Every book I’ve ever written can be traced back to my students and the class discussions that always inspire me. My first book, From Values to Action: The Four Principles of Values-Based Leadership, began as a transcription of my lectures by a student, Samir Gokhale, who told me, “Now you can write your book!”
After that first book, my students said to me, “Harry, now that we know what it takes to be a values-based leader, what about building a values-based organization?” After some reflection, I began writing my second book, Becoming the Best: Build a World-Class Organization through Values-Based Leadership.
As our discussions continued, people heard me talk more about my favorite number: 168. (Spoiler alert: it’s the mathematical solution of 24 x 7). As I tell my students we all have the same number of hours in a week—168. The variable is what we do with those hours. That prompted my students to ask me, “How can we live a values-based life?” The answer was my third book, Your 168: Finding Purpose and Satisfaction in a Values-Based Life.
Values-based leadership? Check. Values-based organization? Check. Values-based life? Check. Clearly, I was done.
Then a friend of mine asked me: “Harry, what does it mean to build a values-based legacy?”
That question launched what can only be described as a journey, as I researched and wrote my fourth and newest book, Your Values-Based Legacy: Making a Difference at Every Age and Phase of Life, which will be published this November by Wiley.
Writing this book required a different approach. Instead of being the teacher, I became the student as I explored what it means to build a legacy. I reached out to people in my network who are doing important work to help others. They, in turn, introduced me to people in their networks, who also suggested others I should talk to. This process quickly spiraled outward to dozens of people, including several I had never met before.
What do I mean by legacy? Often, people view it as something on a bucket list—what they’d like to do when they’re older and more established in their careers, after they’ve bought a house, after they’ve had children, after those children graduate from college, when they’re ready to retire … In other words, it’s something they’ll do when they have more time and more money.
That’s not how I view building a legacy. It’s about the conscious choices you are making in your life. It may be a genuine commitment to show respect and kindness to others in your daily interactions. You may become a dedicated volunteer with an organization in your community. You may spend a certain number of hours every week or month supporting a cause that reflects your values, your sense of purpose, and how and where you’d like to make a positive impact. In time, your vision may even become a calling.
As with my previous books, all my proceeds from Your Values-Based Legacy, along with speaking fees and honorariums, are donated to One Acre Fund, co-founded by Kellogg alum Andrew Youn, whose story is featured in the book. For the past 18 years and counting, Andrew has been building a unique legacy through One Acre Fund, which currently supports more than 4 million farm families in Africa and aspires to help 10 million families break the cycle of poverty and hunger.
My hope is that Your Values-Based Legacy will inspire you to reflect on the difference you can make in the world. Your focus may be local or global. Whatever it is, it’s all part of your legacy to make a difference—starting right here, right now.
Eagerly awaiting