Good evening from a cold and rainy Vancouver. My heart though is warmed by a day of good connections with people.

I've been thinking recently about the impact we have on people's lives, and how often we don't know how deep, or how profound the impact is. And yet, how fleeting these impacts can be in organizations. A colleague told me today about how, now that he has chosen to wind his business up, and move into retirement, many clients are taking him aside and saying how great he has been and how much of a presence he has been in their lives. He said, "I wish someone had told me this when I was 25!" And also today I heard how another colleague had built a large department from scratch, moved out of the organization and six months later arrived back at the department for a meeting. A well meaning staff person asked who he was? Quite humbling!

As leaders we do make a difference; we mentor, we give hope, we help people develop themselves, we build relationships that have real meaning. And we move on, and others take our place. What we can do is ensure that the work we do while we are here is the best we can make it, and to leave a legacy of commitment, courage and hope for those who follow us.

May this week be filled with meaning, purpose and some humility thrown in for good measure.