Legacy through people
My perspective from 3 different points of view: as a mother, a leader and a member of a community.
As a mother.
When I found that I was pregnant with my son, my deepest fear was that I will not know how to raise an emphatic yet strong and confident child and future man. I was fearful that I will not have enough patience to respond to his needs, that I will not guide him properly when he will face rejection, get involved in conflicts, and discover how the real world is out there.
Therefore, I began to read a lot of books about parenting. I wanted to know different opinions and choose the best method for us, as a family.
I can’t describe in words the feeling I have discovered at the moment that my son was born. I knew that he will be a new start for a new me, that he will motivate me to become a better person every day for the rest of my life.
Yes! Kids are living miracles!
When he came into this world, I was ready, confident and very important: relaxed.
Our relation is built on trust and respect. I never lied or played tricks that could injure our mutual trust. I respect him as an independent individual, my role is to guide him through life, but the choices are his own. Even now, at just 2 years old, I encourage and support him to make choices every day. Of course, I’m not giving him a choice about watching TV or using my tablet, but he can choose how we spend our free time (reading a book, playing with animals or dinosaurs, taking a walk in the park, meeting with his friends etc).
Two months ago he started kindergarten. It took me a while to find a kindergarten with the same mentality and principles I have, but I found it.
Now I can say that I’m very proud of me, as a mother. My son is very emphatic, he understands emotions, he gives space when other kids demand it, he shares his toys with pleasure and he communicates his feeling and wishes.
I know that he will be kind and understanding with others, that he will help when he has the possibility, that he will learn how to forgive and to stand for his ideas.
I have a great feeling that he will be a great man, father, and friend.
Yes, I believe that my son is my best contribution to the world.
As a leader.
“The x-factor of great leadership is not personality, it’s humility.” -Jim Collins
I have always been focused on people: employees and clients. Yes, employees come first.
4 years ago I faced the following circumstances: one of my clients made rude comments about one of my employees. He managed to ruin her confidence, he called her names, he kept sending irritable emails and phoning her, not letting her focus on his projects. I kept asking myself what was his purpose because, as I found out later, no one liked working with him as a customer.
I got very angry when I found out that he called her “a naughty child”. That was the moment when I decided to give him a call and terminate our contract. He told me that he will pay us double, but I replied that even if he came to my office with a suitcase full of money, my answer will be the same.
My legacy as a leader and an entrepreneur is to share the following principles:
• Always seek to bring value to every daily activity.
I love how the humankind has always found the means to develop a better future, to innovate and create. Contribute with your piece to this beautiful puzzle we call “The World”!
• Put your people first.
If someone doesn’t respect the work of your employees, don’t collaborate with them.
• Learn to forgive.
The hate will consume you and it will hold you from focusing on what is really important for you. It’s hard, I know. But it’s a healing process and it will take time.
• Give credit.
Be grateful for the involvement, loyalty, honesty, perseverance and good heart of your employees.
• Listen.
One of my favorite quotes is “ You were born with two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.”
Listen to your heart, your mentors, your people, your loved ones. We can’t grow and learn if we don’t have our ears open.
• Always be honest.
I don’t know how to lie and I’m very happy about this because I think that when you lie to someone, you actually lie to yourself. I don’t want to be fake, I pledge for trustworthiness and authenticity.
“ My word is my bond.”
• Help others to grow.
Love can build great things and can bring you a lot of joy from the success of others.
• Be diplomatic.
You will face all kinds of situations, but how you choose to respond defines who you are. I advise you from my heart to avoid offending others or hurting their feelings. There is always a positive way to show people they are wrong.
As a community member.
According to Aristotle, human beings are “social animals” and therefore they naturally seek the companionship of others. That is why I’m writing about how we choose to interact with others in different communities.
We can divide this into online communities and offline communities. But in this article, I think it’s more important to speak about offline communities and how we interact face to face with each other.
I have met all kinds of characters and my conclusion is this: don’t care about MBAs, college degrees, titles on the business card or what brand someone has on his clothes. Care about the heart, open your ears and I guarantee that you have at least one lesson to learn. From anyone.
“Happiness is something that multiplies when it is divided.” Paulo Coelho
I choose to give respect, to respond with kindness, to forgive, to listen more and to help if I can. I choose to give back happiness because it feels so darn good when you receive back a smile from the heart.
When a close person has negative vibes, I try to respond with good ones. Sometimes I see how negativism is melting under my eyes. I love to transform tears and sorrow into laughs.
Of course, there are also sad moments in anyone’s life when the best response is to be a good listener and bring a good bottle of wine.
But, if someone is dragging you down, making you feel bad every time you interact, that’s a toxic relationship. I prefer to focus on being healthy and happy.
My legacy is my mark I leave in the hearts of the people I interact with and care about.
What are your thoughts regarding your legacy? I’d love to know them in the comments bellow.
I’m always happy to connect with likeminded people on LinkedIn
