What Parenting Taught Me About Developing Managers

In the realm of leadership, fascinating connections can be found in unexpected places. One such intriguing overlap exists between parental leadership and corporate leadership. Understanding the parallels between these two domains can unlock valuable insights and enhance our effectiveness in guiding and inspiring teams. In this thought-provoking blog post, let’s explore the synergies between parental leadership and corporate leadership, and discover how principles and practices from parenting can shape our leadership approach in the corporate world. I was inspired by my recent discussion with the award winning CHRO of City of Memphis, Alex Smith

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Nurturing Growth and Development:

At the core of parental leadership and corporate leadership lies the shared value of nurturing growth and development. Parents are responsible for guiding and supporting their children’s growth, ensuring their well-being, and fostering their potential. Similarly, effective corporate leaders take on the role of mentors and facilitators, empowering their team members to grow, learn, and reach their full potential within the organization. By embracing this shared value, leaders can create an environment that promotes continuous learning, skill development, and personal growth, resulting in a more motivated and engaged workforce.

Equally, parents encourage their children to explore and try new things without fear. If things go well, they celebrate alongside their offspring. When things falter, they are there with compassion, support and encouragement to try something new or to refine the approach. We talk a lot about grazed knees versus broken legs being a valuable experiential learning tool.

Effective Communication and Relationship Building:

Parental leadership thrives on effective communication and relationship building, and the same holds true for corporate leadership. Parents establish open lines of communication, actively listen to their children’s needs and concerns, and build trust through empathy and understanding. In the corporate world, successful leaders cultivate strong relationships with their team members, ensuring open channels of communication, fostering trust, and creating a supportive work environment. By adopting effective communication and relationship-building practices from parenting, leaders can establish a culture of transparency, collaboration, and mutual respect, leading to enhanced teamwork and productivity.

Emotional Intelligence and Empathy:

Emotional intelligence and empathy are vital qualities in both parenting and corporate leadership. Parents must understand and empathize with their children’s emotions, needs, and perspectives. Likewise, leaders in the corporate setting must demonstrate emotional intelligence by recognizing and responding to the emotions of their team members, creating a supportive and inclusive work environment. By leveraging their emotional intelligence and empathy, leaders can foster a sense of belonging, boost employee morale, and drive engagement and productivity. This leads to increased loyalty and a stronger sense of commitment among team members.

Setting Boundaries and Expectations:

Parental leadership involves setting boundaries and expectations to guide children’s behavior and development. Similarly, corporate leaders must establish clear expectations, performance standards, and boundaries to facilitate a cohesive and productive work environment. By effectively setting boundaries and expectations, leaders promote accountability, focus, and a shared understanding of goals and objectives. This clarity enables team members to align their efforts, make informed decisions, and contribute meaningfully to the organization’s success.

Leading by Example:

Parents understand that children often mimic their behaviors and actions, emphasizing the importance of leading by example. In the corporate world, leaders who lead by example inspire their team members and create a culture of integrity, professionalism, and high ethical standards. By consistently modeling the values and behaviors they expect from others, leaders establish a foundation of trust, credibility, and accountability. Team members feel motivated to uphold those standards, fostering a positive and ethical work environment.

Work-Life Integration:

Parenting necessitates a delicate balance between personal and professional responsibilities, and this balance is also crucial in corporate leadership. Leaders who prioritize work-life integration demonstrate an understanding of their team members’ well-being, enabling them to achieve a healthy work-life balance. By implementing flexible work arrangements, supporting personal commitments, and encouraging self-care, leaders can promote employee satisfaction, retention, and overall well-being. This creates a workforce that is happier, more engaged, and more productive.

The overlap between parental leadership and corporate leadership offers profound insights and opportunities for growth. By recognizing the shared values, principles, and practices, leaders

If this sounds like your week

Your managers are not the problem. They are where the problem is stuck.

When your last leadership spend was signed off, did anyone go back to those managers' bosses and ask what changed? That question is the JBL Outcome Standard, and it is how I work.

• Find the friction. A short diagnostic that shows which decisions are stalling, and at what level.
• Am I the bottleneck? Ten questions on where your week is actually going.
• How I work with GMs. Six weeks, one hour a week, up to twelve of your managers, scored by their own bosses.
• Beat Burnout, Boost Performance. The book.
• The High Performance Leader podcast.

Managers I work with reclaim around four hours a week, and their bosses score the change 8.75 out of 10. Would it be a crazy idea to find out how we did this? Book a scoping call.

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