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Your Leadership Legacy

Leading is not easy. In addition to the responsibility of making tough decisions, there are relationships that need care, systems, and networks that need attention, and your personal health to be considered. 

Whether you know it or claim it, what you say and do as a leader leaves an impact upon the people entrusted to your care. That impact is the legacy of your leadership. 

What is your legacy?

Usually, when people talk about legacy, they are talking about making an impact at the end of their lives. They leave money, build a building, or add a wing to a building in memory of a loved one. I’m not questioning the goodness of those legacies, but I do think there is another legacy that makes a greater impact over a longer period of time. It is your legacy as a leader. 

You leave an incredible legacy through the relationships you develop and sustain on a daily basis. What you leave behind lives in the hearts and minds of the people entrusted to your care. It is measured by what you do and what you say every day. 

Begin with the End in Mind

Habit number 2 in Stephen R. Covey’s book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, is “Begin with the End in Mind.” He wrote, “To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination. It means to know where you’re going so that you better understand where you are now and so that the steps you take are always in the right direction.”

How will you be remembered?

The same is true regarding your legacy. So, how do you want to be remembered? 

People could say, “You were extremely busy and that you always seemed to work hard.” What they say might be true, but it is easy to get caught up in an activity trap, in the busy-ness of life, to work harder and harder at trying to move up the ladder of success only to discover that the ladder is leaning against the wrong wall. It is possible to be busy and to work hard without being very effective. Is that the legacy you want to leave?

Live your Life By Design

According to Covey, “to begin with the end in mind” is to live your life by design. He wrote, “Before you go on a trip, you determine your destination and plan out the best route. Before you plant a garden, you plan it out in your mind, possibly on paper. You create speeches on paper before you give them, you envision the landscaping in your yard before you landscape it, you design the clothes you make before you thread the needle.”

By Design or By Default?

The same is true regarding your legacy. So, how do you want to be remembered? Living by design or living by default? In your personal life, if you do not develop your own self-awareness and become responsible for the direction of your life, you give other people and circumstances the power and influence to shape your life by default. You reactively live by the direction of work, family, circumstances, and the agenda of others. These agendas are usually rooted in your deep vulnerabilities, dependency on others, and your need for acceptance. You allow your sense of importance and worth to be directed by default. Is that the legacy you want to leave?

Five Characteristics of a Leadership Legacy

What legacy do you want to develop and leave behind? How do you want to be remembered? Here are 5 characteristics that will help you design your leadership legacy.

Develop your character. 

Character plays a critical role in leadership. It will leave a lasting impression. Too many people are concerned with their reputation when they should be concentrating on their character. Your character is who you really are, while your reputation is what others think you are. Developing your character and your leadership legacy will take care of itself.

We live in a time where character does not seem important. Whether it be in politics, social media, or just truth-telling, the focus seems more upon what you can get for yourself rather than what part of yourself you give to others. Remember, who you are is how you lead. Your character will leave a legacy for others to follow and to emulate. 

Develop the potential in others. 

Your legacy will be seen in how you value the people around you. Bene Brown, in Dare to Lead, describes a leader as “anyone who takes responsibility for finding the potential in people and processes, and who has the courage to develop that potential.” God has gifted every person with special strengths, talents, and gifts. Your care and connection are irreplaceable in developing the strengths and gifts of the people entrusted to your care. 

Too many leaders overlook the gifts of the people with whom they work. Instead of becoming vulnerable and trusting colleagues, they begin to micromanage and become defensive. Whether it be at work, with family, or in daily relationships, your ability to help others be who they have been created to be is vital in developing happy and healthy relationships. 

Who you are is how you lead. Your leadership legacy is seen in how you recognize, value, and develop the potential in others. 

Be a person of integrity and respect. 

When what you say is what you do, and when you live up to your promises, you make a lasting impact. If your behavior is the same in unguarded moments as it is when someone is watching, you are creating the kind of legacy anyone would want.

When you act with integrity it will be remembered. If you treat others with respect it will be honored; when you are trustworthy it will be recognized; and as you live by your values, you will make a lasting impact upon the people entrusted to your care. 

Followers want leaders who they can trust, who respond with compassion, who bring stability, and who offer hope. Be authentic and vulnerable in your relationships. Be caring and clear in your communication. The way you relate to others and conduct yourself shapes your leadership legacy. People will remember how you valued and cared for them long after they forget your name. Who you are is how you lead. 

Make courageous decisions. 

Because life is made up of decisions, the decisions you make from your legacy. As you make choices and decisions every day, keep in mind you are leading by design. Your decisions help form your leadership legacy. 

You always want to make the right decisions, but do not get stuck in “paralysis of analysis.” You want to learn from your mistakes, but do not be afraid to step out and take the risks needed to move forward. In the end, your leadership legacy will reflect not only the decisions you have made but how you made those decisions. Who you are is how you lead and is reflected in your decision-making.

Be a person of compassion. 

Compassion grows out of your care for people more than your attention to processes and procedures. Leadership, at its core, is the ability to relate to people for the purpose of inspiring and empowering their lives. When they experience and trust your care, they help shape your leadership legacy. Through compassion, you leave a long-lasting impression. 

You cannot fake compassion. So be yourself. Love and care for people in the way others have loved and cared for you. It is okay to be vulnerable and to trust the people around you. You will leave a long-lasting impression through your compassion. Who you are is how you lead.

Your Leadership Legacy

So, how do you want to be remembered? Start today to design the legacy you want to leave. Step out with confidence. Develop your character, develop the potential in others, live a life of integrity, make courageous decisions, and be a person of compassion. As you do, people will learn to trust your actions and you will become more you God has created you to be. You will be remembered as a leader who helped others feel significant and empowered. 

This week, if not today, take a few moments to reflect on how you want to be remembered.

  • Compared to the way you are leading today, what behaviors need to change? 
  • What disciplines or patterns need to be established? 
  • What do you need to learn? 
  • What relationships do you need to develop? 
  • What do you need to do to create a leadership legacy that leaves something not for people, but leaves something in people? 

Who you are is how you lead. How do you want to be remembered? 

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A Pattern for Coping with Stress from Feeding the 5000

Leadership is stressful even in the best of times. When you are leading through a time of crisis, sometimes the stress feels unmanageable. Learning to cope with stress is one of life’s most important lessons. Learning to lead in the midst of stress is a mark of a courageous leader. So, how are you coping with stress these days? How are you facing the difficulties of leading?

Acknowledgment or Denial?

My assumption is you are doing one of two things. You are either avoiding the stress by denying it or facing the stress by acknowledging it. You are either escaping it by numbing yourself or you are coping with it by finding a way through it. You are either blaming others for it or you are dealing with it responsibly, learning about yourself and learning how to lead in the midst of it.

Feeding the 5000

One of the most popular stories in the bible gives us insight into coping with stress. It is the story of the feeding of the 5000. When we read the story from Mark’s perspective, we gain insight into coping with the difficulties that come with leadership.

The disciples have just returned from a mission trip, and they are wanting to tell Jesus about their experiences. But there are so many people coming and going that the disciples don’t have time for themselves. Not even time to eat. So, Jesus says to them, “Let’s go off to a place by ourselves. You can rest while you report on your mission encounter.”

They get in their boats to cross the Sea of Galilee to a place less populated, a deserted place. When the people see the disciples leaving, they run ahead to meet them at their destination. When Jesus and the disciples arrive, they are met with the crowd they were trying to leave on the other side of the lake.

The Response

Jesus, out of deep compassion, rearranges his plans and works with the people all day. But his followers are not as flexible or as generous. By late afternoon they are tired and irritable. They realize that the people are hungry and could soon get hostile if something isn’t done to help them. Out of concern for the people, the disciples want to send them away to get their own food and provisions. They pull Jesus aside, point out the difficulty, and suggest that he disperse the people quickly before things get out of hand. It seems logical based upon what they perceive. A problem situation, full of stress and perceived danger.

So, how does Jesus cope with the situation?

Jesus Faces the Situation

First, Jesus decides to face the situation openly. He chooses not to escape or to avoid by rationalizing the situation. When the disciples want to send people away, Jesus responds out of integrity and compassion. He does not see people as a nuisance, so the situation becomes an opportunity to be who he was created to be.

Jesus Surveys his Resoures 

Second, Jesus surveys his resources. He chooses to find out what he has in hand to meet the need of the situation. Although it is not much, it is what he has. In their hurry to escape the problem, by sending the people away, the disciples do not consider what they have going for them. Even though it is not much, they are amazed to discover that there is some food available in the group.

Jesus Uses Available Resources to Address the Need 

Third, Jesus takes the resources and begins the task of meeting the need of the situation. He chooses to do the best he can with what he has. What seems impossible to the disciples, as they look at the problem, becomes a possibility through the courage and decisiveness of Jesus. He is not immobilized by the need or the lack of resources. He knows that nothing can begin until the first step is taken. So, he acts on the basis of what he has. His action gathers strength and turns an unsolvable problem into a success.

Untapped Potential

Now, it is obvious that there is a radical difference between the way Jesus coped with the difficulty and the way you and I usually go about dealing with reality. But the difference is not so much about lack of capacity as it is unused potential.

When you are tired and irritable, you become short-sighted and reduce your field of vision. Too often, in the face of problems or in the midst of difficulties, you don’t always see the possibilities. Instead of utilizing what God has already placed in your midst, you seek a way out either by denying the difficulty or by avoiding the situation.

The reality is, there are always “five loaves and two fish” in every problem. And when you don’t see the possibilities or recognize the resources at hand, you waver, hesitate, and become immobilized. There is nothing that intensifies stress more than inactivity. The longer you standstill in the face of a problem, the more stress you create. On the other hand, the decision to act, no matter how useless it may seem, often breaks the spell and turns the tide. The ability to start acting, even when it seems small and insignificant is key in facing difficulties and solving the problem.

Problem Solving

Life is, and always will be, a process of problem-solving. Jesus came to terms with that fact. He seems to have laid aside all the fantasies of a place where there is no conflict or difficulty. He accepted the fact that such a place does not exist for us humans. This realistic outlook enabled him to focus all his energies on the real issues of life rather than trying to escape them by seeking “the way things used to be” or by longing for things to get back to “normal.”

Posture of Gratitude

How was Jesus able to cope? The secret is found in a posture of gratitude. In facing a hungry crowd when his followers were wringing their hands, Jesus calmly looked up to heaven and gave thanks to God. I don’t think this act pertained only to five loaves and two fish. It included not only that event, but life as it was given to Jesus day by day.

God is Good

Jesus learned the deepest secret there is to learn. The secret? God is good. And God, who gives us life, also loves us, is for us, and is working for our good. Out of that realization came the ability to receive the events of life with gratitude, not resentment. He learned to regard the events and encounters in his life as expressions of love rather than acts of hostility. He was able to see the events as God’s way of dealing positively with humanity.

It is amazing the difference such a posture of gratitude can make in the way we cope with difficulty. If we really begin to look at the things that happen to us as good gifts from God, even the problems take on a different form. Instead of seeing them as hopeless obstacles to our happiness, we come to see them as the challenges that give life its meaning and hope. Problems cease to be overwhelming when we see them as something to be received with gratitude.

Posture of Thanksgiving

The posture of thanksgiving opens our eyes to the resources that are present. Even though the resources might be hidden by the problem, our eyes are opened and we no longer say, “We don’t have enough” or “There is nothing here we can use.” No matter how deep the crisis, God has provided “five loaves and twelve fish” to meet the need. Gratitude opens our eyes to what we already have going for us.

Gratitude encourages us to begin with what we have and to expect more as we move forward. After all, what we have at the beginning has been given by a gracious God. Can’t we expect God to give even more to complete the task? This is what Jesus did. He began to act out in a profound sense of gratitude. His trust and action gathered up strength from earth and heaven until a multitude was fed.

Coping with Reality

So, how are you coping with stress these days? How are you facing the difficulties of leading? There are a thousand unhealthy ways of coping, like avoiding or escaping being two. 

But there is at least one healthy way of coping. It is the way Jesus modeled for us on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. There in the shadow of great difficulty, he faced the problem. He laid hold of the resources already present, and he began to act in terms of what he had.

The truth is you can do the same. It is possible for you to lead through the stress and difficulties you face today. It is as simple and profound as this: let Jesus show you God by letting him reconcile you to the fact that God, who gives life, is good. Let him teach you to receive all of life in gratitude. When this becomes not only your perspective but your way of living, the courage to cope will rise from the depths of your being. Your problems will become the shape of a challenge. Your difficulties will be seen as the bearers of hidden resources. And the crisis will become nothing more than the moment to begin.

Your Next Step

This week, try coping with your stress by giving God thanks for your anxiety. Ask God to open your eyes to the resources present in the situation. And then, by God’s grace, take your first step toward addressing the difficulty. Again, try coping with your stress by giving God thanks in the midst of what seems impossible to overcome. It was good enough for Jesus. Shouldn’t it be good enough for you?

Remember, who you are is how you lead! 

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Leadership and Conflict

Leadership can be about doing the things that most other people don’t like doing. Confronting interpersonal conflict is one of those things. Whether it is called conflict resolution or conflict management you must address the tension head-on. When it comes to conflict, leadership is not easy. Here is another place I want to say, “Who you are is how you lead.”

Conflict and Disagreements

Abraham Lincoln once remarked that his father had taught him the value of hard work but had never succeeded in teaching him to enjoy it. I confess that I find myself with the same feeling when it comes to conflict and disagreements. To be honest, I like it best when people relate together in warm and harmonious ways. The psalmist says it best, “How good and pleasant it is when people live together in unity” (Psalm 133:1). Yet, after 47 years of ministry, I have come to the conclusion that such a harmonious state is not always possible or, at times, even desirable.

Barriers to Health

You and I have seen what happens when “being nice” becomes the mode of operation and “peace at any price” is sought out in the midst of conflict. Such actions do not lead to relational health. In fact, they inhibit any honest interaction in which real differences are shared and true fellowship is experienced. 

That is why I say I feel the way Lincoln felt about hard work. When it comes to conflict, I cannot say I “enjoy” it, but I do see its value. With that in mind, there are several insights that are necessary for courageous and effective leadership.

Conflict is Inevitable

First, conflict is inevitable. It is part of who we are as human beings, and it happens in every ongoing relationship. Because it is a part of who we are, it is an opportunity for growth and understanding, as well as change and improvement. It is not something to be resolved as much as something to be transformed. 

Think of it this way, we are created differently. You and I have different strengths, talents, and abilities. If we love and respect one another, there will be times we find ourselves in disagreement with one another. 

Diversity and Unity

In fact, if we take seriously the doctrine of the Trinity, there is individuality and diversity within the nature of God. There is a dynamic interaction between the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is not surprising that a world created in the image of this kind of deity would be full of diversity. 

You and I do not think, feel, or act in the same way. This means there will be conflict between us when our differences interact. It also means there will be a richness and creativity that will emerge when we acknowledge our differences and love one another in the midst of our differences. Conflict is the price we pay for our individuality. It is inevitable.

Conflict Shapes Who We Are

Second, conflict shapes who we are. It is through conflict that we become more who God created us to be. Theologian Paul Tillich defined reality as “that which comes against, that which resists us.” It is through conflict that our individual natures are shaped. Conflict is not something to be resolved as much as something to be transformed.

Again, think of it this way. It is through encountering resistance that a child begins to distinguish the limits of her/his being. At first the world is an extension of themselves. But when the child pushes on the side of the crib and it does not move, or demands something from his/her parents, and they do not comply, the child experiences conflict. Without it, the true shape of the child’s personality would never be known. 

Disagreements Can Bring Clarity

You and I may not really know each other until we disagree. When I come up against something in you that is not the same as what is in me, then the shape of who you are begins to stand out clearly and distinctly against who I am. 

Our distinctiveness is neither good nor bad. It is just who we are. We each can love and respect each other for who we are and to move forward from there. Only then is there a chance for us to have real fellowship together. Conflict is a gift we receive that helps us love and respect one another as God has created us to be.

An Opportunity for Courageous Leadership

Third, conflict provides the opportunity to lead courageously. Conflict is a daily occurrence. Whether at home, at work, or within relationships, each occurrence is an opportunity to lead with courage and compassion. 

Remember, leadership is taking the responsibility for finding the potential in people and the courage of developing that potential. When conflicts arise, you can embrace the situation and the people involved. You work not only to address the problem, but you learn about your own leadership as you lead others through the adverse circumstances. Conflict is not something to be resolved as much as something to be transformed.

Tension Leads to Growth

As a leader, you see opportunities that others do not see. You assist others in growing in healthy relationships, because you know that the most authentic relationships do not truly begin until they experience some form of tension with each other. 

Think of it this way. In I John 1:5-7, John writes, “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all…if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another…” 

This means that God is willing to be Godself in all openness. God, by nature, is transparent. God does not hide his uniqueness in darkness or in the shadows. Walking “in the light…” means practicing the same kind of authenticity and transparency. This is the only way you can have true fellowship with those entrusted to your care. You openly acknowledge the realities of the differences of the people around you and interact with them with honesty and clarity.

Courage to Lead

This is where your courage as a leader takes place because this way of leading and relating brings with it the possibility of conflict and disagreement. When two individuals who are not the same come down on opposite sides of things, you must have courage to be authentic and transparent. 

As I stated earlier, this is the price you pay for the kind of fellowship that grows out of honest interaction. It is inevitable. On the other hand, it is a gift that helps you lead with love and respect. It is not easy. Don’t try to avoid or minimize the conflict. See it as an opportunity to become the person and leader you were created to be. 

Your Next Step

This week, take a moment to reflect upon the conflict you are facing. As you focus upon the people involved, are you able to set aside your personal feelings? Are you able to listen to what is being said and to the feelings being expressed? As you listen, where can you work for positive and constructive change? 

Decide how you can best lead in the midst of the situation. Share your decision with a trusted friend. Offer your decisions and conversations to God and move forward with courage. You are not alone. Walk in the light and be who God created you to be. 

No matter how difficult, when you dare to lead with authenticity, working to transform conflict into healthy relationships, you will discover the fellowship God has intended for all God’s creation. 

Who you are is how you lead. 

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Who You Are is How You Lead

There was a time in my life when making a name for myself was extremely important. I never said it out loud, but I wanted to be known for something significant. I thought that would give me a reason to like myself and that I would really be somebody who had accomplished something. 

Be Like Jesus

Even though I felt this way, I said I wanted to be like Jesus. I confess at that time I did not understand why Jesus did not share my preoccupation for notoriety. In fact, I was astonished at how indifferent Jesus was to fame or reputation. 

For example, during the early days of his ministry in Galilee, when he was making an impact with the wisdom of his words and the power of his deeds, he deliberately asked the people he helped not to say anything about it to other people.

One day in the wilderness, after feeding 5000 people, the crowd got so excited they wanted to make him their king.  He turned down their offer without batting an eye.

On the last night of his life, after the disciples had been quarreling all afternoon about “making names for themselves” and over who was going to be greatest among them, they gathered for supper in the Upper Room. Not one of them was willing to lower themselves to do the servant’s task of washing the other’s feet. According to John, “Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself.  Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet…” (John 13:3-5).

Jesus and Status

In other words, Jesus did not hold himself above doing the lowliest of tasks. He did not care about status, position, or prestige.  And, there are those puzzling words Paul used in his letter to the Philippians, “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself…” (Philippians 2:5-7). At the time I was trying to make a name for myself, I often wondered how Jesus could be that way and why something so important to me was not important to him. 

So, why am I telling you all of this?  Well, I believe this is one of the secrets to courageous leadership. 

Acceptance of Who God Created You to Be

Jesus didn’t have to make a name for himself because he wholeheartedly accepted the name God had given him. In the Hebraic sense, a name stood for the whole reality of the person. For Jesus to accept and be satisfied with this name meant that he totally accepted who he was, when he was, and where he was in history.   

It was this acceptance of who God had created him to be that freed Jesus from having to make a name for himself. He didn’t have to spend his energy trying to earn what he had already been given. He was at one with God and with whom God had created him to be. 

Jesus’ Authority

Here is the secret. Jesus’ authority was not because of an unusual I.Q. or a healthy E.I. His authority was neither because of a charismatic personality nor economic, social, or political power. His authority lay in his freedom to say, “I am who I am by God’s grace. It is good.” 

This means that it was good that Jesus’ parents were who they were.  It was good that his life was in the time of history that it was in.  It was good that he was a carpenter, that he got to associate with the people who lived in Nazareth.  All these things that came together to make Jesus who he was were good.

Who You Are is How You Lead

This is why I can say, “Who you are is how you lead.” You were created to lead at this time in history. Your experiences from childhood, through adolescence, into adulthood, and up to today, have shaped you into the person and leader you are for this time in history. 

Now, I’m not dismissing traumatic experiences, but whether you agree or not, you have been shaped into the leader needed for your church and for your community.  You might find yourself in a place you never dreamed of being, but life is good where you are.  You might find yourself with people with whom you identify as not your type, but life is good and enriched by the people entrusted to your care.

Courageous Leadership

The secret to courageous leadership is found in the condition of your heart. You might read books on leadership and attend seminars on leadership, but until you accept the truth that your life is good, that who you are, where you are, and when you are is a good gift from God, you will not be the person God intends you to be, much less the leader needed for this time. Who you are is how you lead. 

The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved

Look at the writer of the fourth Gospel. The writer is traditionally known as John. Yet, at no point in the Gospel does John identify himself by name.  He describes himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” Why would he identify himself this way? Was he a spiritual egotist, suggesting that he was the favorite among the disciples? Was he part of the inner circle, making his way to the right hand of Jesus?  I suppose either could be true, but I think such speculation reveals more about us than him. 

Here is what I think. John, after meeting Jesus, began to live into his name. He began to become who he was created to be. I think when John referred to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved,” it was his way of saying, “The most wonderful thing that ever happened to me was the fact that Jesus loved me.  Before then I never had a reason to love myself.  My father, Zebedee, was so busy in the fishing business he did not have time for me.  My mother was a proud and ambitious woman. She had dreams of who my brother and I could be. She was always trying to get us in on the right and left hand of glory.  And my brother, James, was terribly competitive.  

But I never felt I had much worth until the day Jesus met me beside the sea. I could hardly believe it. He didn’t have an agenda. He didn’t pressure me. He didn’t make me feel as if I had to be number one in order to earn his affection.  He simply took delight in me. He took my gifts and interests seriously. And as our friendship developed an incredible thing happened. I began to love myself. For the first time in my life, I realized I did have worth and that who I was and when I was and where I was had value.”

“This is why I chose to refer to myself as ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved.’ At first, it seemed like a miracle.  Jesus actually loved me.  But the more I lived with it, the more I realized that it was just the way it was supposed to be. I didn’t need to strive to be somebody. Because of Jesus, I was somebody. Before I met him, I was the son no one had time for or the child a parent was always trying to push, or a sibling’s rival.  But now, I see myself in a new light. I am a follower of Jesus.  I am the disciple whom Jesus loved, and because of that I am now a person who loves himself and who loves others.”

The Secret of Courageous Leadership

The secret to courageous leadership is to be who God created you to be…nothing more and nothing less. 

This week, try living up to your name and be who God created you to be. Contact a trusted friend and tell him or her how God’s love for you has shaped you into the person you are. Then tell them how God’s love has shaped your leadership. Just think about it. You are the leader whom Jesus loves.

Who you are is how you lead!