Legacy Leadership is When Your Impact Lasts in Your Absence

Look here, Louisa, I’m going to cut right to the chase on this one because we’ve spent the last few posts reviewing the legacy leadership framework to build up to this moment right here…The moment where I bring it all together to talk legacy leadership. 

[If you need a quick recap, Legacy Louisa and the legacy leadership framework is a story about how a new sheriff (aka a legacy leader) ran The Man (aka an old model of leadership) out of town and established a new frontier of leadership (aka legacy leadership framework) in the Wild West (aka male-dominated industries).] 

If you’ve been following along, then you know about being an authentic leader (high in authority) and an inspirational leader (high in influence). You even know what’s tripping you up from time to time, making you feel like you have no business wearin’ that shiny sheriff badge, leading anyone or anything…The culprit? Imposter Syndrome. They’re putting a hitch in your giddyup and contributing to your being a hidden leader (with low authority and low influence).

Leadership Starts Within

The key to all three of these that move you up (or down) these axis? Understanding that leadership starts within. It’s an inside game. Period. Full stop. 

There was a 2020 survey that was done by Gallup that showed high performing managers, the kind that have worked on the inner game of leadership and are focused on the outer game of leadership, can realize a 40 percent increase in profitability compared to those led by less effective leaders. This is the power of starting with the inner game. 

Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence– full of authenticity and inspiration– and making sure that the impact lasts in your absence. That’s legacy. Legacy isn’t some big, highfalutin, rootin’ tootin’ fancy thing that’s unattainable or only for the elite, powerful, patriarchs of the world. It’s knowing that your impact is still going to be there even after you’ve saddled up and rode off into the sunset. That's legacy leadership. 

Impact is Where Authority and Influence Meet

Or to quote myself from my forthcoming book, Make Imposter Syndrome Your Superpower, “When we are authentically ourselves (high in authority) and inspiring to others (high in influence), we know we’re making an impact. In other words, impact is where authority and influence meet. Impact is what legacies are made of.”

The ultimate goal is to be someone who leads with unwavering authenticity and profound influence. And when I say authenticity, I’m talking about being true to ourselves. When we can be true to ourselves, then we can author our own journey. When we're able to author our own journey, we come across as naturally confident and having more authority. Being unapologetically authentic contributes to leaving an undeniable mark on your people and organization. It’s crafting a legacy that goes beyond your credentials, title, or accolades. 

So, start with the internal game. When that inner game is feeling strong, then turn your gaze outward. You’ll have more capacity to because your own shit will be well in hand. 

Legacy Leadership Is On A Continuum

Now, remember, just like everything else, legacy leadership is on a continuum. There are times you might move ahead of the herd and others you slow down and fall behind. The goal isn’t necessarily to be the fastest and greatest at all times, or to even compete with everyone around you, but to be aware of how you’re showing up as a leader and whether you are being true to yourself in each moment. Only you know that answer.  

Where you are on this continuum is also circumstantial. It can be dependent upon who you are interacting with, what’s going on at home, etc. For example, you may find that you are really high in authority– you know you’re being yourself and you feel super confident– when you are with the people you’re managing. But, when it comes to interacting with the Board or a certain Board member, you lose your confidence. 

You’re at your lowest authority in those moments when you don’t feel like yourself. This often ties to imposter syndrome and one of your core defining moments. Maybe you feel like a fraud when dealing with someone you see as an authority figure. Or perhaps you question yourself when others label you as an expert.

For me, interacting with peers is one of my triggers. I’d rather speak in front of 10,000 strangers or a room full of VIP board members any day. But put me in a room with my peers and ask me to be the “expert,” and it’s a completely different ballgame. Why? Because one of my defining moments with imposter syndrome has everything to do with how I perceive myself in front of my peers.

Just a few weeks before writing this blog post, I was co-presenting at a conference on— ironically —imposter syndrome, in front of 150 of my peers. My co-presenter was introduced first, and the host rattled off a long list of her impressive accolades and certifications. Suddenly, my 27 years of executive coaching experience felt like it wasn’t enough. In that moment, the absence of certifications loomed large in my mind.

Logically, I knew that my years of experience had made me an expert. But emotionally? I couldn’t see it. And there I was— breaking out into a sweat, struggling to stay present. As my co-presenter began speaking, I felt myself shrinking. I even sat down at one point, retreating into the background. Looking out at the room full of my peers, I knew exactly what was happening: imposter syndrome had reared its head— while I was giving a presentation on the topic.

The story, thankfully, has a happy ending. I recognized what was happening and turned it into a teaching moment. When it came time to demonstrate how to work through imposter syndrome, I stood up and volunteered to use myself as an example. I got vulnerable and shared what was happening right there on stage. In owning my experience, I reclaimed my authenticity and authority.

The moral of the story…

You can’t be a legacy leader 24/7 nor should you expect yourself to be because we are human. Shit happens and we have feelings about it. You're never in just one place within this framework. This is not linear at all where one leads to the other and back again. You're going to find yourself in multiple places on any given day and any given moment in time. But you do have what it takes to be a legacy leader.

What we are talking about is continuously evaluating where you are in the framework and recalibrating your approach when necessary, to ensure your impact is both significant and sustainable…Long after you’re even there. 

“The focus is on creating a leadership legacy that empowers future generations, laying the groundwork for a culture of leadership that values authenticity, inspiration, empowerment, and, above all, purpose.” 

(Yeah, I struck gold with that little gem which also comes from my upcoming book. If you want to strike it rich with more wisdom for your leadership journey, you should really pre-order a copy today.) 

Imagine Your Future State

For right now, imagine this: Imagine you were so confident in who you were, you stopped seeking external validation. Imagine you welcomed imposter syndrome as a sign that you were playing a big game. Imagine you were focused on breathing life into your team. When you’re no longer imagining but achieving this you're going to become a legacy leader.

So my main question for you today is this: are you ready to saddle up and start doing the inner work? Are you ready to ride toward more authority, influence, and impact? Are you willing to go the distance, enter a new territory of your leadership, and leave behind a legacy? 

Saddle Up– You’ve Got a Legacy to Leave Behind 

I’m here waiting to be your ride-or-die. My boots are on, my saddle is buffed, and my badge is spit shined. I’ll be your deputy and endorse your candidacy as the new sheriff in town. Whatdoyousay partner?   

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Ready to Command the Room and Build Your Legacy?

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