Happy Fathers day! I had such a great day today with my family at the Rays game. It was my dad’s birthday, and it was also our daughters’ first baseball game. They loved it. To top it all off, we got to see one of my favorite bands in concert afterward – Three Doors Down. It was a great day with a great family. Days like today are what I live for. 

I love my role as a father. My family are the most important people in the world to me, and it’s my job to show them that I feel that way every day. For me, the true measure of a successful leader isn’t how far you advance in your career, how much money you make, or how many big deals you can close. The true measure of a leader is how well they lead at home.
 
We are depicted on too many television shows as the joke of the family, beginning with Ed Bundy in the 80s and Tim “The Toolman” Taylor in the 90s. Now, we’re shown as the idiot that is always screwing things up. No more Ward Cleaver. Heck, Bill Cosby provided comic relief but was still a strong leader of his family. We fathers are called to be much more than what we see on TV. We’re commanded to plug into our families and not put them aside for our jobs or our golf games. 

Every leadership skill that we study for our careers is applicable at home as well. We need to lead our families with the same enthusiasm that we use to lead our teams. It begins with being truly plugged in to what is going on in their lives. We need to live with their best interests above our own. 

I challenge all male leaders to rise above the stereotypes that we see around us today. Go beyond pouring yourself into your work while neglecting your families. Lead your family well before you lead your teams well. Your kids need it. There’s no more important call to leadership that you will ever hear. You’re building the next generation of leaders right within the walls of your own house.