There are still voices in the world today that claim success should be achieved at all costs. I have even come across the odd leader who looks down on team members who have organized their lives around family. "He used to be great, but now...he's more focused on getting home on time. In my day, we never did that. We got the job done and hit every target. These new young guys...bunch of losers." Very early in my career in the early 2000s, I worked with a gentleman who let my department know that he had missed every single one of his kid’s birthdays to be at work. The way he said it made me feel like he was actually proud of this.

Immediately, some truths come to mind.

The ones who "got it done" all drive nicer cars than me, live in homes much bigger than mine, and have amazing wardrobes. They have achieved the results they were looking for. That said, I have no desire to be them.

It’s also true that the vast majority of the leaders and mentors in my life have guided me down a different path. I'm grateful that most of them have challenged me to prioritize my family. I see in them an understanding that they have the opportunity to make it easier for younger generations to succeed and make it home at night. Family first.

Yes, hard work is important.

Yes, we should want to be successful in the teams we belong to.

But we only have 24 hours a day to work with. Family, work, and sleep all want some of those hours. I'm happy to be in the camp that is able to make it home almost every day to be there when the kids go to bed and to be there in the morning to make them breakfast. Being a Dad is not easy, but it's worth it.

The challenge I take to work every day is to continue building a path for the team members I work with to prioritize their lives outside of work. I mean this equally for those with kids and those without. Sometimes, in a conversation with a team member, I've been known to say, "Look, there are a lot of smarter leaders out there who will be able to teach you much more than I can. I want to be the leader in this chapter of your life that made things a little easier for you and your family. If I've done this, mission accomplished." As far as we can tell, we only have one shot at this thing called life. I'm happy that my primary role is "Husband and Dad," who has had a varied career. I love my wife and kids. I want to ensure the doors to that path remain open for those who work with me.

Happy Father's Day!