Leading in the Family

UNCAGED CLINICIAN
Blog

June 1, 2025

Guide!

As an entrepreneur, there is a very good chance that you have a vision for your business.

There is an idea of where the practice is going and a reason for all of the hard work.

The challenge for most leaders can hit us between the eyes: Is there a vision for the family?

Don't have a family of your own? No worries. Today's edition is for you, too.

Surprisingly, an idea of the leader we desire to be on the job may not translate to being the leader needed or desired at home.

Why do we bring this up? It's two fold.

When you think about it, leadership skills are crafted within the family.

However, if the family dynamics were "broken" in any way during our own upbringing, then leadership ways are found outside the context of family.

Those approaches may not cross over into the family life.

Secondly, a strong family culture will align values on the personal and professional levels.

What is valued within the business typically mirrors what is learned and valued in the home.

A "broken" family dynamic can be wide-spread.

Two ends of the parenting spectrum are parents who were/are never present, and the overbearing "helicopter" one.

Neither are good, but both could have positive sides.

A child who is left to "fend for themselves" might grow up developing the skill of figuring things out on their own. And this can be an asset.

On the flip side, such a child may not gain an understanding in boundaries, or negotiating and compromising skills.

It's possible that they form the attitude of things having to be "their way", which can make compromising a challenge.

A child may learn boundaries and thoroughness from a helicopter parent. A potential downside could be a lack of self-reliance trust.

Growing up in such an environment could cause an unintentional interdependence on others to make decisions.

Perhaps the biggest detriment could be the failure of one to gain the confidence in expressing their opinion, fearing that their voice is not to be heard.

Leaders show commitment.

They don't bail at the first hiccup. Solutions are sought. Struggles are figured out.

Success may be regarded as the commitment leading them through a learning opportunity.

Ask yourself what does commitment look like in the home? What did it look like in your childhood?

Where there times that others (or you) walked away from a difficult time simply because it was "easier" to avoid any conflict?

Commitment is heavily shaped in the household. How might you be showing your team and co-workers that you are committed to them?

Commitment should be less about pride, ego, and self-gain, and everything to do with what is best for the collective team.

Leaders are faced with conflicts on a regular - if not daily - basis. Conflict resolution starts in the home.

We commonly see conflict arise between siblings. How they are left to "sort it out" can have a lasting impact.

An older sibling telling his younger brother, "Hey, chill. That isn't cool" is a display of mature self-regulating skills.

If only we all had someone to tell us such things.

As a parent, it can be a challenge to not step in and immediately discipline.

Sending disagreeing brothers or sisters off to independently think of resolutions, and then bring them back to guide them teaches our children how to monitor attitudes and learn forgiveness.

Both are needed attributes in the business setting.

Our team and co-workers pay far more attention to our actions than to our words.

The reality is that we can transfer to others only that which we have lived and had modeled for ourselves.

You can probably recall a time that someone in your life said, "Do as I say, not as I do."

Nothing will cause others around us to lose trust and respect in us than for them to see that we don't walk the talk ourselves.

If we find ourselves guilty of this, there is a way to break the bond. It merely requires introspection and humility.

Recognizing that there are areas where we would benefit from growth, we can ask ourselves, "What am I missing? What do I need to learn myself?"

Is it self-discipline? Patience? Tolerance? Listening? Speaking negatively about others (which teaches our kids that it's ok to do so)?

Perhaps their is someone in our lives who excels in an area that we recognize could use work. Lean into them. Ask them for input.

Being vulnerable to your family - and to your co-workers - that you are working on a particular area of your life goes a long way in setting an example for your children, and building trust in your team.

All of these scenarios can be a challenge; particularly if these things were not our our experiences.

A great first step is to pre-plan what decision may be acted upon in any given situation.

This eliminates having to think "on the fly" and allows us to respond with confidence.

Gradually, the confidence builds through repetition and already having a game plan.

Our aim at UNCAGED CLINICIAN is to help everyone to grow and to develop as leaders in their own practices, and beyond.

Family is one of five areas in our personal lives that impact our businesses.

John Mackey, founder of Whole Foods, once said: "As goes my personal life, so goes my business."

If nothing else, we hope that today's edition offers you the opportunity to reflect.

We challenge you to come up with one action step that excites you to implement into your own family life.

Leadership is is Legacy, and home is where it endures the longest.

Be sure to check out the June 4, 2025 edition of the UNCAGED CLINICIAN podcast to listen to a more in depth discussion of today's topic!

Are you ready to get serious about achieving more than a busy schedule for yourself?

Do you recognize that becoming the leader and CEO of your practice is exactly what your business is begging from you?

The UNCAGED CLINICIAN Success Council is designed specifically for this.

For more insights and personalized guidance for becoming the entrepreneur you dream to me, visit uncagedclinician.com and schedule a free Growth Strategy Call with us.

Let's work together to break through the ceiling and unlock the full potential of your practice.

Also, be sure to check out our website for other resources!

Your Success is our success!

The UNCAGED team