The Legacy Of A Leader

As leaders, we often wonder if what we do is impactful enough. There will be days where we struggle, tough days that can seem like we’re in an uphill battle in a losing fight.  We may even start to consider if the job is worth it and even consider if we want to keep going even when we face all kinds of resistance.  In my daily morning reflection and journaling I began to consider legacy when I realized that my father would have been 90 years old in a few days if he was still alive.  

I was seven years old when my father passed away and he has been gone for almost 46 years.    My dad was my hero and my best buddy. My brother and sister named their children after him and our family friends will still talk about him to this day.  I now attend the church that I grew up in and on any given Sunday his name will come up in our Sunday school  class. His legacy lives on through all of us, his character, his integrity, his values, the relationships he built and the way he made people feel.  This made me really take stock in how many lives he is still having an effect on because of how he conducted himself as he navigated his time on Earth so many years ago.  

As we navigate life we need to remember that on the days when we struggle, on days when we feel like we’re losing ground, on days when we feel like we’re not making an impact there is a bigger message at work. The things that we do and the impact we make will last far beyond our time on Earth.  We may not always see the difference we make in this world but it will be felt for generations to come. Our leadership will leave a lasting legacy that we can be proud of.