What Can Parenting Teach Us About Leadership?

Parenting is one of the most challenging jobs, and yet probably the most over looked. Managing the toughest, resilient and changing of workforce, they train and develop the best business minds of the future.

So why don't we learn more from parenting? Why don't we use parenting more when leading our teams? What can we take from parenting and use to help develop, grow and lead our business teams to success? There is a risk that you can patronize people, and it certainly isn't good to teach your staff like children. But adapt the methods parents use, look at the results that parents get through their methods and see what common themes we can bring to the workplace.

1) Training

Mums and Dads teach children how to walk, talk, read, write, eat, play sport etc and often in the most difficult conditions. Children are resilient, hard to motivate and have the shortest attention spans. Yet parents are patient and consistent, knowing it is in their interest to learn. Training should never stop, and any value you can add to your team, do. Provide them opportunities to learn new skills and empower their development. They may struggle, they may lose interest, but support them through it.

2) Growth

Parents support their children to grow at school, at home and through sport/activity. They find what their children are good at and push them to excel, to commit and pursue dreams. They provide both comfort and encouragement, ensuring their children don't give up but keep trying. This is a huge aspect of good leadership, support your staff to grow, take pride in the journey you can help take them through. See the potential in them and they will work twice as hard for you, and help them grow and develop to be the best they can.

3) Discipline

Children will push their boundaries all the time, and so parents not only have to teach discipline, but enforce it and constantly upgrade it as their children grow up. Yet in so many work places, there is no discipline. Staff will try and get away with not working, or not achieving. There are so many distractions in the workplace. Make sure your staff know their boundaries, have rules in the office. You don't have to be strict or negative, but create structure that people can work positively with.

4) Results

When you bring up a child, you are focused on getting necessary results for your children. If they need to go to bed at a set time, you do what it takes to create that routine. If you are teaching them to ride a bike, you keep going until they are confident cycling. The same can be applied to the results need for your business, the results you need your staff to achieve. Make sure they know what they are doing, have had the relevant training. Then create the best environment for them to achieve their goal and support them through it. Keep going until they achieve what they want to achieve, push through the challenges, boundaries and you will guide them to success.

5) Business Management

Running a house and family is very similar to running a business. You have stock control with food, clothes, toiletries, cleaning products etc. Cleaning management trying to keep the house clean and tidy. Your children will then have their own schedules that need managing, with school times, clubs, trips, parties, homework etc. Parents work tirelessly to run a smooth house, which again is no different to running a business or office. It works both ways, using skills you use at work to help you run your house better, and using the strategies you use at home and as a parent, to help improve your work productivity.

Have a look at your office, your team, and see whether there are things you can take from parenting and apply to your leadership style. Children look up to their parents, they respect their authority (most of the time) and understand the boundaries of the house. Yes Children will be a lot more challenging than your staff, but think of how much more you can achieve with a focuses work team. Believe in your team, support your team, grow your team, empower your team, and be the best leader you can.

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