This is a partnered post.
Project management is an important skill for anyone that is high on the career ladder. It’s an intensive role because you’re responsible for a lot of people, and you may find that the role is an unforgiving one especially when things go wrong and you’re the one to blame. However, project management can teach you many skills that can actually relate to parenting. If you feel like you have a lot of knowledge in your business but don’t put enough thought into your kids, then here are a couple of similarities between project management skills and parenting.
A Grasp of Agile Methodology Can Help
As shown in this guide at QASymphony.com, there are many principles in agile methodology that can be applied to parenting. For instance, face-to-face communication is seen as an incredibly powerful tool when trying to transfer information between team members in a project. Much like with your children, interacting face-to-face with your children is far better than trying to talk to them from behind a wall or over the phone. If you want to teach your kids something or help them understand something, then it’s far better to do it in person.
Another principle of agile methodology that can be applied to parenting is the idea plans can change, and you need to change your development to match your client’s need. This is similar to children because their interests, likes and dislikes can change on a whim, and you need to be flexible enough to adapt to these changes. For example, if your child decideS that they want to learn how to draw, then it’s no use investing a lot of money into a new tablet for them to use, or whole cases of art supplies. There’s a good chance they’ll change your mind, and you need to be ready for that eventuality both financially and mentally.
You Can’t Micromanage Forever
It’s important to balance work and life when it comes to your career. If you tip one a bit too much then you’ll find that it’s difficult to monitor several things at once, and you won’t be able to micromanage every aspect of your life. The same applies to a business. Micromanaging too much means that you won’t have much time for yourself. You’ll spend far too much effort watching what other people do and ensuring they don’t make mistakes, but you’ll have little time for your own role.
In the world of parenting, this translates into balance. There will eventually come a day where you’ll have to trust your children with decisions they make. Whether it’s the decision to study a certain subject or attend a particular after-school club that interests them, you need to accept their decision and stop trying to control everything. If you’re constantly interfering with their choices and preventing them from picking what they want in life, then you’ll become an overbearing parent that will suffocate their kids. Learn to stop obsessing over every fine detail and trust in your child like you would trust your employees.
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