by Darcy Bien
My father, who was a huge influence in my life, recently passed away. So to honor him, here are 3 life lessons from my dad that have been reinforced by the passionate, successful leaders I have worked with during my career:
- Be a Lifetime Learner – When my oldest brother was born, my dad was reading a magazine with parenting tips. One “easy” tip caught his attention: “Read with your children.” He did and we did! To be leader, you must constantly strive to learn new things and be open to new ideas.
- Get Organized – My first year in college was a huge transition and the workload was very intense. At one point, I was overwhelmed and called my dad in tears. He listened intently as he always did, paused, then said… “Is your room clean?”. I responded with lots of questions about what my room had to do with all my stress. He patiently said… “Chaos causes Chaos.”
- Always, Always, Overachieve – My dad constantly challenged me out of my comfort zone. This started in school when I planned to run for Student Council Representative. But my dad said…. “President”. I was so fearful. He supported me, helped with my campaign and guess what… I won! He always “pushed” me past what I thought I was capable. Bottom-line, we can do much more than we think.
My relationship with my dad was complicated at best. I would absolutely not be who I am today without his influence.
Thanks to all the dad, mentors and coaches out there – you are making a difference!