Reflections on being a parent and a CEO
Being a girl dad has helped me become a better CEO. It’s not one or the other. Fatherhood, in general, has changed me, but there’s something special about having daughters.
I’m the first to admit that I love to move fast and dream big as a CEO. It’s my job as the visionary and leader. But strengths can sometimes be weaknesses too, as I’ve often found myself frustrated about our pace of growth. I’ve had to balance this by having grounded, ‘realists’ in the leadership team – whose default is to be cautious and risk-aware.
But my desire to go after everything all at once has changed since becoming a father, and even more so in the past year. Read my insights from my latest family trip to New Zealand.
My daughters have taught me a patience and presence that’s come through in my leadership style. While that fire and hunger for growth is stronger than ever, I’m now able to see a longer time horizon, rather than sprinting to achieve it. Patience and passion can coexist.
Parenting and leadership parallels
As my daughters start to explore their hobbies, it’s been interesting to observe their approach to tackling something new. As a parent, there’s a fine line between encouragement and force. Forcing something on them rarely works, but it’s unlikely they’ll come to it on their own.
This is the same for any stage of life really. It’s also true for leading a team. You have to find that balance between encouraging personal/professional growth, without forcing it on them. You do this by assuming more of the coach role, rather than operating a hierarchy.
- Get clear on each team member’s role and responsibilities
- Know their personal and professional goals, and how they connect to your business
- Spend time coaching and mentoring each individual
- Create a clear career path trajectory within your company.
These can just as easily be applied to parenting.
If you’re a parent, maybe you’ve experienced an internal shift that you’re seeing play out in your career, too. Don’t be afraid of this. It’s an opportunity to change how the world sees CEOs. We rarely see or hear from leaders that have built or sold massive companies, who also have a happy, healthy home life. One shouldn’t cancel out the other. It should enable and empower it.
Because this is what builds dynamic, multifaceted leaders and businesses. Leaders who are okay taking the weekend off to spend time with the family. And vice versa. Families who are okay with leaders sprinting during busy seasons of business. The key is being 100% presence in what you’re doing, whether you’re at home or the office.
As a leader, you’re working on something bigger than yourself. The same goes for being a parent.
