Good morning, Leaders! It’s Friday!

Wednesday night, my wife Carole, our younger son Zach and I took in a major league baseball game at Target field. We had the traditional peanuts and Cracker Jacks, along with beer, brats, hot dogs, cheese curds, water and (just in case) candy. Since we normally only get to one game a year, it’s important to sample one of everything we can stomach over a four hour period.

This was the third of three consecutive nights Zach freed up for us so we could dine, converse and just enjoy each other’s company. It was hot, muggy, kind of crowded and … probably one the most enjoyable evenings I’ve had in Minneapolis in years (and I guess the Twins won, too).

I fought back the urge to blurt out a thousand questions in the first hour of the first night on how he was doing; getting enough sleep, eating right, exercising regularly, staying engaged at work, etc. Because I’m not on Facebook, I can’t just catch up through social media, but I truly care and enjoyed hearing it from him. The best part was having him share stories and ask questions back about how things are going with Mom and Dad. I think our youngest has hit adulthood.

This blog is primarily about leadership but not just about what a leader shows up like at work. Virtually every leader I sit down with prefers to talk about what is near and dear to them – their family.
Why do we work so hard?
*Is it money?
*Is it recognition?
*Is it security?

Or,
Could it be that deep down, we want to provide the best possible environment where they can grow up to lead successful, meaningful, purposeful lives that add value to this world and possibly some day be blessed enough to share those lessons with their own children?

The most important leadership position I can think of is that of a parent. It is the most exhausting (especially in the early years), the most challenging (especially in the teenage years), and the most rewarding, every time I reflect on them, but even more so now that we can see them as adults and thank God we didn’t do something so irreversibly wrong that they couldn’t grow out of it.

My career goals have varied over the years depending on where I was in life and where I wanted to be. However, my parental goals have been simple and consistent.
*I want to be available to them at any time for any reason.
*I want to openly express my love for them.

Have a blessed weekend!