Passing the Olympic Torch without Burning Yourself

Ah, leadership. That noble pursuit of guiding others while trying not to trip over your shoelaces. As I prepare to pass the leadership torch to the next generation, I can’t help but reflect on this chaotic yet exciting transition. Grab your popcorn, folks; the show is about to begin!
I’m an Olympic Games junkie. Despite the weird costumes and shenanigans, I even like the opening ceremonies. In fact, I typically start watching the Olympics before the first event begins. I watch the torch relay- mainly to see if people who are obviously not runners will trip and fall while carrying the torch. The torch relay is an excellent analogy for the task of a leader.
The ultimate final responsibility of every leader is to hand off the torch to the next generation.  Although I’ve never seen anyone actuating faceplant with the Olympic torch, I’ve seen more leaders that I can count face plant at handing off their responsibilities to the next generation. 

The Torch – Hot or Not?

First, let’s talk about what it means to “pass the torch” as a leader.  I always imagined it to be a ceremonious event—a grand stage, everyone applauding, and an actual torch (the cool Olympic kind, not the burning stick from your campfire). However, it turns out that most leaders’ “torch” looks like an office keypad code, a Wi-Fi password, and a Slack channel invite. Welcome to the 21st century, where everything is digital, and the only thing catching fire is your laptop when you try to multitask too much!

The Next Generation – A Whole Different Breed

It can’t be hard to recognize where the current and the next generation of leaders should meet to exchange the torch. The next generation of leaders comes from a radically different environment than the greybeards who I run with. I’ll call them the “Social Wizards” because, let’s face it, they can compute the complex algorithms of a social media post without thought but have trouble grasping an organizational vision.
But it’s not just their tech prowess—oh no, they come with their quirks! When working through a brand-new strategy for organizational growth, instead of excitement, you’re likely to get, “Sounds cool, but do we have a TikTok account for it?” I guess that means it won’t succeed if it doesn’t have an inherent dancing video component. 

Mentorship? More Like Comedy Hour

Torch passes are mentors. However, there’s no cookie-cutter approach to mentorship. You might envision enlightening discussions over coffee about vision, strategy, and world domination. Instead, be prepared to explain what a fax machine is and why there are no emoji options.  Mentoring is the art of figuring out precisely what it takes to pass the torch without burning yourself or the other.
Mentoring isn’t all bad.  It has its perks. Imagine sitting there with a group of fresh faces brimming with energy while you sip your coffee... or is it lukewarm tea now? It is worth it to watch their faces light up when you sprinkle in some wisdom (like, “Never hit reply to all on an email when you’re furious”). Plus, your “old-school” ways might come across as charming. Who knows, you mentor well. You might even be considered “retro cool"?

A Legacy of Long After You’re Gone

I’ve seen some of the greatest runners in the world stumble on the track during the Olympic games, but I’ve never seen an Olympic runner stumble handing off the torch. I think there’s something important every leader (even the new leader) can learn from the torch relay.  Start planning for your legacy the day you start leading.
So here we are, folks: the plan to pass the leadership torch without burning yourself. Handing off the torch is one of the most thrilling moments in a leader’s lifetime. What could be a more thrilling legacy than seeing a talented leader build on your previous successes?
Remember, every generation will lead differently, and that’s the beauty of it. Handing off the torch should be exciting for both parties. It should be exciting because of the hope for the future with the new leader. The next wave of leaders will tackle challenges in ways we might never have imagined. They might even solve the limping printer problem!

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