Rethinking Leadership: Leading for Legacy not for Compliance

Everyone carries an image of what a great leader looks like. For many, that image is rooted in traditionally masculine traits (regardless of gender) such as dominance, assertiveness, and an unwavering nature. This "alpha" style of leadership is often associated with success, and it's not entirely misguided. The well-known “carrot and stick” approach certainly produces results.

However, those who subscribe to this view tend to focus solely on outcomes. They judge leadership based on visible achievements, often without much consideration given to the process or the human cost behind those accomplishments.

I’ll admit, I once held the same belief. I, too, had a conventional visual for a successful leader equating strong leadership with outcomes alone. But now I am here to tell you otherwise, and I have history to back me up! 

World history has unveiled a different viewpoint for what defines exceptional leadership. True leaders inspire, influence, and mobilize teams toward a shared vision through authenticity and trust. They have the ability to persuade people to go down a particular path and deliver specific results without resorting to a compliance approach guided by fear or coercion.

We can all name leaders, worldwide, who achieved results through sheer dominance, only to fall from grace. Their methods were effective up to a point, but not sustainable and came at a great expense to them personally. Instead of gaining a positive reputation, they left behind a train of scandals, pain and dark memories.

Adolf Hitler, who needs no introduction, is a fitting example. So is Queen Mary I of England, nicknamed Bloody Mary, for the cruelty she exhibited during her 5-year reign resulting in deaths of approximately 300 people, most burnt at the stake! Reflecting on recent history, and from the corporate world, the most disgraced CEOs include Harvey Weinstein, Elizabeth Holmes of Theranos, Dennis Muilenburg of Boeing, Kenneth Lay and Jeffery Skilling of Enron.

In contrast, great leaders leave behind more than a list of achievements, they leave legacies. Tales of their leadership transcend over time and are survived by generations to come. They become case studies for great conduct. Consider Nelson Mandella, Mahatma Gandhi, Margaret Thatcher (The Iron Lady), Angela Merkel and Martin Lauther King. Their leadership styles fostered hope, unity, and transformation.

From the corporate realm, I take pleasure in naming some of my favorites: Reshma Saujani of Girls Who Code, Bill Gates, Co-Founder of Microsoft and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Ursula Burns of Xerox and Martha Stewart whose comeback story is the one I admire most. These are among many other inspirational business leaders, notably, many of whom are women. 

By this point, if you find yourself having an internal conflict with some of the comparisons made or catch yourself leaning toward seeing figures such as Hitler or Queen Mary I as more "effective" leaders than the leadership styles of Mandella, Gandhi, Thatcher, Merkel and King, then stop right here and close down this blog, it is not for you. If not, carry on reading, it gets better!  

Rather than dropping historical names, which may not resonate with all our readers, wherever they come from, we promote an introspective experiment to nudge leaders towards a successful leadership style. Remember, leadership is a choice after all, and a deeply personal one! An individual must want to embrace it. It has to feel right and authentic to their personality for it to be truly effective.

At Awe Horizons, we highlight impactful leadership conduct. Our focus is not on short-term wins or long-term results for that matter; we are here to champion remarkable legacies.

Legacy is enduring. No outcome, positive or otherwise, outweighs its power. That is why we advocate leading for legacy, rather than leading for compliance. The latter, which we coined dictatorship style, may deliver results, but it rarely earns respect or leaves a positive mark.

If this message resonates with you, if it challenges your thinking or sparks curiosity, then this blog has achieved its goal. Awareness is the first step. The next bold move is doing something about it.

We invite you to connect with us. Whether or not a partnership emerges, we’re always eager to have meaningful conversations about real, impactful leadership. After all, it’s what we’re most passionate about.