When it comes to investing in your career and family, go for “and” rather than “either/or”. Successful careers have proven to be a double-edged sword for many people, particularly men. So many men set out to build successful careers in order to provide for their families but, in the process, end up sacrificing the very … Read more
Successful families, like successful teams, operate according to a game plan. We all know the frustration of sitting in the stands at a rugby or soccer match or sitting on the couch shouting at our favourite team because they’re playing like idiots who don’t seem to have a game plan. Their opponents are making fools … Read more
When you go eyeball to eyeball with a wilful toddler or teen, don’t blink first. Having worked extensively with parents of children of all ages for over two decades, I have learnt that good people don’t necessarily make good parents. That might sound like a rather harsh comment to make but it’s not intended to … Read more
Parents are not in the game to win votes or popularity, but it is nice to be liked. In this world of ever increasing human rights and children’s rights, parents are increasingly under pressure to do and be the right thing for their children. It’s however difficult to know where to draw the line between … Read more
Experienced fathers say they would do things differently if they had to do it again. One of the things that happens to parents when their children reach adulthood is that hindsight and insight help them see things differently. They realise that they were probably a lot harder on their children than they should have been … Read more
No-one can be a better parent to your children than you. How do you rate yourself as a parent? One would think that the obvious way to answer that would be to ask your children. If you’re hoping for a glowing report from them, hope on … You’re not going to get much out of … Read more
If your children were to be asked if they considered you a good example, would you be embarrassed or proud of their answers? One of the most powerful ways of shaping the behaviour of children is through example. Most responsible adults would like their children to consider them to be people who set an example … Read more
Families are like companies and need active leadership for them to succeed. Most of us are inclined to see leadership in terms of our careers and not in terms of our families. We develop and grow as leaders at work, participate in leadership programmes, learn key skills that help us succeed at work and apply … Read more
Use these three lessons to raise emotionally secure children. While Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and a number of other crooners sang that love is a many splendoured thing, one can safely say that love is also a much misunderstood thing. No, really. Take for example parents who, in the name of love for their … Read more
When it comes to your children’s legacy, don’t think only in terms of money. As parents, we get caught up in the cut and thrust of everyday life and then forget about what our real objectives are as parents. Sometimes, we lower our sights so that our main goal is just getting through the next … Read more