Dear Parents, Grandparents, Mentors, one-day parents, and humans of the such,
Do you want to see your children one day get fired OR do you want to fire them up NOW?
The workplace is not for the faint of heart. It takes grit. It takes love. It takes confidence.
After having the privilege of running a team, and the insight from marring a teacher, I have learned that the saying, “it takes a village” truly starts at home.
The recipe for your child to sit across the table and interview for the job of their dreams AND find success in their career starts with you, not their current teacher(s), and not with me (their future boss). Now, teachers along the way will influence and guide, I too, will help develop them to the best of my ability…but it starts with you. Not everyone in business gets a damn participant ribbon.
That child you are raising has been gifted with so many strengths. They are athletic, musical, artistic, comedic, and so much more. In order for them to fulfill their dreams and lead with greatness, they need you to hold them accountable.
Accountability is one of the biggest characteristics I look for when I hire them, yet I can’t tell from my side of the table if they actually are accountable. So, I’m asking you for help. I want to see that they hold themselves accountable on concepts such as: being on time, being integrous, setting goals and achieving them, and being people of their word.
Let me tell you, by the time they get to me or any other future boss…by the time they are interviewing for their dream job…by the time accountability meets paycheck, you can’t help them.
Here is how Becoming Wiza helps:
- Make it clear that actions have consequences
For example, your kiddo forgets their gym shoes for PE 3 times in a row and as a result will lose points and have to sit out of class. Not only did they forget their gym shoes, they have a new excuse every day as to why! As a result, they can’t participant and hang with their friends, learn something new, and have to work extra hard to make up points for their forgetfulness. The accountability here is NOT on the teacher. You cannot rip the PE teacher a new one because your kid can’t remember a pair a shoes. #ittakesavillage (teachers did not become teachers because they hate children, help them help you)
How it gets them fired: Imagine forgetting to bring a really important document to a meeting with a client, therefore showing up unprepared, and therefore losing the business. Forgetting something once and forgetting something 3 times is different. Most folks in management will relate to forgetting something important. When you come unprepared often it is considered poor behavior performance and cause for termination. You can’t write them a note to help them get out of this situation.
2. Set goals, hell, make em fun!
Taking this straight from my awesome mom, I did chores! No, they weren’t always fun, but we rocked out to Aerosmith while doing them and danced while we dusted! Now, if I didn’t get that list of chores done by the end of the week, I would never get to enjoy the weekend. That meant no friends, parties, phone calls, TV…etc. because I didn’t hold up my end of the bargain and my mama held me accountable to my actions. Obviously I had to be taught how to do said chores, so teaching your kids skills and setting them up for success starts with you.
How it will fire them up in the future: Not every part of the project is fun, but if you can find ways to achieve success, it makes each goal (big or small) along the way that much better. Plus, you have been teaching them skills their whole lives! As a result of you firing them up for success, their manager will have determined, coachable employee they too can continue to develop.
3. Hold yourself accountable
Model first, teach second. When your child sees you kicking ass and holding yourself to a higher standard, they will recognize that it is important. In return they will believe in themselves, value themselves, and know taking the easy way out is not an option. How are you showing up? Show em how it’s done mama!
Parents, help our teachers out and hold your wonderful, smart, and eager children accountable when the time calls for it. Fire them up with greatness! Because if you don’t, I promise you, by the time they get to me or any other future boss, they will not be be successful and at risk to be fired from their dream job.
Written in love,
Your friend, current woman in leadership, wife, future mama, and your childs future boss.
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Becoming Wiza 