It is interesting to note that many of the qualities that define a good parent (Mom or Dad) are also highly relevant traits for a good manager or director in the corporate world. This may seem an unusual comparison at first glance, but when we look in more detail at the skills and traits required in each role, some interesting parallels emerge. I’m going to illustrate this by taking some key qualities and exploring them through the prism of a parent’s life and that of a leadership role in the professional world.

Listening
Parent:
a) Listen to and guide your children at all times,
b) Remain attentive to your children’s unexpressed emotions.
c) We listen attentively when our children share their dreams and aspirations.
Manager :
a) Listens to his team’s concerns to support them as best he can.
b) Is attentive to innovative ideas put forward by the team, and to the professional ambitions expressed.
c) Listens to unexpressed tensions within the team

Creativity
Parent :
a) We invent stories to stimulate our children’s imagination.
b) Find creative solutions to sibling conflicts.
c) Encourage children’s creativity by organizing a variety of activities.
Manager :
a) Develops and adapts strategies to improve team performance.
b) Finds creative solutions to team problems.
c) Encourages creativity by organizing brainstorming sessions.

Empathy
Parent:
a) Show empathy when your child is having trouble at school.
b) Show empathy by understanding your teenager’s feelings of frustration.
c) You show empathy by understanding your child’s excitement as his birthday approaches.
Manager :
a) He is empathetic when a member of his team is facing personal difficulties.
b) He shows empathy by understanding his team’s frustrations with a difficult project or situation.
c) He shows empathy by sharing his team’s joy and failure.

Encouragement
Parent :
a) Encourage your child as he learns to ride a bike, hold a spoon, etc.
b) You support your child who is working hard for an important exam.
c) We support our child who is trying to save money to buy something he or she wants.
Manager :
a) He supports his team as they approach an important deadline.
b) He encourages a member of his team who is making a presentation to customers.
c) He supports his team as they work to meet sales targets.

Make people dream that anything is possible
Parent:
a) Encourage your children to pursue their dreams, even if they seem unattainable.
b) Tell inspiring stories about people who have achieved incredible things.
c) Teach your children that hard work can achieve anything.
Manager:
a) A manager inspires his team to reach ambitious goals, even if they seem difficult to achieve.
b) He shares inspiring stories about companies that have achieved incredible things.
c) He reminds his team that hard work can lead to success in any project.

I could go on and on with many skills and qualities, the observation would be the same. So yes, a good mom is and will be a good manager, a good director! And a good dad is and will be a good manager, a good director!

• Leadership
• Patience
• Communication skills
• Delegation
• Decision-making
• Adaptability, flexibility
• Integrity
• Problem solving
• Time and priority management
• Carrying and sharing a vision
• Risk-taking
• Stress management
• Sharing a positive spirit

What do you think? Do you agree or disagree?
And what do you think is the most difficult, the most challenging part of being a good parent or a good manager?

Conclusion
Since work is such a big part of us, of our lives (we spend almost 70/80% of the day at it), we should consider it as part of our extended family. We should see every member of our team as our children, every other department of the company as our brothers and sisters, and always be caring, respectful and loving.
So we accompany our children, we create and take on challenges together, we help them to grow, we advise them, and one day, they surpass us and leave us to live another adventure…