Would I be becoming a better leader if I had not raised children?
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Even my own children do not do what I say. The fact that other people's precious children listen to me at work is something to be grateful for. It is never a given that people will do what I ask. There has to be a win-win for the company, the team, and the individual.
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There was absolutely a time when I grumbled that Gen Z was hard to work with. Then one day I came home from work and realized my son was even more so. Their way of thinking and acting was simply somewhere between mine and my son's. That was my wake-up call. It was hard because I kept trying to pull them toward my side. It was not a matter of right or wrong, but a natural difference shaped by changing times. And yet we need to combine those perspectives to see customers and the world clearly enough to find opportunity.
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A young musician who sings well and writes lyrics well published a book and an album this time around. After reading and listening, I felt grateful because they helped me understand my middle-school daughter better. Having an interpreter who can bridge difference is such a blessing.
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Through my children, my understanding of the world and of generations keeps expanding. There is very little I need to insist that I am right about. I hope I become someone who can keep learning by watching from the side.
