The art of the finish is the art of legacy. The things you are left behind you and making a lasting impact on the people you have been connected with! It is essential, what people would remember of you when you are not around!
The is a large discussion today about how to start up something and especially in the business world. Startups is the new things about making again entrepreneurship work! Or that we have thought of! But that is not just that!
Business is not everything, but it is many things for today world. Leadership and excellence is (or should be) another important part of today’s life even though we neglect to pay too much attention to it!
Starting something new, and especially so, something aiming to impact a lot of world, is, certainly an important art. But it is also important to know how to finish something! And the art of the finish is equally important as the art of the start!
A Personal Memory!
One of the greatest managers I have ever known, thought me once, a great lesson about business. We were attending a project meeting, and beside ourselves, a lot a high esteemed managers where attending the event. After we have finished and gathering our tasks, goals, etc, packing to leave, he said one of the oddest things I ever heard.
He said this: “It is excellent to be a good manager, but is even more valuable to know when you have to leave“. I was surprised because his statement was out of context. Or so I thought!
We didn’t discuss it further, but that statement catches my attention. So at a later time, I ask him what he meant. He said, that, at that time, he was referring to a senior manager of some age (attendee in the meeting we both attended), who he was certain that only his presence was enough to further our work at hand. I remember that the particular person didn’t do any comment, or provide ideas for the table, but he was more occupy of ”
I remember that the particular person didn’t do any comment or provide ideas on the table, but he was more occupy of “keeping the right procedures” (balancing priorities, finding “errors” in the procedures we suggest, comment on our errors without providing alternative solutions, etc).
As my friend told me, that particular person, was a brilliant manager at his time, innovative, pro-active, thinking out-of-the-box, implementing approaches for serving all involved parties.
But, now, according to the opinion of my friend, he had nothing more to offer and insisted on keeping a position that he could longer in.
That particular person has not realized that it was time for him to leave.
The Art Of Finish?
This is a common situation in the business world. There is no playbook on when it is your time to leave!
It usually happens when:
- You didn’t pace up with the evolvement of your environment (in business, financial, human resources, relationship or technological terms)
- You select approaches no longer serve your purposes and that of the other
- You lack a vision and a direction
- You fail to trained yourself in new methodologies, tools, approaches
- You keep an authoritative attitude and refuse to adopt new approaches
- You “read” and interpreter wrong the situations you have to cope with
- You don’t invest to yourself, in keep up with all the developments concerns you
Of course it is important how you start-up, but is seems that it is equally important, how you finish a course. And this, I believe, it applies to all of you everyday actions. It is enough a bad or negative “last” impression to ruin a whole course of meticulously planning, work and efforts. So it is important, when you have to leave, you should do it with grace, making sure, that:
- You have design and prepare your exit with the best possible way
- You don’t leave burdens to others (friends, associates, co-workers, etc)
- You have groom and prepare your successors, in order to operate without your presence, without errors in the procedure!!!
- You have done everything possible, to elevate the business ecosystem and environment and provide multiple benefits and value-added conditions to all surround you
- You have provided an excellent, mutually beneficial, raw model of working with and towards everybody, leaving a new paradigm of doing and a legacy to be followed upon, by others
- You have cultivated and practice a culture of excellence towards everybody (if possible!!!)
- You have employed more win-win strategies, rather that win-lose one in all your actions
- You have done what you had to do, as best as you could
- You have left a vision and a legacy to be adopted and practices by others.
