How will you be remembered?

As a young leader, I used to fixate on policies and procedures. They seemed essential, but in hindsight, it's like a teacher pouring hours into the perfect bulletin board. When people look back on my leadership, it won’t be the policies they remember—nor do I want that to be my legacy.

As a young campus principal, I spent endless hours trying to perfect systems for my teachers. But almost unconsciously, I found myself spending every passing period interacting with students, and any spare moment in classrooms.

Years later, the impact became clear. I ran into a former student who greeted me with overwhelming excitement at the grocery store. “Mr. Hill! It’s so good to see you! You meant so much to me—you always treated me like everyone else and were always smiling. You made me feel welcome when I was going through a lot.” This student, near tears, thanked me. And I was stunned because I didn’t remember doing anything extraordinary.

Here’s the truth: we don’t get to choose how we are remembered! Be present in the unscheduled moment, because the unscheduled moment is not only what they remember, but also what brings them a tremendous amount of joy. And that’s the story that gets told over and over.