Family Leadership
Recently, I checked out Michael Hyatt’s website and found this great guest post from Dave Stone. It’s directed towards dads but could just as easily have been directed towards all parents. The gist of the article is about family leadership and how, for the most part, most of us have it backwards. We pour out all of our effort at the workplace hoping that, somehow, we can skate by with the few, leftover drops we leave at the bottom of the bucket once we get home. In a better world (we don’t need perfect for this), we would start the pouring out with our family. Jobs and social scenes come and go, but reaching the pinnacle of either with no one to share it with would prove empty, lonely and ultimately meaningless.
The article struck a chord with me because it’s something I’ve thought about since being told I was going to be a father. So much so, that it led me to build this:
When I bought the house I live in now, I was short a couple pieces of important furniture I hadn’t given much thought to, one being a kitchen table. So my grandma gave me a set of 4 foldable chairs and a card table that functioned as my rarely used and very precarious looking kitchen table. I was single when I moved in, so it worked for me. But thinking about the amount of time my family would spend sharing and laughing over family dinners (dinners that I fully intend to be without TV’s and cell phones), I knew I would have to come up with something more adequate. Plus, I don’t think that card table could have withstood a violent, fist pound as my wife yells at me for teaching my boy how to shoot peas out of his nose…
I really enjoyed the Dave Stone post. It is amazing how so many men can be great business leaders and terrible in the home. Did I read you are a new father? How old is your little one?
I agree Wade. Actually, I’m not official yet…my little one is due in early August.
So true! You have to give to your family first. They are the ones who deserve your best. After all, kids don’t care how much money you make or how successful you are, they will remember that you cared and loved them and had time to actually talk to them. Great post!
Thanks Kerry. I’ve never actually thought about it, but you make a great point in that kids don’t care about the number of zeroes in your paycheck.
This is so true. I was burning the candle at both ends for a while with two jobs, neither of which felt purposeful beyond the paycheck to me, when I was forced to slow down by a sudden case of downsizing. It has forced me to reassess how I’m spending my time and devotion.
Better late than never Scott. I bet you’re looking at that downsizing as a blessing now.
Blake,
You are so far ahead of the game! I didn’t figure this out until both of my kids were gone and out of the house. I only hope that I can make up for it later down the road.
Mr Philosophy