Insights From Parenting for Leadership Development

Behavior is never just behavior. It is a window into emotion, motivation, and unmet needs. Great leaders know how to look through it. As a mom of four little ones, I’ve been reflecting on the ideas in Dr. Becky Kennedy’s book 'Good Inside.' It is written for parents—but it also speaks to leadership. One of her core messages is simple and profound: even when kids act out, fall short, or frustrate us, it doesn’t mean they’re bad. It means they’re struggling. This mindset shift has helped me at home. It seems just as important in the workplace. Just substitute "kids" for "people" and the core message applies. Here are three principles that stood out to me: 1. Assume Positive Intent Dr. Becky Kennedy invites us to view misbehavior as a sign of distress, not defiance. In organizations, underperformance or resistance is often a signal. When we approach it with curiosity rather than judgment, we get closer to the root of the issue. 2. Connection Before Correction Correction without connection feels like criticism. Whether with kids or colleagues, people need to feel respected to learn and grow. Leaders who build connection first create the psychological safety that makes real feedback possible. 3. Regulate Yourself First In both parenting and leadership, self-regulation is so important. A calm, composed presence de-escalates conflict, models resilience, and anchors a team during moments of stress. Great leaders manage their inner world to better navigate the outer one. Leadership, like parenting, is emotionally rich. Starting with the belief that people are good inside changes the way we react to behavior that seems off. I loved the question Dr. Becky Kennedy suggests we use to find the good inside: "What is my most generous interpretation of what just happened?" #parenting #leadership #emotionalintelligence #psychologicalsafety #behavioralscience #goodinside

All I hear is how being a mom hurts our careers. Here’s 5 ways it's helped me 10x as a leader 👇 1. Prioritization queen: Now that I know I can't work into the night, I'm WAY more efficient. Monthly, weekly, then daily I create a list of priorities. If an ask doesn’t fit within the priorities, I say ‘no’. I'm also more focused at work: I'd rather spend 15 minutes with my kiddo instead of scrolling on my phone & having to work later.  2. Empathy: Ever tried figuring out why your toddler is upset? It's not quite different from understanding what your team is trying to say (or not saying 😉). I'm better at reading people and developing messages that make them feel heard.  3. Be present: I’m a master multi-tasker (especially during meetings.) But with Reya, I’ve realized that she senses when I’m not fully present AND she’s growing so quickly that I need to soak up every moment. It’s taught me to be attentive.  4. Better decision making: As a parent, I’m making 1,000 decisions a day. I don’t often have the best info so I need to trust my gut and rely on the data at hand. This helped me streamline making decisions at work.  5. Strategic influence: Negotiating with a toddler is harder than getting buy-in with my most difficult stakeholders 😂. It’s taught me to co-create & craft compelling messages. Being a mom is the hardest thing I've ever done. But it's also the most beautiful part of my life. I’ve grown so much as a person & a leader. I wish the media would celebrate the strengths of motherhood instead of always just talking about the negatives (which are also true & need to be solved). P.S. Has being a parent helped you be a better leader? Would love to hear below 👇

Shout-out to working parents: Like you, I've been asked how I manage with two small children and a demanding executive role - the truth is, motherhood has made me a better leader. Here's how: - Adaptability & Flexibility: Parenthood demands a high degree of adaptability. No two days are alike, and plans change at a moment's notice. I've learned to adjust to unexpected circumstances, a skill that has proven critical in leadership roles where adaptability to changing market conditions or unforeseen challenges is crucial. -Empathy & Understanding: As a parent, empathy becomes second nature. Understanding the needs, emotions, and perspectives of my kids has reminded me to approach situations with empathy and compassion. Translating this to leadership, I've realized the significance of understanding the needs of my team members, fostering a supportive environment, and acknowledging their individual circumstances to facilitate a more collaborative and empathetic workplace. -Effective Communication: Parenthood has honed my communication skills significantly. Explaining complex concepts in simple terms for children has improved my ability to communicate clearly and effectively, a critical aspect of leadership. I've learned to articulate visions, instructions, and feedback in a way that resonates with diverse audiences, enhancing team understanding and cohesion. - Resilience & Patience: Kids tests your patience! Dealing with tantrums, setbacks, and sleepless nights has taught me perseverance and the importance of staying composed under pressure. This resilience is indispensable in leadership, especially when navigating through setbacks. - Problem-Solving & Decision-Making: Being a parent involves constant problem-solving and decision-making. From minor daily dilemmas to significant choices, the experience has sharpened my critical thinking and decision-making abilities. This skillset translates directly to leadership, enabling me to make informed and effective decisions in the workplace. Parents - what did I miss? Do you agree?

𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿? 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: '𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗺 𝗜? I had a difficult conversation with my 6-year-old son yesterday. He had been alienating his sister, and I decided to sit him down to talk about it. I asked him, "𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗼𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂?" Without hesitation, he replied, "𝗜’𝗺 𝗮 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗯𝗼𝘆. 𝗔 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗼𝘆." That response stuck with me. It made me reflect on something surprising: the same challenges I face with my kids are the ones I often see in some of the leaders I coach. • A child struggles to share toys; a leader struggles to share credit or resources. • A child refuses to apologize; a leader doubles down on mistakes. • A child alienates a sibling; a leader inadvertently alienates team members. We all want to see ourselves as “good” leaders—just like my son wants to be a good boy—but how often do we pause to check if our actions match our self-image? Leadership is infinitely more complex.
Leaders don’t operate in a vacuum—they face the weight of competing priorities, high-stakes decisions, and the constant pressure to perform. Add ego and entrenched habits to the mix, and it’s no wonder these “simple” behaviors become incredibly hard to master. At this level, the stakes are higher. A leader’s actions ripple through their teams, their organizations, and beyond. When I asked my son what kind of boy he was, I wanted him to reflect on his actions and align them with his values and identity. It struck me that this is the same work leaders must do every day: • To ask themselves hard questions. • To check if their self-perception aligns with how they show up. • To confront the gap between who they want to be and how they’re behaving. Leadership is complex, no doubt about it. But the foundation is the same as the lessons we teach our kids: listen, share, apologize when necessary, and treat others with kindness. Mastering the fundamentals makes navigating complexity possible. So here’s my question for you, as a leader:
What kind of leader are you? And how often do you pause to recalibrate your actions with the kind of leader you aspire to be?  #Leadership #PersonalGrowth #ExecutiveCoaching #LeadershipLessons #SelfAwareness #Teamwork #Ego #GrowthMindset #EmotionalIntelligence #LeadershipDevelopment #OrdinaryResilience

parenting an almost high schooler is teaching me more about leadership than 20+ in the workforce has. last night i found myself sitting in a field house at my son's first high school football meeting. new territory. new challenges. that familiar parental mix of pride and terror. what struck me wasn't the playbook complexity or the training schedule. it was that this veteran coach spent just 20% of his time on football mechanics and 80% hammering home what's entirely within these young men's control: attitude. effort. intent. consistency. "you can be talented," he told them, "or you can be reliable. guess which one i'll put on the field." i looked around the room at parents nodding, knowing this lesson transcends sports. how many brilliant careers have i watched derail because someone couldn't master the fundamentals of showing up fully, day after day? from my leadership playbook to yours—three consistency frameworks i've implemented with executives who transformed their results: 1. intention mapping: document your "why" before every project launch 2. micro-commitment architecture: design systems requiring visible daily progress 3. accountability indexing: track follow-through percentages weekly, not quarterly as i enter this new chapter of parenting, i once again am reminded that the most valuable lessons often come from unexpected places—like a high school football coach. his reminder that consistency creates the foundation where both teenage athletes and seasoned executives build lasting success. mastery begins with showing up completely, repeatedly, without exception. #PR #marketing #executive #agency #consistency #leadership

I don't know who needs to hear this, but parenting career breaks teach you more leadership skills than any other role. I recently had a conversation about career breaks as a result of parenting and how it's filled with shame and guilt because you were "just a stay-at-home parent" and you abandoned your career. GASP! Just? Abandoned? SMH! Well, I'm calling BS. I've taken two career breaks in my 20-year Corporate career to be the primary caretaker for both my children. And in those two career breaks, I learned: ✅ Communication and Negotiation Skills: Managing a toddler's needs sharpens your negotiation skills, often outperforming even the FBI. These abilities are crucial in the workplace for leadership, teamwork, and client relations. ✅ Patience and Emotional Intelligence: Caring for children teaches you unparalleled patience and the ability to read and respond to emotional cues, a skill invaluable in all professional interactions. ✅ Organizational Development: Creating structure and routines requires the same strategic thinking and system optimization used in business. ✅ Multitasking and Prioritization: Juggling all the tasks of parenting, from school runs to doctor’s appointments is a masterclass in handling multiple priorities effectively. ✅ Crisis Management and Adaptability: Dealing with the unpredictable nature of children hone your ability to quickly adapt and manage crises calmly and effectively. These skills aren't just parental superpowers; they're professional assets. If you're returning from a parenting break, remember: these experiences have equipped you with unique leadership qualities. Embrace them in your interviews and performance reviews. Show how these skills translate into professional excellence. I invite you to visit my profile so you get an idea of how I've creatively positioned my breaks. After all, I am the CMO of this Corporation. https://lnkd.in/enVqcZdh

🚀 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲 Do you solve all your kids' problems for them? If yes, you might be raising dependents, not leaders. 𝗜 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻. One day, my son came to me with a ratio and proportion problem. I asked him, "Have you tried solving it?" He nodded and said, "Yes." "Great," I replied. "Show me your approach." He walked me through his attempt, but it was a bit haphazard and unclear. So, I asked, "Have you gone through any previous examples?" He paused, thought for a moment, and said, "Give me 15 minutes. I’ll try again." Fifteen minutes later, he came back with the solution. 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀, 𝗜 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗲𝗱, "How did you do it?" He confidently explained the method step by step. I smiled and told him, "You’ve solved a tough problem. Honestly, I didn’t know how to solve it myself!" 𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘁 𝘂𝗽 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗲. His confidence soared, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆, he took a step toward becoming an independent thinker. 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻: Don’t jump to solve problems for others. Give them the chance to struggle, think, and grow. Whether you’re a parent or a leader, 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲. It’s how you develop thinkers and leaders, not dependents. 💡 Leadership starts with letting go. Sometimes, the best way to help is to step back. What’s one way you empower others to grow? Share your insights in the comments! #peakimpactmentorship #leadership #growth  

🎥From Parenting to Managing Employees - Adapting Leadership Styles with the 3 C’s Framework 🎥 Have you ever found parallels between your personal life and your role at work? I recently did. Sending my twin daughters off to college got me thinking about the evolving nature of leadership. As my daughters begin their new chapters, my role as a parent is shifting—from Coach to Counselor. And it dawned on me: this transition mirrors the journey of effective leadership. In my latest video, I introduce the 3 C’s Framework: Captain, Coach, and Counselor. This model not only reflects the changes in parenting but also offers a powerful lens through which to view leadership and employee growth. 🔹 Captain: For new hires, setting clear directions and establishing trust. 🔹 Coach: As employees grow, offering guidance and empowering autonomy. 🔹 Counselor: For seasoned team members, stepping back to provide support and mentorship. Curious about how you can adapt your leadership style to better support your team’s development? Watch the full video to learn more. And as you reflect on your own leadership journey, ask yourself: Are you being a Captain, Coach, or Counselor today? 👉 Click to watch and join the conversation! The Collab Collective #Leadership #EmployeeGrowth

My mom was the first leader I ever met...... She taught me that leadership isn't about titles - it's about impact. She raised me and my brother mostly in the inner city of Brooklyn. She had an HS diploma and was committed to ensuring we both received higher education. She was also equally invested in her community. She enrolled me and my neighbors in Head Start, realizing that this was the foundation we needed to build our knowledge base. She advocated for me to start Kindergarten at age 4 because, according to her, I could clearly read and write 😂 She raised us in the church and, twice a year, single-handedly organized a committee and ran a street fair where she fed the homeless. She organized field trips for the kids in the neighborhood because she wanted us to experience things outside of our community. She arranged for me to intern with a local vet she worked for because, in her opinion, that profession was closest to my dream of becoming a doctor. Her leadership style, we just called it, 'getting things done' back in Brooklyn. Watching her encouraged me to become a tutor as a 6th grader to help ESL students reach academic success and form an organization on my college campus called Minorities in Medicine, where our goal was to increase the number of students from underserved communities who wanted to enter the medical field. That organization lasted 19 years and served hundreds of students. This was just a sample of things that her leadership encouraged me to do. Leaders come from all walks of life. They may be the people in your team who are floating below the radar; they may not look like what you perceive a leader to be; they might be pillars in their communities, but you're unaware. Yes, some people are born leaders, but they can also be trained and developed; no fancy bells and whistles, just the right sprinkle of commitment, engagement, support, mentorship, and coaching. To address our physician shortage, we need great physician leaders to mentor and coach them. Yet many physicians shy away from taking on a leadership role, and many organizations lack the components to attract, develop, and retain leadership talent. Here are 3 tips on how to identify your next leader: 1. Look for the 'community builders' - those who naturally gather and support others, just like my mom did with neighborhood kids 2. Identify the 'quiet innovators' - team members who solve problems without fanfare 3. Notice the 'unofficial mentors' - colleagues others naturally gravitate to for guidance 🎯 Are you working to develop physician leaders in your organization? Let's connect! I help healthcare organizations build leadership programs that physicians actually want to engage in. Drop a '❤️' if you believe in the power of authentic leadership, and let's start a conversation about transforming healthcare leadership together. #HealthcareLeadership #PhysicianLeadership #Leadership #Healthcare #AuthenticLeadership

I just didn't get it. 12 hours into giving birth to twins, I was sending transition emails from my hospital bed, thinking I had it all figured out. I was wrong. Here's what I learned that transformed how I think about working parents: 1. The bias isn't just a "men's issue" As a progressive woman leader, I hired working mothers but didn't truly believe they could "rise to the top." I didn't create environments where it was possible because I hadn't evolved enough to understand how to support them properly. The harshest critics of working mothers are often other women. 2. We're structuring workplaces backwards Important decisions happen before 8 AM or after 5 PM—exactly when most working parents can't be present. We schedule 2.5-hour meetings without breaks while nursing mothers sit embarrassed to excuse themselves. We measure hours instead of impact. 3. Parents develop exceptional leadership skills by necessity They master prioritization, decisive decision-making, clear communication, and problem-solving with limited resources. These aren't secondary skills—they're core competencies for effective leadership that most organizations underutilize. 4. Small changes create a massive impact Scheduling crucial meetings during core hours (10 AM-3 PM), modeling family-first behavior from leadership, and focusing on outcomes rather than hours can transform workplace culture overnight. As leaders, we can create cultures where the false choice between family engagement and career advancement disappears. When we embrace the whole person, parent and professional, we unlock potential that benefits everyone. Earlier this year, my post about transitioning to working parenthood went viral. Hundreds reached out, sharing their experiences. I'm grateful to Conz Preti and Business Insider for giving me the platform to share this journey with a broader audience. Read the article in Business Insider: https://lnkd.in/eYgsEbVh ___________________________________________ Hi, I am Kathryn Tuttle. I work with founders in the leap—from instinct to intention, from scrappy to strategic, from startup to standout. 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗽, 𝗹𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸. Strategy is how you scale what only you could start.