Recently I was engaged in a casually conversation with someone whom
I had not seen for quite some time. As we reminisced, sharing our professional
peaks and valleys, the topic of legacy arose and sparked great interest
in us both when I asked, “Imagine that it is thirty (30) years from
today’s date, your grandchild or a younger member of your family is
accepting an award in honour of your contributions to present workplace.
On what merit are you being recognized for?”
Immediately, I could
see that their “lights turned on” evident in their broad grin and
squeals of “oooh, oooh, oooh”, and in a great display of enthusiasm,
they belted out a profound experience and shared the contributions by
which they would want to be recognized for.
Legacy in the workplace!
What does this statement mean to you? Perhaps it is your work
ethic, contributions to the organizational mission and vision, communication
style, team spirit, reputation, character and personality that will
be remembered and revered in the workplace long after you have either
retired, moved on to another workplace or your soul left this earth.
Everyone has a legacy! Whether it is good, bad or indifferent;
legacy is present in that we involve ourselves with voluntarily or involuntarily.
What makes the difference
between the Associate who has a memorable, significantly positive impacting
legacy verses the Associate who does not is great cause for speculation,
research and a healthy spirited, debate. Which of the two Associates
describes the potential of your legacy? Can you describe the legacy
that you would like to be remembered for in your current workplace?
To help you envision
your response to the latter question, reflect on the following curious
coaching questions:
-
I would
like my present workplace to remember my work as being
…
-
I would
like my colleagues to be able to say that my values, character, personality
and team spirit individually and collectively
were …
-
My
grandchild or a youth in my family
is receiving from my current workplace
a life time achievement award on my
behalf for my
-
In my
grandchild or family members 60 second acceptance speech they would
say this on my behalf
Did the envisioning
process help you “see” your legacy? Congratulations!
Seeing is only part one, it is the foundation for belief, however its’
reality is part two, a process that will require definition, action,
commitment and consistency. For this considering the following
steps:
1. Define realistic
actionable goals as markers, achieving said goals are to help you transition
from who you are now to the person that you envisioned remembered as
and for. Action steps vary; legacy is relative. For example,
you may choose to change how you communicate, interact with your colleagues,
support the workplace mission and vision while another Associate may
choose to change how they donate their time and money and serve their
talent and skills in the form of “work”.
Important! This
process may causes you to face a buried or unrealized personal truth;
your current workplace is not the where you would most prefer to create
and leave a lasting, significant, impacting legacy. If this is
true for you, then seek wise counsel of a mentor, spiritual advisor,
friend or life coach to brainstorm and pursue those possibilities and
options that are more aligned with the envisioned legacy.
Consider this quote
by Robert Menzies, (1894-1978) Australian Liberal Politician and Prime
Minister
.
“A man may
be a tough, concentrated, successful money-maker and never contribute
to his country anything more than a horrible example. A manager may
be tough and practical, squeezing out, while the going is good, the
last ounce of profit and dividend, and may leave behind him an exhausted
industry and a legacy of industrial hatred. A tough manager may never
look outside his own factory walls or be conscious of his partnership
in a wider world. I often wonder what strange cud such men sit chewing
when their working days are over, and the accumulating riches of the
mind have eluded them.”
This
award is in honour of your legacy; what will be your legacy in the workplace?
Until our next,
Copyright @ 2010 Kaylus Horton
Kaylus Horton, Principal
of Renaissance Group of Companies and Path Coach facilitates learning
and discovery for focus and direction to help organizations and individuals
get clear around the who, what, when and how of their agenda.
For more information about
coaching in the workplace visit www.renaissancebahamas.com or send us
an E-Mail: info@renaissancebahamas.com
