What are the best ways to create a sense of impact and legacy for your team's work?

1 Align goals with mission

The first step to create a sense of impact and legacy is to align your team's goals with your organization's mission and vision. Make sure your team understands how their work contributes to the bigger picture and the positive change you want to create in the world. Communicate clearly and frequently the objectives, expectations, and outcomes of your projects, and show them how they align with your core values and principles. Celebrate your team's achievements and share their stories and feedback with the rest of the organization and your customers.

2 Empower autonomy and ownership

The second step to create a sense of impact and legacy is to empower your team to have autonomy and ownership over their work. Give them the freedom and flexibility to choose how they work, when they work, and with whom they work. Encourage them to experiment, innovate, and take risks, and support them when they face challenges or failures. Recognize their strengths and skills, and delegate tasks and responsibilities that match their interests and aspirations. Trust them to make decisions and solve problems, and provide them with the resources and guidance they need.

3 Foster collaboration and learning

The third step to create a sense of impact and legacy is to foster a culture of collaboration and learning among your team. Encourage them to share their ideas, insights, and feedback with each other, and to seek and offer help when needed. Create opportunities for them to learn from each other, from other teams, and from external experts and mentors. Promote a growth mindset and a continuous improvement mentality, and provide them with the training and development they need to grow their skills and knowledge. Facilitate cross-functional and cross-cultural interactions, and expose them to diverse perspectives and experiences.

4 Highlight social and environmental impact

The fourth step to create a sense of impact and legacy is to highlight the social and environmental impact of your team's work. Show them how their work affects not only your organization and your customers, but also your community and your planet. Share stories and testimonials of how your team's work has made a difference in people's lives, and how it has contributed to the social and environmental causes you care about. Involve them in social responsibility and sustainability initiatives, and encourage them to volunteer or donate to the organizations and movements they support.

5 Build a legacy mindset

The fifth step to create a sense of impact and legacy is to build a legacy mindset among your team. A legacy mindset is the attitude that your team's work is not only about the present, but also about the future. It is the belief that your team's work has a lasting value and influence, and that it will inspire and benefit others for generations to come. To build a legacy mindset, you need to help your team envision and articulate their desired legacy, and to align their actions and behaviors with their legacy goals. You also need to help them document and showcase their work, and to mentor and coach the next generation of leaders and innovators.

6 Nurture a sense of pride and gratitude

The sixth and final step to create a sense of impact and legacy is to nurture a sense of pride and gratitude among your team. Pride and gratitude are powerful emotions that can enhance your team's motivation, satisfaction, and loyalty. To nurture pride, you need to acknowledge and appreciate your team's efforts and achievements, and to celebrate their milestones and successes. To nurture gratitude, you need to express and encourage your team's appreciation for the opportunities and resources they have, and for the support and recognition they receive. You also need to help them reflect on their learnings and growth, and on the positive impact they have created.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?