Friday espresso: What Can Raising Kids Teach Us About Leading Teams?
Sep 04, 2025 1:01 am
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What Can Raising Kids Teach Us About Leading Teams?
We’ve all heard the saying: “Parenting prepares you for leadership.” Or perhaps it’s the other way around? Whichever way you see it, both roles have never been more complex than they are today. Leading in today’s workplace — just like parenting — means engaging with multiple generations who think, act, and respond very differently from how we ourselves were raised. Add to that a fast-paced, information-overloaded world, and the challenges multiply.
In our latest podcast, Elton brought the voice of the younger workforce into a candid exchange with me, Anna, and Shereen — three working mums who are also corporate trainers. He posed candid questions from our kids, and our parenting replies revealed surprising parallels to leadership. What if those same questions came from the younger workforce to today’s leaders?
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WHY Is The Landscape of Leadership Shifting?
📱 Distractions are everywhere. Parents face kids glued to screens; leaders face teams balancing multiple tools and constant notifications. Both need strategies to cut through the noise and bring focus back to what matters most.
🌐 Exposure has increased. Children grow up in a hyper-connected world; employees are equally shaped by global perspectives and instant access to information. Leaders must adapt to this reality by embracing openness and inclusivity.
⏳ Pressure to “get it right.” Parenting advice and leadership frameworks are abundant, but trying to follow them all creates stress. The real challenge is filtering noise and choosing what aligns with your core values.
WHAT Is The Human Connection That Matters Most?
❤️ Presence over perfection. Kids don’t remember flawless parenting, they remember attention and care. Employees feel the same, authentic presence matters more than polished speeches.
👂 Listening builds trust. Parents who listen deeply earn their children’s respect, and leaders who listen to their teams create stronger engagement and loyalty. Listening is leadership’s most underrated skill.
🔑 Consistency creates safety. Just as children thrive on stability, teams thrive when leaders show consistency in their values, communication, and decision-making. Reliability builds cultures people can rely on.
HOW To Lead with Intentional Choices?
🧭 Choose what matters most. Parents can’t do it all, and neither can leaders. By focusing on the few actions that make the biggest difference, leaders avoid burnout and maximize impact.
🌱 Model growth, not perfection. Children watch how parents handle mistakes; employees watch how leaders navigate challenges. Showing vulnerability and growth sets the tone for continuous learning.
🤝 Prioritize relationships over control. Strong parenting is built on connection, not dominance. Leaders who empower rather than micromanage unlock greater creativity, ownership, and collaboration in their teams.
At the heart of both parenting and leadership lies one truth: people don’t thrive under authority, they thrive under CARE. When leaders embrace the same patience, empathy, and intentionality that parents practice, they create environments where others feel safe to grow. In the end, great leadership — like great parenting — is less about control and more about cultivating trust, resilience, and shared progress.
Turn Insights into Action
Program Highlights for Q3/ 2025
Just like parenting and leadership, clear communication under pressure makes all the difference. That’s why we’re excited to bring you a practical way to sharpen this skill.
Think On Your Feet® Workshop
Learn how to simplify complexity, handle objections, and speak with confidence, turning pressure into clarity and ideas into impact, on the spot, check out this globally recognised licensed workshop here !
📩Enquire now at customerservice@mq.com.my !
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That’s the espresso, keep the momentum! ☕😌
Stay caffeinated & curious!
Koo Lily
l Founder of mq Training Coaching Consulting l
Leadership Coach l Change Facilitator l Speaker l
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