Extracted from The Maxwell Leadership Bible
Just about anybody can make an organisation look good for a moment - by launching a flashy new program or product, drawing crowds to a big event, or slashing the budget to boost the bottom line. But leaders who leave a legacy take a different approach. They lead with tomorrow as well as today in mind.
When all is said and done, your ability as a leader will be judged by how well your people and your organisation did after you were gone. Your lasting value will be measured by succession.
To create a legacy, you need to be strategic and intentional. The following guidelines can help you get started:
1. Decide ahead of time what you are willing to give up.
Being a leader has a price; being a leader who leaves a legacy has an even greater price. When you work to create a legacy, your life is no longer your own. That's why it's so important to know what you are willing to give up so that others can go up.
What are you willing to give up? How much of your time? How much of your money? How many opportunities will you forgo? How many of your dreams are you willing to set aside to ensure that one or maybe two survive in the lives of others?
2. Take the initiative to start the process.
If you want to create a legacy, you have to initiate the process - and there will be times when you'll have to fight for it. Jesus' followers had various agendas. Some like Simon the Zealot, wanted Him to lead a revolt against Rome. Others, like James and John, wanted positions of power (Mark 10:37). Even Peter tried to dissuade Jesus from the very act that would release the other disciples to follow Jesus' footsteps (Matt.16:22).
3. Know your goals with each person.
The process of creating a legacy relies primarily with people. It requires the selection of the right people and the right development process for each individual. Jesus carefully chose His legacy carriers. Scripture says He intentionally picked the twelve He wanted; He didn't take the first guys who showed up. And He didn't treat all of them the same. He had a specific development process for each person.
4. Prepare to pass the baton well.
Once you have prepared your people, you need to prepare for the transition. There's a real art to preparing a successor, and it doesn't always go smoothly. Jesus had trouble handling the baton to His followers. He appeared to them after His resurrection and gave them the Great Commission because some of them still didn't get it. Peter, James, and John all returned to fishing after they saw Jesus resurrected! As you prepare to hand off to a successor, do everything you can to make for a smooth transition. And even then, plan to offer additional assistance without getting in the way.
End of Part 1
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