Legacy Solutions

One of the most vital results we seek when working with our clients are Legacy Solutions. This is something we have come up with and believe in strongly. So, what are they?

Legacy solutions have two very specific, deliberate characteristics that differentiate them from normal solutions.

They are developed to be legacies.
They must also create legacies themselves.

A solution that is a legacy is something that is noteworthy, memorable, and reflects well upon the people who created it. These legacies draw others in so they can be part of a good organization, can feel good about what is being done there, and want to tell others about it. In short, any organization will create a reputation. Thinking in terms of creating a reputation that drives future successes is a job for leaders. Creating achievements will strengthen the organization's standing, but creating bigger and better achievements is an even better option.

So, when choosing one achievement to pursue instead of another, choosing the option that brings the bigger benefit, the bigger renown and esteem, is going to also create a bigger draw upon people in the future. In so doing, the solution you are choosing is acting as a legacy influence on the community well after the players have changed roles or moved on.

Remember that talent show!
Remember that meeting we held last year when we brought in the botanists to create gardens for each classroom?

These solutions create a legacy that says, "We do good work here."

However, in some organizations. the following year's group may look at previous victories and feel they cannot hope to achieve the same level of success. It can be daunting to face such steep climbs. That's why the second aspect of a legacy solution is so vital. It must also create new legacy solutions.

Legacy solutions need to inspire a subsequent increase in the level of success.

So, when last year's talent show was so incredible, what is to be done this year to make it better? How do we take it up a notch? Can we bring in some talent scouts or agents? Can we start a new audio production program with stage training that connects through to the next level?

Maybe we can bring in some irrigation specialists to improve the timing and conservation of watering the gardens. Maybe we can create a way for the plants to live through the summer break.

Taking what's been done before and building on it creates its own new legacy - Look what they did with that! It also creates an expectation that this year's new team and all future teams build also upon what was done before. This type of solution-building practice requires hope, leadership, vision, learning, and communication... the Five Elements.

Examples of Legacy Solutions

A new drama production leads to a volunteer choreographer the next year, then bigger productions the next year that sell more tickets, followed by second and third showings added, and higher priced tickets, the creation of a non-profit dance company, touring dates, a new auditorium, national competitions, etc..

A small outdoor garden for one classroom, that leads to more teachers wanting to join the program, then a local landscaper gives a talk on soils and natural herbicides, a donated truckload of soil, volunteer botanists, organic gardening, vegetable competitions, a cooking contest, culinary classes, guest chef lectures, field trips to an organic farm or organic restaurant, studying the sciences of agriculture and nutrition, etc..

A single e-waste recycling event becomes an annual program of three events, partnering with local recycling and computer repair companies turns into classes on building, repairing, and donating computers, printers, and tablets. Then coding and programming classes are born, embedded learning games for pre-schoolers and other apps are created, older students mentor younger ones, grant-funding is acquired, specialized instructors, scholarships to top IT engineering schools, jobs right out of high school, etc..

The Impact of Legacy Solutions

People want to be a part of what's good, what's exciting, what is successful. This includes not only parents and teachers in your school, but also the kids. It also includes the district leaders as they like to point to "their" successes. Local community members will also take pride in a great school program and its growing reputation. Articles may be written. Outsiders from far away will hear about it and want to contribute. More volunteers will want to lend their time and knowledge so they can feel a part of the energy and goodness of it. And foundations want to give their money to something that is successful.

Something that is often not considered, is the snowball effect of success. The more a program grows and is known about, the more it is supported. There are thousands of non-profit foundations looking for the best places to give their money. They don't usually give their money to the programs that are struggling, failing, or desperately needy. They give their money to programs that show promise. They want their $10,000 to be turned into $20,000 worth of help. They want to see the twenty kids they helped this year turn into thirty kids helped next year. Foundations love legacy solutions.