Unglued. Unshowered. Unfiltered.

This is real life for most of us.

Our little guy’s been sick this week, which got me thinking about how so many others are not afforded the flexibility they need, and when they need it most.

“Family Comes First”, right?

Many leaders claim this, yet are first into the office, rarely leave for personal commitments, and regularly send emails after 10pm. The demands are high, and their hours and work ethic are worn as a badge of honour.

And it’s all ok because they believe “Family Comes First”, applies to others, but not them.

Wrong.

Leadership is like being on a stage. Everyone is looking up to you, listening to what you say and watching how you behave. Balance and flexibility must be role-modeled, which also means not hiding behind company policies, and courageously challenging those who feel it’s too soft or biased in favour of those who need it most. (Because we all need it at some point).

Leadership requires being clear in expectations - including the expectation that one’s welfare both within and outside of work are of genuine concern.

Because any leader should understand that a five-month-old with a cold doesn’t just disrupt my work life, but my entire life.

And that’s the kind of leader we all want to work for.