How becoming a new father made me a better leader

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Remember what it's like to jump into a new job with no previous experience?

I just got a vivid reminder – taking parental leave afterwards becoming a new parent. I left my business for a few months to help care for my son, spending the summer sleepless and knee-deep in diapers.

But what a joy – and an eye opener. As any parent knows, finding yourself responsible for another human being is humbling and life-changing. with less than 5% of new fathers in the US taking two or more weeks of parental leave, I know I'm in the lucky minority.

For me, time away from the office as a full-time dad has also taught me some lessons about being a leader. This is an unexpected bonus from that beautiful experience, which has given me one new perspective at work.

It's early days, but here are five things I've learned so far.

1. Empower your team

For leaders, leaving can be an opportunity to let their people grow.

My child needs me day and night. My employees? Less – and that's a good thing. Sometimes, leaders and managers overestimate how much their people rely on them.

In my case, I'm lucky that the business has matured to the point where it is flexible enough to go on just fine without my constant attention. Leaving showed me that I don't need to oversee everything and everyone. Without me hanging around, team members can take ownership and thrive.

Besides, delegation is good for a business, especially when it is scaling. only 25% of the founders of the company excel at delegation, but those who do generate one-third more revenue than colleagues who lack such skills.

2. Put the job and its “problems” into perspective

For me, fatherhood has turned the script into work. I can't be the only one who thinks that compared to taking care of a toddler, going back to the office feels like a vacation.

Now when I think about my parenting duties and the impact I have on my child, I'm not sweating the “problems” of the office like I used to, which makes me a better leader. I approach the challenges of work with a clearer mind – knowing that I have more important things to keep me awake at night. (Thanks, son.)

Likewise, my new role as a parent has forced me become more disciplined. I arrive at the office focused and ready to make it home at a reasonable hour. In other words, I no longer surf the Internet and read the news at my desk. Instead, I look at what needs to happen, make sure my calendar reflects those priorities, and get to work.

with more than half of the managers feeling burned out at work, anything leaders can do to lessen their burden is welcome. You don't need to be a new parent to put work into perspective and look for ways to do things more efficiently. Success in the office feels much more meaningful when you make room for the people and moments that matter most.

3. Know when to back off from technology

As a digital agency leader who is also now a time-strapped parent, I'm all about technology as a productivity driver rather than a mindless distraction or job-creating project. In business as well as in my personal life, I try to set a good example by limiting its use.

Some tech tools simply create more screen time, while others help you cut back. In the latter category are my precious phone and my new favorite app, Read AI. After a meeting, I output a transcript, plus the main takeaways and how long each participant spent speaking.

I don't like my son seeing me using screens, so I've revived old-school communication methods like the landline. Conversely, GenAI has also helped reduce screen time at home. Instead of Googling parenting questions, I can ask ChatGPT verbally without my son looking.

For me, as a leader, parenting is a reminder of how easy it is to get caught up in the digital world. Technology should be there to support people – but in a last pollthree-quarters of employees said AI was increasing their workload, hindering productivity and contributing to burnout. So instead of falling for the newest shiny toy, make sure your tech group is helping your team.

4. Show your people that you really care

For any good leader, team members are people first and employees second. Becoming a parent has given me more compassion and respect for colleagues who face the many challenges of raising a child while keeping it together at work.

To be clear, I am proud of our company policies. As well as offering four or five weeks' leave to start, we encourage extended maternity and paternity leave, add government benefits in some cases and ensure people's return to work is smooth.

Thanks to my time away, I am even more committed to helping employees balance work with their other responsibilities. Does your company's parental leave policy give people the space and time they need to adjust to that new stage of life? If not, it may be time for a rethink.

Showing your people you care also leads to better business results. Employees with highly empathic superiors report significantly higher levels of creativity and engagement than those with less empathic bosses.

5. Don't underestimate the power of attention

Like any careful first-time dad, I bought all the stuff, only to realize that most of it was unnecessary. Apart from a few basics, a baby only needs a steady supply of milk and clean diapers – and most of all, your attention and energy.

At the risk of oversimplifying things, it's the same in the office. Leaders must remember that with their people, the most powerful tool they have is to be present.

My efforts to make sure I'm not confused with my son encourage me to do the same I focus on my team. Therefore, despite the demands of my “other” job, I do my best to appear fully engaged in meetings. When I'm there, I'm there. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a team member in urgent need of food.

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