Legacy

Today is a day of lasts and firsts for many of us. The end of the Summer holidays, and the beginning of a new school year. The end of the reign of Boris Johnson as Prime Minister, and the start of a new leadership by his successor. Same goes for me, personally, as I enter a season of transition in lieu of a new adventure. With this in mind, it got me thinking about my legacy.?

Phyllis Weiss Haserot said it best in this Forbes (2015) article, ‘It’s having achieved something that lives on, that conveys your purpose, that is bigger than what you are doing at the moment.’ With many millennials trading the ‘job for life’ in favour of becoming a multi-hyphenate, it’s no surprise that people are starting to consider their work legacy much earlier too. Millennials are likely to have, on average, 12.5 jobs in their lifetime in the UK. With this in mind, it’s no surprise that considerations once reserved for those nearing retirement are being contemplated much sooner. After all, digital preaches that we start with the end in mind. And the reality is, products you’re working on right now will probably not exist or will change next year. The tech and digital space is constantly evolving. Whereas, a legacy lives on through people, not products.?

‘Your legacy is every person you’ve met whose influence is felt by you.’ Oprah Winfrey.

It’s difficult to articulate or quantify your ability to make a lasting impact when you work in a big organisation like a Central Government department. Oftentimes, you might feel like a tiny speck of dust in a desert. However, it’s important that you define what impact looks like for you; weighing up your strengths and what you bring to the table, against the challenges you might face in reality, and your work context.?

‘When you think about your career in terms of leaving a legacy and not merely as a source of income, it takes on a far deeper meaning’ (Tony Robbins, How to leave a legacy).?

For me, defining my legacy is bigger than my role as a No.10 Innovation Fellow. It's asking myself ‘What do I want to be remembered for?’. This required that I delve much deeper than the parameters of my project definition. Think broader than my job title, and beyond who was employing me at any given moment. It’s a raw journey of self-discovery. Understanding what my greater purpose is, and weaving in my values into my day-to-day conduct. ?

Inclusion = Innovation. Yes, that’s the title of this newsletter. Beyond that, I want that mantra to permeate everything I touch. I aspire for the work that I did, and will do, to be inclusive by design. If I’m hosting a workshop, how might I ensure that more than the usual suspects would be in attendance? Truly curate democratic forums where all voices, regardless of seniority, background, rank, or time served, could be heard. How might I pass the mic on to those who’ve developed the product and could speak to its functionality? Supporting the broader visibility of good talent, and creating new channels for upward mobility and career progression. If an individual can’t attend to reflect their team/department’s perspective, how might we work together to capture their insights? Reflecting needs and values that are as wide-ranging as possible.

The hierarchical nature of the governance structure in Central government was no surprise to me, having come face to face with it in my previous role. The same can be said of any big tech company. My legacy aspires to transcend that norm and inspire others to do the same. Chuckles from colleagues would often follow my admission of a desire to break down departmental and team siloes as it was so ingrained. For example, retros were often live streams of presentations by Senior colleagues, with little to no audience participation. I’m thrilled to say I didn’t let any of that hold me back. I held multiple collective intelligence workshops as a Fellow, pulling together the expertise of colleagues and partners across multiple teams. Same goes for my final retro, which cut across multiple government departments, sharing invaluable feedback that will no doubt influence a future iteration of the Fellowship. By doing so, I hope I inspired others to think about how similar could be done for their projects. How we might accommodate different views, share skills, and curate a sustainable culture of collaboration in a newly merged organisation.

In a world preoccupied with personal branding, aesthetics, and oneself in the workplace, I’m here to preach the complete opposite. A legacy has to be about more than you or what you’re doing now. It is about creating avenues, systems and approaches that outlive you. Beyond relevance, it’s about impact.

What is your legacy?