Harness the power of leading with your Legacy.
Saying the words “I’m resigning” out loud.
Telling your best friend at work you are leaving.
Having the “break up” conversation with your dearest customers.
Your last pay cheque.
Your network access suddenly denied.
You’ve become a corporate orphan. Your old work family, now a part of your history.
Making the courageous decision to close a professional chapter is a surreal & strange time. You can be gripped by torturous grief or ecstatically elated, pending your terms.
While physically you’ve moved on, your professional spirit lingers. Past colleagues, customers & competitors all becoming custodians of your legacy. Your most valuable asset.
One of the most impactful lessons I learnt after my resignation was understanding what was meaningful & what wasn’t. Trophies & material possessions that for years fed my ego, suddenly felt as lifeless in my heart as they did in my hands.
On the other hand, sentiments from customers became my most treasured possession. While I couldn’t touch them, I could feel them. Their meaning possessed a pulse that became a lifeline to my old life.
In this moment, the power of my legacy struck me hard.
It had nothing to do with what I had accomplished & everything to do with the values that governed my professional existence. The behaviours others saw & the impact I had on their professional lives.
My legacy referred to my values not my valuables. My most powerful asset, my reputation, was now out of my control.
I had a curious itch, “What if we were to lead with our Legacy rather than leave it behind?”
It could be a powerful tool for encouraging self awareness. The consequences of poorly considered actions or complacency suddenly more significant with our reputation at stake.
By defining our Legacy at the start of a professional chapter, we can commit to daily behaviours that reflect both our values & the reputation we are trying to foster.
It becomes our north star, guiding us & holding us accountable for how we are perceived in the powerful eyes of those around us. Its future custodians.
Most importantly, an intentional Legacy keeps us connected to ourselves reducing the potential for burnout.
Have you ever considered the Legacy you are in the process of creating?
As a start, have a go at answering the following.
It’s 2024 & you are moving onto an exciting new opportunity how would your customers describe you after you leave?
How would those customers describe you today?
What differences do you note?
What behaviours do you need to adopt within your Customer Experience to reflect the legacy you would like to leave?
What do you need to stop doing today?
What do you need to start doing today?
How would you describe your connections with the future custodians of your Legacy?
I’ve always been of the mindset that above all, we represent ourselves first. Before any product, service or company.
Who we are & what we stand for is the one constant we take with us throughout our entire career & we only get one shot.
How are you investing in you?
Peta x
Coach, Speaker & Author of My Beautiful Mess - Living through burnout & rediscovering me
Order yours at www.mybeautifulmess.com.au
Are you looking for direction in your professional life? Are you a leader looking to inspire your team?