Don’t be like Jimmy. (Legacy Part 1)

 

Tony Campolo once said,

” Risk more. Love more. Do those things that will live on after you.”

Legacy.

What is your legacy? What is mine? No matter what, each of us will leave behind something. It is just a matter of  what type of legacy each of us will leave behind. And I am not talking about money. It is more than that. 

I once saw a sign that said that someday each of us will be a memory. Choose what type of memory you want to be.

Having spent a lot of time over the past few years thinking about legacy I understand that it was, and is, important to me. I do know that I want to leave behind a positive legacy. So, I started to think about leadership. How does one leave a positive legacy? I believe it is by living out a positive leadership role. Thus, you have a positive leadership legacy.

Surely I am not the only one who desires to leave a legacy. I know many people who wish to do that. But how?? How can that be done? What is necessary to leave a positive leadership legacy?  It is not easy. If a person really wants to leave such a legacy, they must have several characteristics.  However, I realize the list is not exhaustive in any way. Nor is the list one of great revelation.  If anything, it is one that should serve as a reminder in what we need to do to positively impact the people in our sphere of influence.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing more on the characteristics of a positive leadership legacy. But, in today’s blog, I want to look at what legacy IS NOT. Somewhat of a humorous view, so enjoy the reading.

Here are three things that a legacy is not. The first one is.. well…suffice it to say that we don’t want to be like Jimmy.

JIMMY- He didn’t want to do anything.

Jimmy’s mother called out to him at 7 am, “JIMMY, get up! It’s time for school.” There was no answer.  She called again.  This time more loudly: “JIMMY, get up! IT’S TIME FOR SCHOOL. Once more there was no answer.

Exasperated, she went to his room and shook him, saying “Jimmy, it is time to get ready for school.

He answered: Mother, I’m not going to school. There are 1500 kids at that school and everyone of them hates me. I am not going to school. “Go to school” she replied sharply.

“But, mom, all the teachers hate me too. I saw three of them talking the other day and one of them was pointing his finger at me. I know they all hate me, so I am not going to school,” Jimmy answered.  “GO to school,” his mother demanded again.

“But, mom, I don’t understand. Why would you want to put me through all that torture and suffering??”, he protested.  “Jimmy, for two good reasons,” she fired back. “First, you are 42 years old. Second, you are the principal.”

We certainly DO NOT want to be like Jimmy and do nothing because we don’t want to face the world (although there are times we probably do feel that way).

WIN or LOSE

Also, we don’t want to be like Steven Weinberg who said:

“It matters not whether you win or lose; what matters is whether I win or lose. “

Not quite the positive perspective towards others. Not much giving here.

PRINCIPLES

But there is also a quote by Groucho Marx:

“Those are my principles, and if you don’t like them…well…I have others.” 

It is hard to develop a positive leadership legacy when you are not a person of firm principles. When you change like the wind, you will be known more for being opportunistic (in a selfish way).

What do you think??

So, what do YOU think. What are some characteristics that you SHOULD NOT have if you want to have a positive leadership legacy? Share your thoughts. I would be very interested in reading what you think.

In the next blog, we will look at THE CHALLENGE.