Leave It Better: 35 Years, Countless Lessons, and the Leadership Legacy That Matters Most
Lessons in Leadership, Trust, and Legacy from 35 Years in Global Sourcing
When I began my career at Mars more than 35 years ago, I never imagined the journey ahead. I certainly didn't anticipate that a career in procurement and global agriculture would take me around the world, introduce me to extraordinary people, and teach me some of life's most valuable lessons about leadership, trust, and relationships.
Looking back, I realize that the most important lessons weren't necessarily learned in conference rooms, during high-stakes negotiations, or while managing hundreds of millions of dollars in global sourcing responsibilities. They came from the people I worked alongside, the challenges we faced together, the mistakes I made, and the opportunities I had to make a difference. And perhaps the most important lesson of all was surprisingly simple: Whatever you do, wherever you go, leave it better than you found it.
Leadership Is About People, Not Positions
Throughout my career, I had the privilege of working with people from different countries, cultures, and backgrounds. From farmers in rural agricultural communities to senior executives in global boardrooms, I learned that titles and organizational charts rarely tell you who has the most valuable knowledge.
Some of my greatest teachers were peanut growers who understood their land, their crops, and their businesses in ways no spreadsheet could ever capture. One grower in Georgia taught me a lesson about risk that I carried throughout my career.
In June, we stood together in his peanut field. The stand was strong, the plants looked healthy, and the field appeared full of promise. When he took me back to that same field at the end of August, after a period of intense heat and no rain, the picture was very different. The plants were visibly stressed. We pulled some from the ground and found no peanuts beneath them.
He explained that his family had already invested in seed, fertilizer, fuel, and months of work. They could plant and care for the crop, do everything they were supposed to do, and still reach October with nothing to show for it. This was not simply a disappointing harvest; it was their livelihood.
Then he told me something I have never forgotten:
"Before asking us to take additional risk, understand we do that every day."
In corporate meetings, we talked about risk in terms of market volatility, supply continuity, and financial exposure. Standing in that Georgia field, I understood more deeply what those words meant to the families growing our crops. The lesson was not that companies should avoid difficult decisions. It was that we should first understand the risks our partners already bear and listen before asking them to take on more.
You cannot build a sustainable supply chain from behind a desk. You have to understand the people who make it possible. That experience reinforced my belief that effective leadership begins with listening, humility, and a willingness to see the world through someone else's eyes.
Trust Is the Foundation of Everything
Working in global commodity markets taught me that business relationships are tested most when circumstances become difficult. Markets fluctuate. Supply chains face disruptions. Strategies change. There are moments when the easiest decision isn't necessarily the right one.
During my years working in the peanut industry, I saw how long-term commitments, collaboration, and shared purpose could help create meaningful change across an agricultural supply chain. Those experiences reinforced a belief I carry into every professional relationship: Trust is built over time, strengthened through consistency, and demonstrated most clearly when keeping your word becomes difficult.
A successful negotiation might deliver a favorable outcome today. A trusted relationship can create value for decades.
Success Is More Than the Numbers
I spent much of my career in strategic sourcing, a profession where performance is often measured in savings, efficiency, risk management, and financial results. Those measures matter. Businesses need strong results to thrive. But as my responsibilities grew, so did my understanding of what lasting success really means.
It isn't simply about what you accomplish while you're in a position. It's about what continues to work after you've moved on. Did you help someone develop the confidence to take on a bigger challenge? Did you build a process that made the organization stronger? Did you create opportunities for others to succeed? Did you make decisions that strengthened relationships rather than sacrificing them for short-term gains?
Those accomplishments may never appear on a financial scorecard, but they are often the ones that matter most.
Never Stop Learning, and Never Stop Teaching
One of the greatest privileges of my career was having mentors who generously shared their knowledge and experience. They helped me understand not only the technical aspects of business but also how to navigate difficult decisions, build relationships, and lead with integrity. As my career progressed, I felt a responsibility to do the same for others.
I became passionate about developing talent, sharing knowledge, and creating learning opportunities. Teaching isn't simply about transferring information. It's about giving people the tools, confidence, and encouragement to think independently. Mentoring is never a one-way street, either. Some of the people I was fortunate enough to mentor taught me just as much as I taught them.
The Next Chapter: A Different Kind of Success
At the end of 2025, I retired from Mars after 35 years. But I don't really think of it as retirement. I prefer to call it rewirement.
Through AMD Strategic Solutions, I'm continuing to share my experience in global sourcing, agricultural supply chains, and strategic leadership. I'm also pursuing opportunities to teach, advise, mentor, and contribute to organizations in new ways. And I'm preparing to publish my first book, Leave It Better, in spring 2027.
The book grew from a desire to capture the lessons, experiences, and relationships that shaped my career-not because I have all the answers, but because I believe the lessons we learn are worth sharing. If my experiences help someone navigate a difficult decision, become a better leader, or recognize the importance of investing in others, those lessons will continue to have value long after my corporate career has ended.
The Legacy We Leave
After 35 years, I've come to believe that leadership isn't defined by the size of your budget, the importance of your title, or even the recognition you receive. It's defined by how you treat people, the trust you build, the opportunities you create, and the positive difference you make along the way.
Careers eventually end. Titles change. Business results become part of history. But the influence we have on others can continue for generations. And that's the legacy I hope to leave: Leave it better than you found it. Not just the business. Not just the organization. The people, too.
About the Author: Anne-Marie DeLorenzo is the founder of AMD Strategic Solutions, LLC, and a retired global strategic sourcing leader with 35 years of experience at Mars. An inductee into the American Peanut Council's Peanut Hall of Fame, she is passionate about leadership, mentoring, and strengthening global agricultural supply chains. Her forthcoming book, Leave It Better, is planned for spring 2027.
