That’s One Small Step for Man: A Leadership Legacy

 

Rest in peace Neil Armstrong! You are a true American hero and I thank you for making dreams come true. You helped our great country set foot on the moon, a vision that was set for us by President John F. Kennedy. It takes a leader to set a bold vision and it takes dedicated foot soldiers to show courage, bravery, dedication and commitment to realize the vision. You are a dedicated foot soldier and quiet leader.

Like many Americans, I was glued to the television with my family Jul 20, 1969, as we watched the grainy black and white televised transmission of NASA astronaut Neil Armstrong’s landing on the moon and his famous words, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

Neil Armstrong was more than an astronaut made famous by the role he played in history. Former fellow NASA astronaut and congressman, John Glenn, said he was his personal friend who was humble, gracious and modest.  While Mr. Armstrong will be remembered by the collective memory as being the first man to step foot on the moon, Glenn said it was how he lived his whole life that was important and he remembers him mostly as his friend.  Mr. Armstrong was an astronaut, United State Naval aviator, aerospace engineer, test pilot, university professor and a family man – he was leader who has left us a lasting legacy.

What is your leadership legacy? Most great leaders display truly humble qualities because what they really care about is what they do on the day to day basis to contribute to society.  Sometimes because of circumstances, greatness may be your fate because you are doing with excellence what you have to do at the time.  Greatness is the consistency of doing things well with strong character like Neil Armstrong.

When you operate your business, are you doing all that you can do with excellence?  How are you contributing to the greater good of society? What is your footprint that you will leave?  You have a tremendous opportunity in your business to work toward a vision of greatness and to put others in place to help you achieve it.  Remain humble, honest, and forthright.

Contribute greatly and leave a lasting legacy and yet be humble enough that with all that you may contribute you can be remembered as a friend.