On the Gifts on a Long Career
I had a strange coincidence happen this week.
First, I got a call from my bank. I’d recently left a positive comment about the service at my local branch, and the banker called to thank me. He told me they rarely, if ever, hear positive feedback. It was a small moment, but it left a mark.
Then, twenty-four hours later, a text message popped up from a name I hadn’t seen in years.
“Hi, Richard. Just passed my 10-yr anniversary as regional president. Not sure I would have made it without your help. We are doing great… owe much to you as I continue to strive to be an effective leader.”
Ten years. In the world of high-level leadership, a decade isn’t just a tenure; it’s an era.
I’ll be honest: I love the work I do, and I value the living I make from it. But as I sat there looking at my phone, I realized that no invoice or quarterly milestone feels as good as a decade-old seed finally coming into full bloom.
The Problem with “What’s Next”
When we talk about “What’s Next”—whether it’s a new role, a career pivot, or the “Third Act”—we often talk about how we need to gain new skills or competencies
- What do I need to learn?
- Where will all this take me? Is this where I want to go?
- What is the next mountain to climb?
We treat our futures like a construction project. We are so busy building the next floor that we forget we are also leaving a wake behind us.
The note from the Regional President reminded me that “What’s Next” isn’t just about where you are going; it’s about what we’ve already set in motion.
Leadership as a Time Capsule
Leadership is a “long-loop” profession.
In most jobs, you see the result of your work immediately. You write the code; the app runs. You sell the product; the revenue hits. But in leadership, your “output” isn’t a thing, it’s a person. And people take time to grow.
The advice we gave in a hallway five years ago, the way we handled a crisis in 2018, the standard we’ve set for treating a team—those things are currently living in someone else’s habits. You have already “exported” parts of your leadership into the world.
The Leadership Wake
If you are currently standing at a crossroads, trying to figure out your next chapter, I’d suggest you stop looking at your resume for a moment and look at your outbox.
Ask yourself:
- Who is currently leading better because they crossed paths with me?
- What “whispers” of my leadership style are still being heard in rooms I haven’t stepped into for years?
The banker at my branch was shocked to hear a kind word because we’ve become a culture that only speaks up when things go wrong. We manage by exception and lead by fire-fighting. I prefer to focus on what is working well, because that is what we want more of in our work and lives.
But the “Regional President” version of success—the ten-year stay, the thriving team, the gratitude—only happens when we lead with the long game in mind.
Closing the Loop
My “What’s Next” is fueled by that text message. I am always blown away when I hear from people how my work impacted their work and lives.
Aren’t you?
It’s a reminder that the investment is always worth it, even if the “thank you” takes a decade to arrive.
So, here is my challenge to you this week:
Don’t wait ten years. If there is someone who helped you get to where you are—someone who gave you the grace or the kick in the pants you needed—send the text.
You might just be the “Why I do this” that they needed to hear today and you might be surprised to hear that you are the recipient of someone else’s gratitude.
