Considering that leadership can be defined as intentional influence, and in its simplest form leadership is represented by getting a team from HERE to THERE, it follows that leadership is a selfless act.

Legacies can take many forms. Some people donate large sums of money to buildings or endowments, which are in turn named after them, but that is not the kind of legacy we are talking about here. While those are fantastic contributions they do not belong in the same category of legacy that is associated with leadership.

By nature great leaders get themselves out of the way and allow results to speak for themselves while they themselves stand in the background. 

Great leaders own the consequences of actions gone awry, but give accolades to others for endeavors that succeed.

Great leaders also look beyond the momentary and place greater weight on future impact. Hence, combining selflessness and future orientation results is the kind of legacy that great leaders leave.

Herb Mast is a Leadership Coach and Employee Engagement Specialist. Learn how he can assist you in implementing the principles and concepts presented here.