reputation

Is Your Reputation Being Built to Last?

  1. June 6th, 2016  | 

  2. Print This Post
Published in Leadership

Mount Rushmore turns 75 this year.

As summer arrives and tourists take to the roads, Mount Rushmore will be among the top sites visited.

The history and circumstances surrounding this epic American landmark provide an opportunity for those in charge to consider how their vision, leadership style, and the results they achieve affect their reputation.

Four key themes—teamwork, integrity, persistence and legacy—tell the story of how Mount Rushmore became America’s shrine to democracy.

Teamwork

At the most basic level, every organization is a three-legged stool of sales, operations and finance.

For the Mount Rushmore project, South Dakota historian Doane Robinson is credited with conceiving the idea of carving the likenesses of famous people into the Black Hills region of South Dakota to promote tourism in the region. He was the visionary, the sales guy, the driving force. Danish-American sculptor Gutzon Borglum and—when he died one year before the project’s completion—his son Lincoln Borglum were responsible for turning Robinson’s vision into reality. They were, in effect, the operations part of the team. U.S. Senator Peter Norbeck of South Dakota was considered “Mount Rushmore’s great political patron” because he secured the federal funding.

Ask: Do we have the horsepower on our team to drive the results we expect? Of the three key roles in any firm—Sales, Operations, Finance—where are we strongest? Weakest? Who do we need to add or develop to complete our team?

Integrity

In 1924, Robinson persuaded Borglum to travel to the Black Hills region to determine where and how best to complete the monument. Robinson’s original idea was to situate the monument in an area known as the Needles, but Borglum rejected that idea because the eroded Needles were too thin to support sculpting. Borglum instead chose Mount Rushmore, which—with its southeast exposure to the sun and solid foundation—he viewed as a grander location and one capable of supporting the carvings.

Ask: Do our values provide a solid foundation for how we run our business? On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being the best) how would I rate the level of trust in our organization? What factors caused me to answer the way I did? How would those who report to me answer? What changes must we make to increase the trust level in our organization?

Persistence

The entire memorial of Mount Rushmore covers 1,278.45 acres (2.00 square mi; 5.17 km) and is 5,725 feet (1,745 m) above sea level.

Between October 4, 1927, and October 31, 1941, Gutzon Borglum and 400 workers sculpted the 60-foot (18.29 m) faces of American presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt.

The image of Thomas Jefferson originally was planned to appear to Washington’s right, but workers discovered the rock was unsuitable, so the work on the Jefferson figure was dynamited, and a new figure was sculpted to Washington’s left. More than 400 tons of rock was blasted from the mountain. In the 14 years of performing this hazardous undertaking, not one worker died.

Ask: What am I willing to do—perhaps even to sacrifice—to get what it is that I say I want? What am I not willing to do?

Legacy

Robinson proposed the figures on Mount Rushmore be western heroes, including Lewis and Clark and Buffalo Bill Cody. Borglum persuaded Robinson that the faces of American presidents would offer a broader and more lasting appeal, and the sculptor selected Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt because of their role in preserving the Republic and expanding its territory. “America,” said Borglum, “will march along that skyline.”

After 14 years of construction, Mount Rushmore opened 75 years ago on October 31, 1941—five weeks before Pearl Harbor.

Today, Mount Rushmore attracts more than 3 million visitors annually.

Ask: If I was being honored for my life’s work, what is the achievement I will celebrate and the legacy I will leave to others?

Decisions leaders make today can have far-reaching implications on dozens, hundreds, sometimes thousands of people.

In the late 1800s, British writer James Allen noted, “All that a man achieves and all that he fails to achieve is the direct result of his own thoughts.”

What lasting reputation are you building today?

About the Author: Greg Bustin advises some of the world’s most admired companies and leaders, and he’s dedicated a career to working with CEOs and the leadership teams of hundreds of companies in a range of industries. He’s facilitated more than 250 strategic planning sessions, he’s delivered more than 600 keynotes and workshops on every continent except Antarctica, and he coaches leaders who are inspired to take their career to the next level. His fourth leadership book— Accountability: The Key to Driving a High-Performance Culture (McGraw-Hill) —is a Soundview Executive Best Business Book.

Ready to reset?


Attend my free Accountability webinar: I Did It! to set and achieve your 2021 goals.

REGISTER FOR FREE

  • February 17th from 11 AM – 12:30 PM Central Time
  • My free webinar will help you:
    – Sharpen your personal goals
    – Improve time management
    – Tackle tough work-related issues
    – Support remote workers

Learn More
To dive even deeper into the topic of accountability, I invite you to purchase a copy of my bestselling book, “Accountability: The Key to Driving a High-Performance Culture.”

Get The Book

Become a better leader.


Download my three free e-books.

Greg Bustin

Please enter your information below to access a digital download link for my three free eBooks. Once submitted, you will receive an email with a link to download the eBooks.

Free Tips


Sign up to receive free tips on business, leadership, and life.

Greg Bustin

Please enter your information below to start receiving free tips on business, leadership, and life.

Sign up for my free bimonthly email button