How would you like to be remembered when you leave?

Over the last few weeks, everyone has been speculating who will be the next Prime Minister of Singapore. More importantly, What kind of leader should Singapore have?

In my consulting work to help companies plan ahead and identify future leaders, I propose that organizations pose this critical question to the prospective candidates: “how would you like to be remembered when you leave?”

Leaders must foster an environment that allows for two fundamental principles to flourish: First, it must be one in which diverse ideas are readily explored. Second, it should encourage accountability for every action. These form the essence of good organizational stewardship.

However, leaders cannot sail the ship alone – in the sense that they, too, need a solid team in order to succeed. One in which there is a shared understanding that everyone should contribute towards ensuring that goals and expectations are met. Again, this returns to the role played by the leader in fostering such collectivism.

In sum, it is not necessarily about your individual capabilities but rather about the legacy you are able to leave behind. In particular, how well you are able to gift a culture unto successive teams to build on and flourish.