Anton Guinea
Entrepreneur, Speaker, bestselling author, and founder of The Guinea Group of Companies. For over 15 years, Anton has helped leaders move their teams to become psychologically safe, physically safe and overall better versions of themselves.
What will you be remembered for when you’re no longer at the helm?
Today’s a bit of a special one for me. It’s my birthday. Another year added to my life, and with it, a moment to pause and reflect on what kind of impact I’m leaving behind. Every year, I ask myself the same question: have I made a difference in the lives of the people I’ve worked with, coached, or led? And if I haven’t, what will I do differently from today?
I’ve spent more than two decades helping leaders build teams that are safe, trusted and high performing. Through that time, one question keeps rising to the surface: if you’re leading with purpose today, will you leave a lasting legacy of impact tomorrow?
Finding your why in leadership
When I think about a leadership path that matters, the starting point is simple. You must know your why. Without it, you’re just reacting to the day to day. I found this firsthand after my own near fatal workplace incident. It shook me to the core and forced me to question why I was here, why I led and what I truly stood for.
Research shows that leaders who connect their daily actions to a higher purpose enjoy not just greater engagement but stronger performance across the board. For example, one study found that purpose driven leadership increased organisational commitment, individual productivity and team alignment. Exploring Purpose Driven Leadership: Theoretical Foundations…
In my work with organisations through The Guinea Group, I encourage leaders to ask: “What difference will I make when I walk out of the room?” That question anchors your intention. It forces you to act consistently with your values.
From purpose to legacy
Once you’ve found your why, you need to translate it into a legacy that lasts. I’m not talking about a plaque on the wall. I mean behaviours and habits that other people remember, replicate and build on. One of our pieces on the site, what will you be remembered for defining your leadership legacy, explores this idea by highlighting actions that outlive titles.
In practical terms, this means you must role model the behaviours you want your team to carry forward. The moment you walk off a project or leave a meeting, what remains in the culture should carry your purpose. That’s leadership with intention.
Creating teams that remember your leadership
When I walk into a workshop now, I ask each leader, “What do people say about you when you’re not in the room?” That question helps shift focus from what you do to how you’re known. How you’re known becomes your legacy.
Part of that involves purpose driven actions. The research article how leaders can create a purpose driven culture says leaders must not only articulate purpose, they must live it.
In my view one of the single biggest contributions a leader can make is to build a team that outlasts them. That requires that you invest daily in relationships, accountability, psychological safety and clear direction. That’s what high performing, enduring teams are built on.
My challenge to you
If I can invite you into one thing today, it’s this. Stop asking “what do I want to achieve?” and start asking “who will I help become?” When you do this, you move from ambition to impact.
Here are three practical steps to begin immediately:
- Write down your leadership intention for today, this year and five years from now.
- Identify one decision you will make this week that matches that intention, and commit to sharing that decision with your team.
- Link your legacy to someone else’s growth. Identify a team member and ask how you can help them grow in a way that means you’re remembered for helping, not just leading.
When you act with purpose, stay composed under pressure and invest in others, you build more than a team. You build a lasting legacy. And that is the kind of leadership I have devoted my life to cultivating. Birthdays are a reminder for me that time is short, but our influence doesn’t have to be. Every conversation, every decision, every person we help shapes the mark we leave behind.
Ready to explore how you can step into that legacy now? book a session with me or get in touch. Let’s talk about how we create leadership that lasts.
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UPGRADE your Mindset
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