From parenting to management

Since the birth of my children, a process which began shortly after I went freelance and joined Framework, I have noticed a strong link between parenting and management. When I watch or engage with my children, I often add to my learning about what it means to be a manager.

See what I mean by the example below. You can also click the “From Parenting to Management” tag on the right to see other postings in this thread; and do let me know if this theme connects to your own work, or if you meet other examples of the cross-over from parenting to management.

From parenting …

I find, not surprisingly, that I can’t do my children’s learning for them. I may know the answer, but giving it to them changes nothing. They need to discover it for themselves, to own it for themselves, and to want to have it as their solution.

Giving them the answer might mean I finish the task or the game quicker on their behalf, but it won’t change anything.

… to management.

Doing the change for staff is no change. Next time you risk them getting stuck in the same place. And they might also have learnt two unhelpful things: that they can’t do it on their own – and that you are the one that showed them so.

Better is a process to help them learn. Explain what you want to happen; demonstrate or get them started if you need to; let them try – with supervision, if a mistake would have serious external repercussions; then back off but continue to notice and encourage when you see them doing it right.

‘Just’ good delegation, maybe; but also a step in your journey of learning together.