by Atiya Hasan, MD, MBA www.atiyahasan.com
Mornings with young children can be stressful. At my house, our biggest project of the day is getting the day started. It involves waking up the kids, brushing their teeth, washing their faces, using the bathroom, getting dressed, putting on their socks and shoes, eating breakfast, and grabbing a snack for the car ride. Doing all this in a short time requires avoiding major tantrums, tears, or meltdowns to get out the door by 8:30 AM.
Parenting young children is a lot like managing a team. Both roles require patience, flexibility, and the ability to handle unexpected challenges. Here are some ways I’ve realized that parenting my three children between the ages of 3.5-4.5 years old is similar to being a good manager that leads with compassion:
Providing guidance and support
As a parent, I’ve learned to intuitively understand which child needs some extra hugs and snuggles before getting their day started. Similarly, as a manager, it’s important to recognize which employee needs more attention at the start of a project. This can be in the form of one-on-one meetings, where they can ask more questions or offer more details on the vision and end goals of the project. Coaching employees through new skills can also be effective.
Managing behavior
Each child has their particularities. One child will only wear long sleeves and pants, another always needs to choose which shirt to wear, and the third wants to ensure she's not being shortchanged compared to her brothers. Understanding the unique behaviors of your employees can reduce frustration on their end and mitigate downstream delays in the project. Taking the time to understand each employee can also help you identify their strengths.
Handling unexpected challenges
Both parenting and management involve handling unexpected challenges. As a parent, you may have to deal with a sick child, a lost toy, or a last-minute change in plans.
As a manager, you may have to handle a sudden shift in priorities, a missed deadline, or a problem with a client. Your response to these challenges sets the tone for how they are dealt with in the future. A negative response from the manager can amplify the negativity in the situation.
Celebrating successes
As a parent, you celebrate your child's milestones and when they show growth in an area they were struggling with, such as sharing toys or using their words. As a manager, you celebrate your team's achievements, such as meeting a sales target, completing a project on time, or receiving positive feedback from a client. Acknowledging these accomplishments is essential in appreciating employees and their hard work.
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