial component of legacy leadership. Through coaching, mentoring, and investing in others’ development, leaders make sure that their influence endures by ensuring that their mentees succeed. After all, a leader’s primary responsibility is to develop future leaders.
Social Responsibility and the Environment
Legacy leaders recognize that we live in a shared world and that social and environmental responsibility are crucial. When making decisions, they give social justice, inclusivity, and sustainability top priority.
III. Creating a Legacy Mentality
Introspection
To evaluate the effects of their choices and actions, leaders need to regularly reflect on themselves. They need to apply their self-awareness, which is the capacity to separate oneself from oneself and examine one’s own ideas and actions. Additionally, they need to be creative and imaginative in order to come up with new ways of doing and being. The capacity to distinguish between right and wrong is their conscience. Additionally, they possess the self-reliance, initiative, and behavior necessary to achieve better outcomes. They are able to adjust their direction and keep an eye on the future thanks to this reflective practice.
Long-Term Plan
Legacy leaders make strategic decisions by taking the long term into account. They invest in projects that will have a long-term beneficial impact and make succession plans. Effective tactics also evaluate the culture a leader wishes to establish. Measurable actions or behaviors that produce the intended outcomes must be a part of a strategy. Even though leaders use words to shape the future, an organization’s actions shape it. Assume that culture is defined as the culmination of people’s shared behaviors, languages, and interpersonal relationships. Thus, it is crucial that a strategy takes behavioral lead indicators—that is, the behaviors that will influence the future—into account.
Good Communication
Communicating one’s legacy vision to stakeholders and one’s team is essential. To guarantee that everyone is on board with the legacy they want to leave behind, leaders should make sure they express their values, purpose, and expectations in a clear and concise manner.