At the conclusion of a recent development session with a senior leadership team, we discussed the moment that all leaders eventually face: It’s the last day of their tenure in the organization, the day they’ll retire or move on to another role in a different organization. These are pivotal moments of passage that every leader should ponder well in advance of them happening, so I asked participants to consider what their final words to their team might be on that momentous day. What will be their leadership legacy?
People responded with all kinds of ideas, from thanking their teams for their hard work on meaningful projects to acknowledging the growth and development the team had experienced. However, one leader had a different response from the others. “I don’t know what I’d say if today were my last day with this company, but I do know what I don’t want those words to be. I don’t want the quality of my leadership to result in me saying: I’m sorry, I regret or I wish I had.”
His comments prompted deep reflection, and the group began formulating ideas about how they’d lead differently so that sorrow, regret and missed opportunities did not define their own leadership story. We started by examining what each leader would want people to say about them if today was their last day. Little did I know that just a week later, I would learn that a great leader and good friend had suddenly died from a heart attack, and I’d be sharing my thoughts about him with you.
Ray Jefferson was the best among us. A West Point, Harvard Business School and Kennedy School of Public Health graduate, Ray served in the US Army Special Forces, where he lost all the fingers on his left hand protecting fellow soldiers from a faulty grenade. That act alone is emblematic of his selflessness and devotion to service. Later in his career, he continued a life of service in several state and federal government roles including the assistant secretary for the Veterans Employment and Training Services within the US Department of Labor.
As Ray transitioned from public service, he brought his deep skillset to the private sector as a leadership consultant but never forgot his military roots. He conceived and launched the Service Academies Global Summit (SAGS) (later the Service Academies Global Entrepreneur Summit), where he brought together thought leaders from around the world to foster networking, collaboration and learning among the graduates of US military academies. It was not unusual to see Ray working the room with a ready smile, helping people make connections that would have lasting effects on their lives. He was an officer and a gentleman, a trusted colleague and a friend.
Like others who knew him, I found Ray to be a kind person at his core, with a profound determination to make a positive difference in the world. In a culture that at times can seem so fraught with mistrust and division, he celebrated what is right about the world and sought to expand it. Through his example, Ray taught me that nothing worthwhile is impossible to achieve, and betting on yourself is always a winning formula if you’re willing to do the work.
If someone had asked Ray what he’d want his last words to be, I’m sure they’d be filled with encouragement and promise. “Carry on,” he’d tell us. “There’s more to do and you are the people who can accomplish it. Don’t give up on yourselves, and I’ll never give up on you.”
Poet Maya Angelou famously said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Ray Jefferson was a leader who made everyone he met feel seen and valued. His example of how to lead has empowered us to be our very best for the people and organizations counting on us.
Thank you, Ray, for a life well lived. Through us, your work carries on.
This article was first published in SmartBriefs, October 2024.