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Leaders leave impressions after they leave. How can leaders ensure their legacy is a good one? Robert M. Galford and Regina Fazio Maruca explore this topic in-depth in Your Leadership Legacy: Why Looking Toward the Future Will Make You a Better Leader Today.
People retain an impression of their past leaders, whether it is in business, politics, faith or personal life. What kind of leadership does it take to be remembered in a good light by the people left behind?

The answer actually lies not in leadership but in the attitude of a leader toward employees. This attitude leaves a lasting impression and drives leadership style.

There was once a leader who was great at giving orders. He always had something for someone to work on. As a leader, he was always there to prod people on to do the work assigned to them. If the project was urgent, he’d say, “Work on it! If you don’t finish that on time, it’s my neck on the line!”

On the other hand, there was a leader who was always open-minded. When there was a problem to be solved, she would always call her subordinates together and conduct a brainstorming session to know the best course of action and rarely trusted her own judgment. She always based her decisions on what the majority of her employees agreed on. Her leadership was a democracy; everyone voted on what they thought was the right action.

A third leader was always firm with his decisions, but also sought suggestions when needed. However, if the team couldn’t agree on something, he used his authority as a leader to make the decision. When they were working, he always did his best to encourage his people to do their work and gave them help when needed.

What kind of leadership do these three people exhibit?

The first was an authoritarian kind of leadership. The leader using this kind of leadership is someone who does not collaborate with team members and is more focused on how they look to others than how the team is treated. This type of leader is afraid that an employee’s failures will cause them to be seen as a failure. This type of leader works more through coercion and pressure. Because of this attitude, employees will likely remember an authoritarian leader as a dictator.

The second leadership example is democratic. She totally relies on her employees to make the decisions so she can remove herself from the responsibility if a wrong decision is made. She shares the burden with her co-workers and refuses to make a decision on her own even when there is a need for it.

The third kind of leader, on the other hand, is a balance of firmness and open-mindedness. He does not hesitate to make decisions, and he knows the risks and the responsibility of his judgment; but he also seeks employees’ input because he knows collaboration drives innovation. He motivates his people to work hard, not for his own image, but for the success of the team as a whole.

As a result, his team will remember him fondly as a leader who always put the welfare of the team ahead of his own and as someone who was willing to help them advance and succeed.

Characteristics of Good Leadership

1. A good leader is a good servant. Great leaders are there to serve the project, their team and the organization. Ego is excluded from decision making. They are trustworthy and act with integrity.

2. A good leader shows confidence and exerts an air of respect for self and others. Good leadership involves respecting the work of others, regardless of their status within the company. They are confident in their abilities and confident in the work of others.

3. A good leader shows the drive to exceed so he can motivate others to follow their example. The great leader has that special “something” that pushes them past ordinary. Great leaders want to leave a great legacy and want the same from the team they support.

4. A good leader is thinking of the future. A legacy is what is left behind when a leader moves on and they operate with this knowledge. They don’t just view a single project, a single moment, but they are aware of succession and plan accordingly.