As a professional, I am always on the lookout for inspiration from unexpected sources. Lately, I’ve found myself marvelling at the wisdom my 3-year-old daughter imparts on me, lessons that resonate deeply in the world of entrepreneurship and corporate culture. Here are seven key insights gleaned from her innocent yet profound approach to life, that I believe are applicable to business:
- Fearless Curiosity: I observe my daughter watching the world go by, intrigued by what is happening around her. She puts almost everything in her mouth to understand what it is, and now her favourite question to ask is… why? She is curious, gives everything a crack, and isn’t afraid to be wrong. She is developing at a rapid rate, which inspires me.
It is important that we encourage a culture of curiosity and experimentation in our professional lives. This will lead to future innovations and breakthroughs within business.
- Resilience in the Face of Adversity: Nothing is more exciting than watching your child take their first step; however, the journey to get there is tough. They get up and fall multiple times before they finally achieve the outcome. My daughter is now trying to navigate her bike, scooter, and even a skateboard, and it is safe to say, it doesn’t always go to plan. This hasn’t stopped her from giving it another crack, watching her friends to find the way her way to achieve it.
Cultivating a resilient mindset within your organisation is crucial for navigating setbacks and failure. It isn’t always going to go to plan; there will be difficult times, and it is important that we keep going.
- Authentic Communication: As a parent, there is no more honest person in our life than our children. You soon learn if you’re a good cook, if you’re funny, or if you are potentially saying the ‘wrong’ words far too often around the house.
Having open and transparent communication fosters trust and strengthens relationships both internally and externally.
- Creativity and Imagination: I walk out to my living room most evenings, and it is like a bomb went off. I have to play a game called “spot the floor.” Lego is spread everywhere, playdoh is built up, books are all over the couch, and toys are in places I didn’t even know existed. This is when I know it’s been a successful day at home.
Tapping into and allowing creativity leads to innovative solutions and fresh perspectives in business. Make sure that you allow yourself to step back and see things with a bird’s eye view, work on the business, and ask the quiet people within the organisation what they see.
- Unconditional Love and Support: Seeing my daughter smile, laugh, put her arms up for a hug, and say “I love you” is truly the best gift a father could ask for. She doesn’t care about our title, our job, if we won or lost. All our daughter wants is attention, love, and our support. She thinks we are the best in the world no matter what we think about ourselves.
It is important to foster a supportive environment within the business. A place where everyone within the organisation is aligned and celebrates everyone’s victories. This culture enhances morale, productivity, and loyalty among team members.
- Embracing Playfulness and Joy: The last three years have been the best three years of my life. I don’t think I have ever smiled or laughed so much. I get to play make-believe cafes, run around the house making different animal sounds, play hide and seek at the park, and sometimes just laugh so hard that we both nearly wet ourselves.
We spend most of our lives at work, so it is important that we aim to create a playful work environment, a space that allows fun, creates joy, and is safe. When we create these businesses, it enhances creativity, collaboration, and job satisfaction.
- Embracing Change and Adaptation: Everything is constantly changing for my daughter. As she gets older, she gets introduced to new toys, new books, bigger words, and a much taller toilet. She is apprehensive at first, a little unsure, but with the support of her parents, clear communication, and sometimes visual stimulation, she jumps at the opportunity full steam ahead.
Encouraging employees to have a growth mindset and embrace change is essential for success in a dynamic business landscape. It is just as important to have leaders who can clearly articulate the change strategy, the why behind it, and the outcomes it will achieve, as this will make those less accepting of change more willing to give it a go.
Let’s incorporate these valuable lessons from our children into our professional lives, fostering a culture of curiosity, resilience, authenticity, creativity, unconditional support, playfulness, and adaptability. After all, sometimes the greatest lessons come from the smallest teachers.
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