The Lure of Legacy Creation

The word legacy is a powerful one. Every time I have used it with somebody, about whether they would like to ‘leave a legacy’, even in the most passive or indifferent or preoccupied-with-other-things kind of people, the response is always a ‘yes’.

There is something magnetic about it. Maybe it’s to do with extending your own self. Like the way people want to procreate and leave a mark. It’s as primal as that.

I remember a leader Anand Patil*, He was the head (Chairman) of Dynamic Industries* at one time. For 3 months, we were trying to make many things happen in this project that was about coming up with breakthrough solutions for transforming farmers’ lives.

A team was put in place, I had coached them on breakthrough thinking and how to pursue an innovation mission; there were leadership-for-innovation rhythms that were set with key stakeholders; everybody was executing their part. Mostly because I and my team wouldn’t let go — we were persistent in followup. 🙂

But still, the magic was not happening. Ravi*, the CEO, who was reporting in to Anand would always find reasons to slow down proceedings because the ‘new’ would hurt his mainstream revenue-creating abc* business.

Many mindset sessions, many other ‘workouts’, … but still we weren’t getting to where we wanted.

In one of the coaching sessions I had confronted Anand. I had said, “Ravi seems to be struggling with making this move. Why would you not sit down with him and enable him? Or if necessary ‘prescribe’? Because this whole mission was about history creating, and that was your dream.”

Anand’s stock answers on multiple occasions ranged from “I don’t want to tread on Ravi’s toes”, to “I want him to take charge”, or “I am not going to be here 2 yrs from now, so I would like the ownership to be his.”

All that made sense, so I would let it go each time, and hope for the best.

Until month 4, when I was really restless. So I recall now, seeking a special session with Anand, and in the dialogue, … by now I was kind of desperate… I had asked “So if you are retiring in 2 yrs, then you want to walk out on a high positive note?”

He is a humble man. He somewhat abashedly said, “Yes, I guess.” Then, “Yes, I would like to” more strongly.

So I of course, with my determination to push him said, “Yes, that could be a legacy you leave right? Something that people here within Dynamic Industries remember for a long time, and the farmers outside recite stories about?”

And it was interesting… Anand is usually never ‘excitable’, or reveals that he’s ‘excited’…

Suddenly I could sense a different energy… He thought for a while, and trying to mask the slight gleam in his eyes, said “What do you mean? What are you trying to say?”

And I said, “Well, you may not want to tread on Ravi’s toes, or you may be waiting for him to take charge, but it doesn’t look like its going to happen without your intervention. And the cost that I see is a compromise of the legacy that you could leave. You are the one who will have absolutely no control whatsoever in a couple of years!”

Was that harsh?

Well… two days later Ravi called me. He had a roadmap for the next month on what all was needed to be done, and he wanted to know if I was ok with that, and could I block my dates if that worked for me? Because he wanted to ‘boost the momentum on the mission’.

We worked for six months after that. 2 of the 8 breakthrough ideas went into prototype in the market.

Ravi never ever said that Anand had had an intense chat with him. That was okay. He didn’t have to. Anand had mailed me that he had…

Whatever success we saw in this project, if I think back, did not come from the in-depth skilling, the methodology, the new rhythms, and the followup etc.

Not to undermine the hardwork of the team, but the turning point, tipping point, came from Anand being ‘uplifted’, or should I actually say ‘jolted’ into, or better still, ‘invoked into’ (the right word is not coming) his innermost desire, primal desire, to leave a mark.

This desire to leave an imprint, a legacy, where people will remember you, even in the most quietest of people, surprises me, each time.

* Names and identifying details in this article have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals and organisations.

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