Your Legacy is Now
Life is not a search for meaning from others, it’s about the creation of meaning for yourself.
For over 30 years Alan Weiss has consulted, coached, and advised everyone from Fortune 500 executives, state governors, non-profit directors, and entrepreneurs to athletes, entertainers, and beauty pageant contestants. That’s quite an assortment of people, and they run into the thousands. Most of them have had what we euphemistically call “means,” and some of them have had a lot more than that. Others have been aspiring and with more ends in sight than means on hand.
Alan Weiss states:
I’ve dealt with esteem (low), narcissism (high), family problems, leadership dysfunctions, insecurities, addictions, and ethical quandaries. And I’ve talked about them through the coronavirus crisis. But don’t get the wrong idea. About 95% of these people have been well-meaning, honest (to the best of their knowledge), and interested in becoming a better person and better professional. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be talking to me.
I found the equivalent of the “runner’s wall” in their journeys, where they must break through the pain and the obstacles and then can keep going with renewed energy and spirit. But runners know how far they must go after the breakthrough, be it another half lap or another five miles. There is a finish line.
I’ve found that people in all positions, even after the “breakthrough,” don’t know where they are in the race, let alone where the finish line is.
They do not know what meaning is for them. They may have money in the bank, good relationships, the admiration of others, and the love of their dogs. But they have no metrics for “What now?” They believe that at the end of life there is a tallying, some metaphysical accountant who totals up their contributions, deducts their bad acts, and creates the (hopefully positive) difference.
That difference, they believe, is their “legacy.”
But the thought that legacy arrives at the end of life is as ridiculous as someone who decides to sell a business and tries to increase its valuation the day prior. Legacy is now. Legacy is daily. Every day we create the next page in our lives, but the question becomes who is writing it and what’s being written. Is someone else creating our legacy? Or are we, ourselves, simply writing the same page repeatedly?
Or do we leave it blank?
Our organic, living legacy is marred and squeezed by huge normative pressures. There is a “threshold” point, at which one’s beliefs and values are overridden by immense peer pressure. Our metrics are forced to change.
In an age of social media, biased press, and bullying, we’ve come to a point where our legacy, ironically, is almost out of our hands.
Yet our “meaning”—our creation of meaning and not a search for some illusive alchemy—creates worth and impact for us and all those with whom we interact.
Elizabeth Gordon
I completely agree, Alan. It is useless and futile to artificially prop up an industry whose best years are behind it. The Big 3 automakers are going to fail, its inevitable. American taxpayers should not be forced to subsidize the complete incompetence of car manufacturers leadership and management. The free market should be allowed to work and these guys should fail, it is time. However, it increasingly appears that we will be made to provide life support, in which case, get everyone who is in charge out of there and make massive changes to the business. You can’t expect to go in a different direction if you keep following the same people, who continue to be rewarded despite their lack of performance.
Dallon Christensen
The American automakers have been a case study of mismanagement for over 30 years. I do not understand why the American taxpayer should pay for the sins of an industry that did not adequately plan for the high quality of Japanese cars (of course, it should have NEVER taken outside competitors to force the American automakers to think of quality as important) or for the inevitable backlash against carbon emissions.
US Congressman Phil Hare (D-IL) said in today’s Quad-City Times, “If we don’t help (the so-called Big Three out), we’d go from recession to depression.” Of course, Hare comes from a district where the UAW still controls local politics, so Hare’s scare comments are typical of those that will eventually force passage of a ill-advised bailout.
I’m sure that the restaurant industry will be next in line for a bailout if consumers continue to stay home and not eat out. Then what will Congress do? They have already set two precedents that are corroding the core of the greatest economic system in human history from the inside out.
Alan Weiss
The three CEOs flew to the Congressional hearings in three corporate jets. I don’t think there’s any question any longer that these guys can’t be trusted with pocket change, let alone a bail out. Neither Dilbert nor Doonesbury could have created that ludicrous sight.
Sam
“Genesis” had a song called “Land of Cunfusion” back in 1986. Aside from being an excellent song with brilliant video production and lyrics, it sends a very contemporary message. Land without accountability is the Land of Confusion.
For those who are interested, music video is available on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MzShg7yXik. If you cannot make out who the two animated characters are, she is Meggie Thatcher and he is Ronnie Reagan.
Amy Showalter
Bravo, bravo!
Regarding the auto exec’s congressional testimony, many of my clients prepare their executives for such encounters with state and federal lawmakers. They are very aware of the importance of appearances and advise their leadership of various lawmaker sensitivities in that regard.
The fact that the auto exec’s decided to use their corporate jets was yet another example of “tired ears.” I’m fairly certain that their government relations & PR staff advised them to play down any appearances of corporate excess.
The exec’s didn’t listen to them, and it’s probably a small manifestation of a broader management style that is not attuned to what customers want, which got them in this mess, along with ghastly union negotiating “skills.”
Alan Weiss
Why on earth do people believe that just because someone makes a ton of money and has a nice office that they’re the least bit intelligent? I’ve seen too many dolts in corner offices over the years. There is a reason the US automakers don’t compete with Asian and European automakers: Dumb-ass, stupid management.