When Benjamin Franklin wrote his autobiography, he generated more influence than he expected on people around him and on many people later in the future. He created a vision that reach more he could alone in his life.
That is an example of how a leader can cast a shadow that multiplies his ability to drive change.

The “shadow of a leader” is a phenomenon often observed in organizations that are influenced by their leaders. This concept has been studied at least since 1970 as a foundation for cultural changes in organizations.

What I observe in good leaders, is that they have learned to use many “shadows” to inspire cultural changes and empower their teams to move forward.
These leaders drive change through their teams. They are comfortable to be in the background and let their people take the rewards. They know the more shadows they can cast,  the more change they can drive.

Good leaders are much more effective if they leverage the power of their shadows by empowering their teams to drive change while developing experienced leaders for the future.