We have all heard the saying that, It’s not what you say, it’s what you do.”  I was reflecting on this topic during father’s day as I thought about leadership as it relates to being a dad.  I see many connections between being a dad and being a business leader:

1.  Kids look to their parents for guidance and direction without knowing that is what they are doing.  Kids don’t know to ask questions about how to make good decisions, they don’t know to ask how to handle money, they don’t know to ask how to balance their time.  Rather, kids pick things up from those that they are around and they incorporate those things into their everyday life.  Most employees don’t actively seek out new skills, but yet they are picking up skills every day from those around them…both positive and negative.

2.  Kids desire attention.  Attention leads to a feeling of value.  A feeling of value leads to a desire to please.  As I write this, I am sitting in a Panera Bread beside a father and his two children.  What a perfect opportunity he has to interact with his kids, to SHOW them that they are a primary focus of his day.  Instead, he has spent the majority of his time looking at and talking on his phone.  Those kids are in the in physical presence of a leader who has chosen not to lead. As a business leader, there are opportunities daily to show those around you that they are a priority to you.  Put down the phone, lean forward toward those on the other side of your desk, take notes and follow up.

3.   Recently I’ve been hearing some parenting “experts” talk about the difference between quality time vs. quantity of time.  Since I am by no means a parenting expert, I guess I should heed their advice.  The current advice that seems to be floating around is that kids need more time (quantity) rather than just small shots of quality time.  whereas the common argument of many people is, “Well I do spend a lot of time working, but when I do spend time with my kids, it may not be much, but it is really good.”  I have learned that good leaders to just invest in their people in short spurts, rather they are constantly engaging those that they lead.  They ask them into their office just to be a part of a discussion that may help them later in their career.  They embrace every teachable moment and use it to develop their people.

I don’t want to paint the picture for a moment that employee’s are like children; I do believe that many of the ways that we learned while we were children, we never really grow out of.  Kids want and need direction and time from their parents.  People want and need direction and time from their leaders.

I don’t pretend to believe that I have anything more to offer than the thousands of leadership books and publications out there.  There really are very few new ideas, most ideas just get repackaged in a new way.  I would rather have you read a few of my thoughts, and then reflect on them yourself…see how they apply to your life.  I will leave you with a few questions that, hopefully, will help more your own thoughts forward:

1.  When was the last time you just spend an hour or two living life with someone you influence at work?  Have you taken them to lunch and asked them a few questions about their goals and vision?

2.  Do you have leadership goals?  Things that you would like to impart to your team?  Have you created a plan to achieve those goals?

3.  Make a list of 5 people you influence.  Now make a list of 3 things you would like to teach each of them.  Perhaps you list will include: time management, organization, accuracy, customer service skills, etc.  Now set a time to meet with each in a no stress situation to talk.

LEAD BY EXAMPLE