I lost my good friend of many years, Mick McIlveen, after an all too brief battle with cancer a couple of weeks ago. His friends and family paid a fitting tribute to him at an end-of-life celebration this week. The tributes, including my own, all revolved around one central theme: his extraordinary ability to connect with people. Yes, they acknowledged his professional achievements, but it was his personal qualities—his love for people, directness, and sense of adventure—that truly made a lasting impact on the people around him. He would want to be remembered for the lives he touched.
It made me wonder what I want to be remembered for. I imagine that’s a question you may have also considered at some point, especially when you’re in a leadership role. While we strive to make a business impact, producing tangible results, the intangible impact we make in people’s lives seems more satisfying. Just like my friend Mick, who worked as a civil engineer in local government, he helped build roads, sports fields, and housing developments, but even his work colleagues remembered him for the impact he had on them.
It underscores how important it is to invest in developing ‘people’ skills—like emotional intelligence, listening, and empathy. These skills are crucial not just for professional success but for leaving a meaningful legacy. They help us connect with others and bring out the best in them. It is what ultimately shapes how we will be remembered.
In ‘Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less,’ Greg McKeown encourages us to think about what truly matters in life. He calls it an essential intent and suggests, ‘It takes courage, insight, and foresight to see which activities and efforts will add up to your single highest point of contribution. It takes asking tough questions, making real trade-offs, and exercising serious discipline to cut out the competing priorities that distract us from our true intention.’
🙋♀️ What would you like to be remembered for? 🙋
Best regards, Brian