Parenting: the Universe's Masterclass in Leadership.
Imagine this: It's the crack of dawn and my house is quiet, but upstairs, my brain's already in overdrive. I've got a to-do list as long as my arm that includes shaping the minds of top CEOs, steering my own business ship, and guiding two teenagers who are growing up faster than I can keep up with. It's a juggling act that keeps me on my toes and always ready for the next curveball. This isn't just my morning routine; it's a living, breathing crash course in real-world leadership. Here’s what these parallel universes continue to teach me:
1. The Art of Being Present
Gone are the days of toddler tantrums. These years with my teenage daughter and almost teenage son are a jungle of unsaid words, eye-rolls and digital worlds, where being present means tuning into a frequency that doesn’t always want to be heard. As a coach and mentor, I guide CEOs to that same frequency—to truly listen to what’s not being said.
2. Redefining Boundaries
I’ve navigated the complexities of carving out spaces where professional and personal life can co-exist without colliding. As a coach, I encourage CEOs to draw these lines with intention, because a leader who respects their own boundaries is one who will respect those of their company and colleagues.
3. Intentional Moves
That sprained ankle episode? That head injury inflicted by a hockey stick? These and other emergencies with my children are lessons in triage, and quite frankly a revelation for me. They teach me to make every move count. In business, like parenting, it’s about impact over activity – doing less but better. It’s a chess game and I’m learning to play it with intention.
4. Embracing the 'Good Enough'
In a world addicted to perfection, I genuinely have learnt the hard way to celebrate the ‘good enough’, and its liberating. It does however continue to be a personal challenge for me that I reflect on every day. Perfection can paralyse potential, while ‘good enough’ can catalyse creativity and innovation. It’s about progress, not perfection.
5. Zooming Out for the Bigger Picture
When your child faces up to a bully, life throws you the question in capital letters and in bold of ‘what really matters?’ For me it’s been about seeing beyond the fire-fighting to understand the blaze. Leadership demands that eagle-eye view to help us see which fires are worth fighting, versus those that will burn themselves out.
6. Feedback: The Unfiltered Edition
My children are empathetic, kind as well as being the most brutally honest critics. Their feedback is gold; it’s raw, real, and sometimes hard to swallow, but it’s shaped me into a leader who listens, and really truly listens. It's about stripping away the ego and embracing growth, even when it stings. It’s this unvarnished truth that I encourage leaders to seek out—a feedback loop that’s as honest as it is invaluable.
7. The Sanctuary of Psychological Safety
Creating a safe haven for my children to fall, fail, and fly has become my north star. It's a similar sanctuary I create for my coaching clients and peer groups—a space where vulnerability is seen as a strength, risks are taken, voices are heard, and comfort zones are expanded. For me, the real magic happens in spaces where being human is not only accepted but celebrated and cultivating an environment where thriving is the status quo, not just surviving.
So, is it possible that the hands-on, day-to-day experience of parenting is in fact a rigorous training ground for exceptional leadership? As I weave these threads of coaching, mentoring, career, my own business and motherhood, I see a tapestry of leadership that is richer, more colourful, and infinitely more complex. And it’s this very complexity that breeds the rare kind of leaders this world desperately needs.