Three Domains of Legacy, Part 1

Is your primary influence through ideas, people, or organizations?

Jun 29, 2021

Links to The Three Domains of Legacy, a “What Leadership Looks Like” series by David Drury:

In this series I will outline what I believe are three primary domains of influence each leader has a contribution to, and how to be more intentional about that influence.

I’ll do this in part by comparing and contrasting three world-class leaders I’ve worked with.

You will be able to internalize this and reflect on your own influence, starting with how you can maximize what you're best at, but also thinking through how to use that strength to overwhelm any areas of less strength so your influence becomes more balanced.

There are risks in completely ignoring one of the domains you are less effective in. Knowing your influence domains better can have deep impact on how you spend your energy, make life choices and even decide about your next career move. I know this first hand and will share with you how my own recent job transition related to learning more about my own best style of influence.

The Domains of Legacy

There are three primary domains of legacy: ideas, people, and organizations (orgs). They work like this:

Ideas. This is the domain of words and communication. Your legacy here is found in concepts that you helped others understand or introduced to the world around you. A legacy in ideas is a powerful thing.
People. This is the domain of relationships and networks. Your legacy here is found in the names and groups of people that you influenced for good because you knew their name and they loved you and were loved by you. A legacy in people is a powerful thing.
Orgs. This is the domain of institutions and systems. Your legacy here is found in the mission you advanced either behind the scenes or in the front by helping something happen in a way that lasted after you left. A legacy in organizations is a powerful thing.

Your influence on the world takes these different forms, regardless of the scope of your leadership. This extends from relatively small circles like the children in your home, neighbors on your street, students in your class, all the way to larger circles like employees on your team or even if you have a very broad influence over large crowds or the public.

Do you already have an instinct on which of the three domains of legacy might be primary for you? Keep an open mind, as you may be surprised in the end that you are leveraging one of these more than you know. It is also possible that you are "out of focus" and putting a ton of effort into one domain that would be better invested in one of the other three that is more your style and will increase your effectiveness.

The Interplay of the Domains

The interplay of these three domains can be really beautiful to watch in other leaders once you're looking for it. Here are a few dynamics at play:

The Blend. Almost everyone influences in all three ways. I have never seen anyone that is a 10 in one area and 1 in the other two when they self-rank (a process I actually have people do in my coaching). We are, each of us, a blended smoothie of influence on organizations, ideas, and people.
The Dance. There is a dance of domains going on through each of us, since people and organizations, for instance, are deeply impacted by ideas (and vice-versa around the three). I will explain this and how sometimes someone "leads" the other domains as "lags" through a primary domain. It's really about which comes first in your practical approach.
The Experience. The way a leader influences the world around them can be both intuitive and intentional, with varying levels of purposefulness or awareness of what she or he is doing. For example, a leader may know they are using their influence on people in a way that is primary, but that it is having a secondary impact on the organization and its ideas. However, someone being influenced may experience that influence as primarily about ideas. The receiving of the influence is its own interpreted experience that may not match the intention. This can cause unintended outcomes, so I will explain how to overcome this challenge with better communication.

What do the Domains look like?

In my work over the last 20 years I’ve been able to serve under some amazing, world-class leaders. Yes, I got to plant a few churches in my 20s where I was the point-person (the first-chair in an org) but most of my leadership history thus-far has been as a “second chair-leader.”

In their book, Leading from the Second Chair, Mike Bonem and Roger Patterson define that role in this way:

"A second chair leader is a person in a subordinate role whose influence with others adds value throughout the organization."

I have a good bit to share from the vantage point of the second-chair, but for now I’ll only expand on the Bonem & Patterson definition by also noting that second chair leaders carry an organization-wide level of burden and responsibility, but one that is always coming alongside a first-chair leader. This has given me a unique window into what makes top level leaders tick, and how the world around them is influenced.

In my time as an executive pastor at a large church and chief of staff to an international denominational headquarters, I served with three very different leaders. They are:

Steve DeNeff is the lead pastor of College Church in Marion, Indiana, and author of several books including FaultLines, 7 Saving Graces, More than Forgiveness, The Way of Holiness and a book and all-church transformation campaign called SoulShift that he co-authored with me. I served as his executive pastor from 2007-2012. With stories and examples from my time with Steve, I'll show how he is a world-class example of someone investing in ideas to influence the world around him. His impact on people and organizations is not small (in fact I’ll show how he has a deep impact on me as a person and friend) but he influences ideas first, and that makes him all the more effective. Perhaps as the best example, I should now point out that Steve was the one who first came up with this very idea of the three domains of legacy.

Jo Anne Lyon is General Superintendent Emerita and former Ambassador of The Wesleyan Church. Prior to that she was the founder and executive director of World Hope International. She is also the author of The Ultimate Blessing. I served as her chief of staff from 2012-2016. With stories and examples from my time with Jo Anne, I'll show how she is a world-class example of someone investing in people to influence the world around her. Her impact on organizations and ideas is not small (in fact I’ll show how she has built organizations with tremendous impact) but she influences people first, and that makes her all the more effective.

Wayne Schmidt is the General Superintendent of The Wesleyan Church. Prior to that he led the Wesley Seminary and before all the above for 30 years he was the founding and senior pastor of Kentwood Community Church (KCC) in Grand Rapids, MI. Wayne is also the author of several books including Surrender, Ministry Velocity, & Ministry Momentum. I served as his chief of staff from 2016-2021. With stories and examples from my time with Wayne, I'll show how he is a world-class example of someone investing in organizations to influence the world around him. His impact on people and ideas is not small (in fact, I’ll show how he has crafted some incredibly memorable and portable leadership ideas) but he influences orgs first, and that makes him all the more effective.

Now, I should point out that these three leaders have their own self-conception that may differ from mine (again, we each interpret the effect of someone else’s leadership in a way that may be different than their intent.) However, being in the second-chair role for so long has taught me to not just execute on behalf of these leaders but to also study them and know them, as good or better than anyone else but a spouse. So I’ll bring that to bear in thinking through these dynamics.

This is going to be a fun ride through these three domains and three leaders I have such deep respect for and who have mentored me more than any others.

I hope it is not just a tribute to them, however. I want you to figure out how you can put more energy into influencing the world best, no matter the scope of your leadership.

Watch for "Part 2: Ideas" coming soon here. Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss it.

Do you have a hunch which domain is your main emphasis? Or perhaps you know another leader you think of when you consider one of the domains. I’d love to get your take in the comments and respond. -Dd

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