So much of navigating the work world has been taught to us by our Dads! Yes, many Moms have been right there, too. But there are different natural skill sets they teach that are valuable for CEO’s to consider.
Here are just a few:
Don’t cry! Yes, this one is controversial, over exaggerated and downright annoying, but at the heart of it, Dad meant us to be tough – to guard our emotions. The world outside was a hard one and from early on, it’s Dad that tries to toughen up the kids, while Mom protects them.
Try the hard stuff. Keep digging, learn to ride a bike, pick up a heavier bag, try jumping across the ditch.
Compete with others. Dad was more likely to make it a game or a competition. With him or the other kids. He pushed you to take risks and continually try to build yourself up.
Fail and move on. You competed. Sometimes you won. Sometimes you lost. So what? Go out and do it again.
Play group sports. Baseball, soccer, volleyball, basketball. In the street, in the gym, on the beach, in the pool. Learn how to deal with lots of different people and circumstances through sports.
Hear other viewpoints. Dad heard them all the time at work and learned how to negotiate the differences. Sometimes, he had more tools than Mom on how to understand the big world, or deal with the bully around the corner.
Respect women. You learned it from your Dad. How he treated your Mom and the women in your family was your view of how men and women should be together. If he gave you a good role model, send him a little mental thanks for that today.
Be the responsible adult. Take the decision. Start the difficult conversation. Dad was the one to ask what happened to the car? Why were you late getting home? Why does the car smell like cigarettes?
What discussion can you have with your team this week about leadership strengths they learned from their Dads that are part of the values and behaviors of your organization’s culture?
And….Happy Father’s Day to all the great Dads we remember today with joy from having known them, thankfulness for their unsung contributions, and sadness for the loss of those who have gone.
photograph courtesy of myria.com