How Smart Executives Balance Work and Family

I sat down with Kate Hogan, Director, Talent Strategies and Partnerships with EA SPORTS to get her take on balancing a new, demanding job, with two little ones at home. And I mean little ones. She’s what I call “in the weeds” of parenting with a 2- and 4-year-old. Still diapers in the house and they still can’t buckle themselves into the car. Two big milestones to cross – if you know, you know!

If Kate’s name rings a bell to you in the sports world, it’s because she spent over a decade raising the bar and driving results for Fenway Sports Management. She decided to make a bold move last year. She stepped outside her comfort zone into a new, global role and has successfully tackled all the challenges that come with that while facing new phases with the kids and creating balance with her family.

So how does she juggle it all? First, she’s shifted her mindset on the topic. Kate recognizes that true work life balance doesn’t really exist. “There will always be times when work is more demanding or the kids require more attention”, she says. She likes to think of it more of “riding the waves” and the “ebbs and flows of work and life”. 

And let’s face it, work and life are quite intertwined these days with many parents working remotely. 

How does she calm the waters?

Working from home and in a global role has come at the perfect time. She can design her day around people she works with in different time zones. She created carve outs early in the morning to check in with European colleagues, partners, and agents before shifting gears back to making lunches and getting kids dressed, fed and out the door to school. That early morning time for work allows her to feel accomplished before the kids even wake up. It also affords her the ability to take a break to fully focus on getting the kids ready and off on the right foot after knowing she’s landed a few wins early in the day.

She finds that being able to pop back and forth between work and kids throughout the day, especially in the early mornings and late afternoons, gives her a feeling of being able to “do it all”. But she reminds us that being present in whatever you’re doing is a key to success. 

And what does being present look like to Kate?

“If work is your focus, limit distractions and stay on task. When it’s time to shut down for the day and play with the kids, put the phone down and truly be there with them, physically and mentally”.

Every working mom needs a little “me” time, too. Most of us used to find that on our commutes to and from the office. But like so many, Kate finds the seconds-long transition between home office to a kitchen with hungry kids at 5:30 is a lot to handle sometimes. She smartly suggests taking a 5-minute breather between making the transition from work to family in the WFH environment.

And like the true leader she is, she’s focused on building trust and rapport with the next generation of working parents.

Kate’s take is, “Show your battle scars. Normalize that everyone has different struggles and don’t pretend you have it all together when you don’t. Be transparent, ask for help and share your story so you can remind others they can get through tough times, too.”

One of Kate’s favorite quotes was from a mentor of hers who shared “it’s not a corporate ladder, it’s a staircase”. We aren’t always going straight up. Sometimes we’re on the landing, catching our breath and getting ready to climb the next flight.”

Such great reminders. Thanks for sharing your story, Kate. We can’t wait to see you soar in your most important role, as mom.

Jen Adams helps C-level executives become better leaders and build stronger cultures. She is a Holistic Leadership Expert, founder of Gold Light Leadership, and creator of "Launch into Leadership Success", a group coaching program for high-potential women.