Business Wisdom for Parents

We were excited to see our frequently-used concept of “the do over” appear on the blog of business and leadership guru Seth Godin, and we think his insights apply just as much to parents as to businesspeople. Here’s what he had to say:

Our culture places a huge premium on choosing the right answer, as if we’re all on some sort of game show.

Much less credit is given to people brave enough to realize that they’ve made a mistake who go ahead and choose a new direction, a new strategy or a new set of tactics.

When we find ourselves in a deep hole, it’s rarely because we encountered a single terrible glitch. Usually, it’s the result of compounding, of doubling down on a worldview or a stand or a habit that just doesn’t pay.

Given a choice between changing tactics based on data and staying on the road in the wrong direction, I think the best path is pretty clear. The hard part is figuring out what to tell the others. Do overs are possible, but they take guts.

Parents, we will make mistakes. But we can choose a new direction. Be brave. Apologize. Even do a do over. Let us know how it goes.