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When was the final time you took inventory of what your enterprise has achieved and what its legacy will probably be after you are gone?
Understandably, most of us are caught up within the day-to-day calls for and challenges of working our firm or group whereas making an attempt to handle our private lives. Few of us ever take the time to think about what we’re working in the direction of in the long run. The place will your enterprise be in 10 years? In 20 years? And what if, by some unexpected tragedy, you died right this moment and your enterprise was compelled to shut – what would your obituary say, and what can be written about your enterprise?
The “obituary check” or “eulogy check” is an train usually utilized by people to evaluate their private lives. It helps guarantee they’re dwelling in a approach they’re going to be happy with once they look again on their lives.
It could appear to be a morbid course of, however it may be a strong device for figuring out whether or not or not you and the group you have invested a lot time, effort and vitality into are aligned along with your private values in a approach that may endure after you are gone. Clearly, there are a lot of enterprise metrics for figuring out the fabric worth of what you have constructed: inventory value, dividends paid out and market cap, amongst dozens of others.
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However what if you happen to needed to reply the next questions: What’s your enterprise’ legacy? What’s going to folks say about you and your enterprise after you are gone? Are you pleased with what they may say? There are many examples of corporations which have left behind horrible legacies. Consider the vitality firm Enron, which defrauded buyers, price-gouged prospects and evaporated its workers’ pensions as a result of its company greed and unlawful accounting practices.
Or contemplate Lehman Brothers, the funding financial institution that was revered for over a century earlier than its repute was swiftly erased in a number of weeks through the early days of the 2008 monetary disaster. Initially, Lehman’s heavy funding in subprime mortgages helped them report astronomical earnings, however when the market crashed, Lehman’s downfall was speedy and brutal. Lehman’s demise led to the most important chapter submitting in U.S. historical past — $619 billion, with buyers and U.S. taxpayers left holding the invoice.
Legacy is not only about the way you hope you and your enterprise will probably be seen 20 or 30 years from now. It is about making a enterprise tradition now wherein each resolution, large or small, is aligned with the last word legacy you hope to depart. It is about dwelling your legacy right this moment and day by day.
For years, the company mannequin was primarily based on maximizing earnings in any respect prices whereas doing harm/repute management by charitable donations. That is precisely how corporations like Purdue Prescription drugs operated. They made billions by misrepresenting the information on their extremely addictive drug, OxyContin, which tremendously contributed to the opioid disaster that continues to hang-out America right this moment. On the identical time, the Sackler household, which ran Purdue, donated thousands and thousands to the humanities, charities and universities. At present, with the household’s legacy in tatters, most charities and establishments refuse to cope with the Sacklers or their belief.
What these examples illustrate is that each your private and enterprise legacy are decided by your actions all through the historical past of their existence. It is not simply the tip output of earnings for shareholders or a giant donation to a charity after years of unscrupulous enterprise conduct.
Shoppers need corporations which are dedicated to extra than simply the underside line of revenue. They need genuine corporations that stroll the speak. That is why corporations like Costco are each worthwhile and trusted. The Repute Administration Firm says that Costco has “a legacy of excellence and member satisfaction,” which is without doubt one of the causes they’re the second “most trusted firm in America” (behind solely Patagonia), in accordance with a 2023 Axios survey.
They provide low costs, high quality merchandise, deal with their workers nicely and help their native communities by charitable donations, partnerships they usually pay workers to “volunteer” locally. They stroll the speak and reside their model’s legacy from CEO to frontline worker.
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So, what does the obituary check let you know about you and your organization? Is your organization or group making a legacy you will be happy with that aligns along with your values? If not, listed below are a number of concepts to get you began:
Create a legacy assertion: Everyone knows about mission statements, however contemplate additionally making a legacy assertion that articulates the influence you need your enterprise to have in the long run – whether or not in your neighborhood, nation or the world.
It ought to mirror the values you need your organization to uphold and the form of legacy you need it to depart behind. Work along with your crew to develop the legacy assertion and incorporate it into your strategic and long-term planning to make sure your organization is working in the direction of it every day.
Perform a legacy audit: Simply as you may conduct a monetary audit to evaluate your organization’s fiscal well being, a legacy audit will help consider the extent of alignment between your operations and your values. The legacy audit ought to cowl an intensive assessment of your organization’s values, practices, merchandise and tradition. Establish areas the place you are on monitor and the place you are falling brief so you’ll be able to create a plan to handle the gaps.
Implement a values-based decision-making matrix: To make sure that your enterprise selections constantly mirror your legacy assertion, contemplate implementing a values-based decision-making framework. This framework ought to embrace a set of guiding questions or standards that you simply and your crew can use to guage key selections. For instance, “Does this resolution align with our firm values?” or “How will this resolution influence our long-term legacy?” This strategy ensures that your legacy stays entrance and middle in your day-to-day operations.
All of us wish to be happy with the legacy that we go away behind. If you happen to don’t love what you see, get to work on creating the legacy you need.
