What Parenting Has Taught Me About Leading Projects

Jessica is a Senior Instructional Designer and Project Manager at M&T Bank who designs and leads leadership development programs that help people grow, connect, and lead with confidence. She is passionate about turning complex projects into learning experiences that are practical, purposeful, and grounded in real work.

  Leadership   Talent Management  

Before I had kids, I thought managing overlapping projects with competing deadlines and deliverables was the hardest thing I’d ever have to juggle. And in many ways, it really was.

That is, until I became a parent of three.

Suddenly, I was balancing bottles for my 6-month-old, constant snack requests from my 3- and 4-year-olds, feeding and walking the dogs, nap times, sleepless nights, doctor’s appointments, weekend activities, and of course meltdowns—all while my husband and I worked full-time jobs and tried to keep the house looking somewhat presentable.

That’s when it hit me: Parenting is the ultimate project, and the lessons I’ve learned at home have made me a stronger project leader. Here are six lessons parenting has taught me about projects:

1. Say It Simply—and Say It More Than Once
Toddlers don’t do well with long-winded explanations. My 3- and 4-year-olds need short, clear directions, and usually, I have to repeat them a few times before it sticks.

Stakeholders are no different. If I only explain something once, I can’t assume it landed.

The lesson: Keep it simple, keep it clear, and reinforce the message in different ways. In projects, that might mean following up a meeting with a short recap email or tailoring the same update differently for executives versus frontline team members. (In my house, &…

Please log in or sign up below to read the rest of the article.