Lead Like You Parent, Parent Like You Lead: The Secret No One Talks About

Have you ever caught yourself slipping into your "work voice" with your kids—or perhaps your "mom voice" during a staff meeting? I have. More than once, to be honest.

And here's the thing... It is usually met with eye rolls, sighs, or playful (but firm) pushback:

"Mom, stop managing me!"

"Please don’t mom me at work."

Just last week, during a particularly intense planning meeting, I asked my team, "Did everyone pack snacks?" The laughter broke the tension immediately—but it also reminded me just how natural it can be to slip into parenting habits at work.

The world is quick to reinforce a strict boundary between leadership at work and parenting at home. But after two decades of leading teams—and close to that raising kids—I’ve realized something powerful: Maybe those boundaries shouldn’t be so strict.

Leadership and parenting are not the same. Let’s be clear on that. But they share a surprising number of fundamental truths:

• Both require patience, even when you have none left.
• Both depend on empathy and truly listening—even when you disagree.
• Both are about guiding someone else’s growth, success, and independence (which sometimes means stepping back when it is hardest).

One of the greatest myths we tell ourselves is that work and home must remain totally separate. But why? If you’re an effective leader at work, why wouldn’t you use those same principles to empower and inspire at home? And if you can nurture, motivate, and grow humans at home, why not bring those same skills to your professional world?

Here's what blending these worlds might look like:

Leading Like You Parent:

• Showing vulnerability when things get tough. If my kids know I’m not perfect (spoiler: they do), why pretend to have all the answers at work?
• Celebrating small wins and milestones. Employee recognition isn't much different than proudly displaying art on the fridge. People thrive when acknowledged.
• Encouraging curiosity and exploration, not rigid adherence to "the way it’s always been done."

Parenting Like You Lead:

• Offering clear expectations and consistent boundaries. Kids crave clarity, just like teams do.
• Empowering independence through trust and accountability, stepping back to let them learn—even when it means watching them stumble (safely).
• Having structured yet open conversations, like the "check-ins" we use at work, to create genuine communication and trust.

But here's the nuance: no one wants their parent as their boss—or their boss as their parent. It's not about acting parental or bossy. It's about leveraging the human elements of both roles:

• Compassion
• Communication
• Consistency
• Celebration

In short: Leadership and parenting are two sides of the same human-development coin.

Next time you're tempted to switch hats completely when transitioning from home to office—or vice versa—remember this:

Great leaders and great parents aren’t afraid to blur the lines.

They know boundaries matter, but rigidity doesn't inspire growth or connection. So go ahead, parent like a leader and lead like a parent. You might just find you—and those around you—are better off because of it.

What do you think? Ready to blur the lines with me?

Gratefully,