Pragmatic parenting: Imperfection and empowerment

Let’s go on a journey together as we explore the importance of imperfection and empowerment at home and professionally.

Imagine this, it’s the start of a new year and you are coming off a stellar performance last year at work and are ready for the next promotion.  You are called into a meeting with the CEO and are told there are two similar projects which they’d like you to lead, and you can choose which one you take.  Both projects are part of a larger role, and while you haven’t done this specific type of work before, you are dedicated to seeing it through and learning along the way.  The biggest difference between the projects is who you will be reporting into to deliver the project.

Boss #1, let’s call them Stickler, is notorious for being a perfectionist and micromanaging their team.  Despite having a very strong team, Stickler is resolute that everything is done exactly how they would do it and is involved in every detail
throughout the process.  Stickler regularly draws attention to things that could have been done better along the way even when the outcome and the most important parts of the project are delivered.

Boss #2, let’s call them Coach, is known for giving their team background on what needs to be done and is focused on the outcome.  Coach understands that things may be done differently than they would have done it but are always there to share their experience/approach if asked.  Coach encourages continuous improvement and focuses on celebrating things that went well rather than how things could have been done differently.

Take a moment to reflect on which boss’s team you’d like to join and why.  I think about similar situations in my personal life.  For example, my wife, Kara, typically puts our three-year-old son to bed. However, there are times when I become the Sandman.  Although my process to get him to bed may be different (TV time outweighing book time, falling asleep naked on the floor before moving to bed after an hour, etc), he ultimately ends up as a happy boy in bed for a good night’s rest.  I am very thankful for Kara being like Coach and empowering me to do bedtime, even though the path to success is an imperfect one.

As we wrap up today’s journey together, I encourage you to reflect on different ways you and your partner approach things, but end up with a similar end result as well as our make-believe managers – Stickler and Coach.

*Drake Peabody is a global finance leader as well as a Trustee with Equality Starts at Home, a charity focused on creating a world where equality at home is a reality for all.  In addition to this, Drake serves as a Trustee for Village Water, is a member of the Leaders Plus Network Council, and a diversity and inclusion advocate with Men For Inclusion.
 
Drake and his wife, Kara, are both American and have called London home since 2018 and welcomed their son at the end of 2020. In his free time Drake enjoys cooking, spending time with friends and family, going to the cinema, and staying active.

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