A Leader’s Legacy

A Leader’s Legacy

The purpose of the 7 Daily Nuggets is to teach us what we need to know to live a prosperous life; the things that we may not have learned or are not currently learning in church, school, home or at work. Let’s apply what we learn here and share these nuggets with others. We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Great leaders leave a legacy for centuries to come. When you think of great leaders who comes to your mind?

Today we look at 7 great leaders of the past to remind us of the positive impact they had in our lives. Two from the world of politics, two from the world of business, two from the world of sports, and one from the spiritual world. These individuals left their marks for mankind. All of them had their share of difficulties, challenges, suffering, and even ridicule. They all persisted to the very end until their missions and visions were realized. Their unwavering faith in themselves, in people, and above all in our Creator produced results that improved the lives of people around the world. Here is the list.

1.    George Washington. The father of our nation. Washington created a model nation, a republic that served the beacon of freedom for the world for over two centuries. He raised a young nation providing the required leadership during her upbringing.

2.    Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln presided our nation during a civil war; a time of division. A man who had been through enormous personal defeats and suffering answered the call to leadership.  His perseverance led to the preservation of the union and the abolishment of slavery. Lincoln went from failure, to failure, to greatness by preparing himself for when his time would come. Winston Churchill also went through his share of failure in preparation to fight evil and prevail.

  

3.    Sam Walton. A simple man, yet a genius in the world retailing. Sam realized that the money was no longer in manufacturing but in distribution. Sam brought low cost goods to the masses. Sam was a man of vision, mastered his craft, kept score on what mattered and led by example. Imagine what we would be paying for stuff if Sam Walton would have quit after losing his first business from a bad deal.

4.    Ray Kroc. The king of franchising, a concept that in the early days, thought by many to be illegal. Imagine a world today without franchising, the multiplication of a proven process. Kroc created many millionaires before becoming one himself. Over half of every dollar spent today flows through some sort of franchise. The value McDonald business is not in selling hamburgers but in multiplying a successful operating system. I confess the fries and the shakes are my favorites.

5.    Vince Lombardi. Lombardi was a man of deep conviction and unwavering faith. He created man that happened to play football. Pursuing excellence via work ethic was his hallmark. His players at the Green Bay Packers would practice the plays to near perfection. Remember the “Packers sweep?" Opponents knew ahead of time what the play was going to be yet they could not stop the Packers for scoring their touchdowns. We learned from him that perfect practice makes perfect.

  

6.    John Wooden. Wooden in a different sport than Lombardi also shaped great man to be basketball players. Wooden focused on mastering the fundamentals of the game. A man of great faith, patience, attention to detail, and perseverance. Imagine diligently working for 17 years before winning a major championship. Wooden set a new standard for coaches and players. Wooden took the time to bring out the best in his players.

7.    Mother Teresa. She dedicated her life to serve the lowliest of the low. She taught her sisters how to serve others so they could die with dignity. She saw Christ in the eyes of the poorest of the poor. She never asked for much and she received everything, the respect of the world. I know that because of her I am a better person.

Who are your heroes?

What legacy is going to be yours?

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy)