We Can Learn a Lot from our Kids
I see all of you proud mama moments where you talk about the achievements of your kiddos. I am one of those too, except my baby boy grew up to be a very successful businessman. This is one of those proud mama moments for me. I read my son’s recent business blog and it speaks volumes to His personal business success and how much he has learned from being a dad of four boys. Please indulge me as I share this with you today. I hope it blesses you and gives you insight, as much as it blessed me.
What Children Can Teach Adults About Business
We see the world differently as children. But what if children hold the secret to success? In a 2010 TED Talk, young Adora Svitak highlighted the historical impact of children like Anne Frank and Ruby Bridges. She advocates reassociating the word “childish” away from irrational behavior to “limitless potential”. Kids can teach us about ambition, flexibility, independence, and generally being a boss. If you present a problem or scenario in full context in their own language, it can be like having another person on your team.
I have four amazing sons, and I take them on business trips with me each summer starting at 10-years-old. It has become a rite of passage in my family. London, Dublin, New York, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, Seattle. They sit in every single meeting with me, and the experience is so much more than a “take your child to work” experience. In fact, they’ve taught me a lot about business by showing me things from their perspective. Here are some of the biggest lessons I’ve learned from my children.
** Be open-minded.
Between each generation – Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z – there’s a gap in experience and understanding from one big market to the next. Including my sons in the conversation helps me understand and connect to the priorities of other generations and markets. My sons, to me, are my weapons that keep me fresh and in front of today’s trends.
** Believe in the impossible.
Young people believe in magic and fairy tales and can hold onto massive dreams with limitless possibilities. They can talk about themselves as superheroes who will save the world, imagine battles where they fight dragons and win, and dream of becoming professional athletes or presidents. Because with children, anything is possible.
** Question everything.
Kids look at the world with new eyes and don’t pretend to understand how everything works. They will ask a ton of questions unapologetically. This is how they learn and discover. They are always learning. While an adult might get comfortable in routine, kids push further, always wanting to know “Why?” Embracing curiosity as adults can support personal and professional growth.
** Have friendly conversations…it goes a long way.
One year, my son, wearing his little blue sports coat and khaki pants, sat in on a meeting that involved contract negotiations that had grown a little tense. The meeting began with a friendly and open conversation between my son and others in the room. It completely disarmed us all. The tension left the space, and we moved forward toward positive results. That meeting was a 10 out of 10, and I give him so much credit.
**Know the right person to ask.
Whether they want to eat cake for dinner or get money to buy the latest video games, a child always knows who in the family to ask for the best chance to get a “Yes.” Where mom says, “No,” 1,000 times, a hug, a smile, and “Please” could get a resounding, “Absolutely!” from grandma. Successful entrepreneurs and salespeople take a similar approach and will adjust their pitch accordingly depending on their audience.
**Take challenges head-on.
We are all born without fear, yet as adults, many of us let fear dictate our lives. Kids will take risks. They don’t need to be a professional singer to sing their favorite song in front of others. They don’t need to be a professional dancer to boogie down at a wedding reception. Children teach adults to be fearless. Kids will fall, get back up, and repeat as needed. Knocked down ten times, they get up eleven. Successful people similarly will risk and encounter failure and bounce back each time.
**Keep it simple.
Do you ever feel like life is too complicated? Children do not think like that. They focus their attention on one task with curiosity and imagination and let the little things go. When my sons reach their 10th birthday, I give them $1,000 to invest in any 3-5 stocks they want. They have complete control and have to make their own choices on how to manage it. My only advice? I take a page out of Warren Buffet’s playbook and tell them to buy what you like, buy what your friends like, and buy what you and your friends are going to like for a long time. Essentially, be practical and keep it simple.
Brennan, starting at 10 years old is now 16, has grown his portfolio to $28,000. My son Bryson bought Tesla and Facebook with his $1,000. When he was 13, he wanted to sell his Facebook stock. He said it was for “old people.” What did he want instead? Instagram. When he learned that Facebook owned Instagram, he decided not to sell. It was that simple. As adults, many of us become reliant on “proof” and want to see the numbers, as opposed to listening to what we and the people around us need or want. Adults want every chart and analysis. Bryson didn’t need all of that to make this decision.
As we get older, we get caught up in details. Children don’t sweat the small stuff. They take the information around them, make a decision, and move on. Fixating on one problem for too long can be detrimental to a leader. When we embrace the ideas that children teach adults, we open ourselves to creativity, perseverance, and new possibilities. Give them the opportunity and empower them, and they will surprise you.”
Ryan Wuerch
CEO & Founder at DOSH