Both men and women in executive positions face significant challenges when it comes to balancing family with CEO responsibilities. Yet, even though the media and the public often wonders how female executives struggle with this, it's an issue for men as well. TIME magazine recently profiled several CEO dads and looked at the ways they are attempting to be more proactive in the home.
The article looks at the different ways that fathers pay attention to their children while coping with the pressures of their respective businesses. In some cases, these men took on special positions or activities in their children's lives to bring them closer together and guarantee time. Multiple CEOs, for example, coach different children's sports teams.
In other cases, CEOs openly embrace their relationship with their family in the work setting. Mark Weinberger of EY said that making reference to his daughter during a presentation in China helped him connect with attendees in the audience, many of whom sent him emails about it later.
The most notable recent example of a CEO dad has been Max Schireson, who left his post at MongoDB last month to be more involved with his family. At the time, he noted the lack of attention that CEO dads are getting in society.
Schireson talked about fatherhood and the c-level suite once again in a follow-up Wall Street Journal interview.
"Lots of people, and lots of dads, make decisions to accommodate their careers to their families," he said. "What I did was ordinary—actually most have far harder decisions to make—but my position as a CEO gave the decision notoriety that I didn't expect and that resonated with a lot of people." He added that he hopes his situation is seen as an example for others.
Businesses should consider dedication to family as a positive trait in an individual, not a burden, and look for those individuals who know the best way to serve as both parent and executive.
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