The Legacy Drawing Board

We want to tell our story.  However, when our health is compromised, we lose direction of the narrative and transition from writer to bystander.  The relationships we build and the consistency of our voice will enable others to speak for us when we can no longer speak for ourselves.  One of the vital functions your legacy carries out is to be your surrogate decision-maker when you are incapacitate...

Stan Lee changed storytelling in comic books.  He elevated the medium from funny pages to graphic novels.  He shine a spotlight on the writers, artists, letters, and colorists by starting the credit box.  His legacy improved storytelling and inspired generations to be storytellers. 

Family stories connect past generations with future ones.  Family stories increases our vision and understanding of those close to us.  Ask to hear stories from family members and you will increase your sense of self.  Tell your story to family and you will expand their world.  

Mentorship occupies an unique place in relationship dynamics.  It's singular attribute that distinguishes it from counseling, coaching, advocacy, or sponsorship is the primary focus on protection.  A mentor's main goal is to protect the mentee.  Once that goal is achieved, then the mentor can proceed with other pursuits.  However, with the foundation of protection and trust, this specific relation...

Fables, legends, and epics have inspired us throughout the ages.  We have handed down these stories to the next generation.  Listen to start thinking of your legacy in grander scale.  This perspective will strengthen the impact of your story in order that future generations will be able to appreciate its full value.  

What you fight for and when you fight contributes to your legacy.  How you engage in conflict is a reflection of your leadership, how you value relationships, and the story you want to tell.  

Money talks.  When people see your stewardship of your earnings, what is the message being delivered?  How we view and spend our money is a large part of legacy.  Are you working to leave your children an inheritance or a legacy?

The delicate balance between power and authority must be maintained to build a legacy of trust and positive impact.  Authority without power are words spoken in an empty forest.  Power without authority is a deafening roar that severs bonds.  How you wield your power will determine the direction and depth of your legacy.  

You continue to deliver a message after you're gone through your legacy.  New Year's resolutions and bucket lists are too confined in their scope and function to fuel your legacy.  Write a premortem and your story unfolds before your eyes.  It's not a fairytale, but a commitment to your future self that you will leave the legacy that you wanted to. 

A logo serves to create memorable impressions and to communicate ownership of a brand.  What would your legacy's logo look like?  Listen to go through the exercise of designing a logo to focus and to enhance your legacy building efforts.  

You are the author of your story.  But, are you also the narrator?  Narration provides nuance and reflection to the story's events.  Take the time to enrich your story with narration.  

No new James Bond film will occur until the Broccoli family and Amazon come to an agreement.  Part of the challenge is that Amazon failed to understand the importance of the Bond franchise to the Broccoli family legacy.  Listen to appreciate the essence of legacy, why it matters, and why you need to protect it from those who would detract from it.  

The art of bricolage involves using what is at hand to bring seemingly unrelated pieces into some resemblance of order.  It is similar to improvisation in jazz.  Are you a bricolage artist, a rare individual who can appreciate the talents of others and trust them to express it on their terms?  This skill forges lasting legacies.   

Legacy institutions, such as media and academia, are changing.  In some aspects, they are losing their influence.  How much of your legacy is vested into legacy institutions?  Should they fall, will your legacy lose its impact?  Your legacy should be built on the distillation of the virtues and values you hold dear.  Design you legacy to withstand the external whims of time.  

It's another edition of Hi Oh! Hijinks, the lighthearted feature of The Legacy Drawing Board.  For those of you who have never attended an office Christmas party or it has been more than three years since your last one, Darrell Jenkins and I walk you though this process to avoid landmines and increase your enjoyment.  

How we teach shapes our legacy.  What is your intent when you teach?  Do you want your student to master a subject or to pass an exam?  Or, do you want your student to surpass your standing in order to advance the discipline?  Listen to challenge the way you view the teacher-student dynamic and how you want your teaching methods to contribute to your legacy.  

A contranym is a word with two opposite meanings.  Is your legacy suffering this fate?  As you design and build your legacy, take time to ask those who are influenced by your legacy what is their perception of your message.  This investment of time will pay dividends in ensuring that you are delivering the legacy you want.  

This is the first episode of Hi oh! Hijinks, the podcast within a podcast.   I discuss the transition of working from home back to the office with my co-host Darrell Jenkins.  We look for the laughter during this workplace shift for many, especially those who are early in their careers.  Join us for the podcast equivalent of shooting the breeze with work colleagues at the water cooler.  

A marathon is more than 26.2 miles.  It is a gathering of thousands stories that will add another chapter at the finish line.  I share three stories involving marathons as inspiration to design and to build your legacy.  

How do you envision your legacy progressing with passing years?  Are you seeking to retain your youth or to expand your experiences?  Have you designed growth and maturation into your legacy design?  Listen to appreciate that 60 is not the new 40, but the cherished stage that required six decades to build.  

A second act is not a second chance.  In plays, the second act connects the first to the third and final one.  It serves to lay out the conflict or challenge the protagonist faces.  We may think of a second career or retirement as a second act, but those are chapters of a singular story.  However, when designing our legacy, we need to envision the story we want to tell and how to get to tell that...

Have you designed inspiration into your legacy?  Do you want to inspire others your legacy touches them?  Will others build more meaningful legacies when they see your on display?  Listen to inspire by storytelling.   

Your legacy is a collection of your works as an artist.  As you have designed your legacy, you need to also design the museum to house and to display your work.  What is the structure that will invite people to tour and to ponder?  

"All the world's a stage."  Is your legacy a comedy or a drama?  Have you matured in your acting skills?  Listen to see your legacy through the lens of stage production to hone and mature your skills in conveying your story.  

Autumn marks the end of the carefree endless days of summer.  The air grows colder and the nights longer as responsibilities quicken.  Autumn is a time to take stock of your legacy's harvest.