Sarah Jenkins is CEO of Genesis Digital, maker of affordable, easy-to-use marketing and sales automation software—and a mother of five.
Apologies to Dr. Spock, but there’s really no instruction manual for being a parent. You embrace your humanity, follow time-honored approaches, learn as you go, correct mistakes in real time and ultimately go with your instincts.
It’s a lot like leading a successful business. In fact, I’d argue that much of how you build and nurture a strong family helps build and nurture a strong company. I call this corporate application of the same values and instincts that guide me as a mother “alpha female leadership.” But under any name, business success can be fueled by the same philosophy and values you embrace as a parent.
There are three qualities central to family life that have had a transformative impact on my business—and bottom line. I believe leaders should be:
1. Collaborative
A family’s strength comes from the individuals within it—each with a different personality, interests and even, sometimes, values. Achieving what’s best for the family means collaborating amongst these types of individuals, made easier by the love that holds families together.
The same is true in business, but driving true collaboration in a company means embracing a concept not often associated with leadership: vulnerability. You don’t have every answer. You’ll make mistakes. If you need help, you must be humble enough to seek others’ expertise and take advice seriously. It takes a lot of courage to be vulnerable in the workplace, but by authentically sharing thoughts, emotions and uncertainties you’re building trust and establishing deeper connections with employees. You’ve got to be strong to open yourself up that way, but it fuels the spirit of collaboration that drives business success.
Also key to collaboration is knowing your direct reports not just as colleagues but also as human beings. Be genuinely curious about what they want or need: What do they like about work? What do they want to do next? What more can you do for them? And make sure your direct reports do the same for their teams. Listening to them and acting on what they tell you builds the trust that’s so critical to the collaborative culture leaders need to succeed.
2. Flexible
The strongest families aren’t run like battleships. They’re flexible: working toward common goals while being loose enough for each member of the family to shine and succeed. People want control over the basics of their life, even within a loving family.
Yet too many companies believe that command-and-control is the only way to achieve goals. Today this is playing out in the “mandated return to office wars.” Well, work is rarely a person’s whole life, no matter how many pool tables and stocked fridges you provide to keep them in the office. Employees want the flexibility to balance their work and personal lives. Giving them the freedom to schedule their work to accommodate family needs, personal obligations or a daily curveball or two can reduce their stress and improve their well-being. As long as they’re delivering what they’ve promised, does it matter if they work from home in their sweatpants?
But flexibility isn’t a one-way street. If the company is respectful of employees’ time, they’ll understand that in an emergency, they may be asked to pitch in at night or over a weekend. It happens rarely, but my employees always come through in a big way, and quickly, when there’s a crisis.
3. Free-Range
I’m a free-range parent. I don’t tell my kids exactly what to do: I provide expectations and guidelines—how to dress appropriately and what makes a well-balanced lunch—and then leave a lot of the execution up to them. They have the autonomy to make choices, which builds their confidence and decision-making powers. But they also know they’re accountable: It’s up to them to do the right things and own up when they don’t.
This concept also shines within a company. Most employees don’t want micromanagers; they want leaders who are motivational, empathetic and empowering. So provide a vision, set goals and guardrails, and then get out of the way so they can do their jobs. Employees aren’t children; they’re smart hires you’ve made who just need your help removing barriers to success and the latitude to apply their talents—which can lead to better outcomes and happier, more productive teams. Accountability is key here: They’re still on the hook for delivering business results.
But without tight controls, won’t they make mistakes? Sure. When that happens, don’t place blame. Acknowledge what didn’t work, learn what not to do again and get back to it. Leadership isn’t about wallowing in missteps; it’s about continuously learning and doing better in the future.
That’s why I only hire people who are confident self-starters, who are open to learning and being coached and who know how to press forward. I deeply value people who are highly motivated to work; to me, the ultimate test of leadership is how good you are at making other people successful.
Final Thoughts
Translating ideas that build strong families to the business world means leaning into qualities often overlooked in corporate America: vulnerability, authenticity, genuine empathy and transparency. To corporate types and tech bros alike, they may sound “soft.” They’re anything but. Making them work requires an iron will of commitment, an openness to new ideas and the courage to treat those you lead not just as colleagues but almost as … family.
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