Parenthood and Leadership

May 11th of 2025 just passed by and hence a Happy Mother’s Day to everyone who celebrates.

A wise person once said, that one of the best experiences of leadership, is parenthood. Parents, especially mothers who take up majority of the onus of taking care of the young ones; by default, will need to become responsible adults, the second they decide to become a child bearer. Therein, lies the 1st lesson of leadership from parenthood, i.e., preparing to become a people manager does not start after a team is assigned to you; it begins the moment you have a vision and decide to lead.

Mentioned below are 5 of the most important take aways about leadership, from parenthood.

1. Clear communication & Boundary Setting

Whether, one is a parent to an infant, a toddler, a teenager or a young adult, communication is the foundation of the relationship. Communication here means both, verbal and non verbal. A parent who has multiple kids would understand how their children would need to be communicated to, differently, as their personalities are different. The same logic holds good in people management. It is important to understand that the ‘same size fits all’ approach does not work in leadership. It is vital to establish the Do’s and Do Not’s of this relationship and keep communication as open as possible.

2. Patience & Adaptability

If a child takes a week to pick up a habit, something as simple as, keeping their toys at a certain place, it is also only fair that, team members are handled with similar patience during their learning curve. What you might be instructing, could be simple to you, however, for the child/employee, to make it a part of their routine, will take some time. In some instances, despite parents having the advantage of experience in life, a child may have a better idea, so might an employee. These contributions need to be acknowledged with a readiness to adapt.

3. Foresight & Growth

As if it is ever enough to talk about the significance of planning ahead. Just like the vision that we may have for our child or children w.r.t. their growth and ambitions, it becomes necessary to have a vision for the future of our team members. Where do we see them adding value in the future, based on their strengths, interests and potential, today.

4. Emotional Intelligence & Empathy

If parenting came with a manual, it would have been automated by now. Parenting, just like leadership needs emotional capabilities. The need for human leaders is irreplaceable due to our capacity to relate, sympathize and empathize. To understand the unsaid, to foresee needs that are not realized yet and to be able to put ourselves in others’ shoes, is purely a human ability and is needed every day of our lives, from when we become a leader or parent or both.

5. Leading by Example

How many times have we seen parents spending a lot of time on their phones but expecting the children to read books. Invariably, these children will learn from the habits that the parents showcase, than follow verbal instructions. Similarly, leadership is a contact sport, it needs the leader to sit with the team and showcase their skill by working with the team. Action breeds inspiration, which breeds influence.

Kudos to all human and pet parents, for doing what they do and inspiring leadership, knowingly or unknowingly.