Are Parents Better Leaders?
What makes a good leader? It’s generally agreed that good business leaders must possess qualities including communication skills, empathy, and strategic vision. But a recent study from the Journal of Organisational Psychology¹ might reveal that there is one group that makes better leaders than any other; parents.
It might make sense; once you’ve spent the better part of an hour negotiating with a toddler to eat their vegetables, negotiating deals and coordinating projects could seem like a breeze. But parents, particularly mothers, can often be perceived as less committed to the team due to their childcare commitments – for example, parents who decide to work flexibly after returning to work are 20% less likely to be promoted², and furthermore, working mothers are half as likely to be promoted as working fathers³.
So why might parents actually make better managers? It is widely accepted that simple job performance and ambition is not enough to make a good manager. In fact, the mark of a successful leader is often a person-centric approach, focusing on employee development and fostering great working relationships. Without engaging in these supportive behaviours, even a top performer will flounder in a management position as their team struggles to thrive.
The research by Dr Gartzia at the University of Deusto in Spain explored the link between parent vs non-parent leaders, and the associated business outcomes. The conclusion was clear; when leaders are parents, they exhibit greater supportive behaviours that lead to improved employee outcomes.
This study took a sample of leaders; some with children and some without, and subsequently examined the performance of their teams. With parents as a team leader, employees reported feeling more supported, and greater job satisfaction. These employees also scored higher on job performance metrics. The study came to the conclusion that the supportive, ‘people’ skills critical for leadership are particularly strengthened during experiences of care inherent to parenthood.
It’s important to note, the conclusion from this study is not that people instantly become better leaders when they have children; leadership performance was also contingent on time spent parenting. Therefore, the more accurate takeaway would be that present parents make better leaders.
How can this research affect business leadership? It could open up an array of practical implications; for example, perhaps one form of leadership development for businesses could involve implementing greater flexibility for working parents. This also goes to demonstrate why a strong work-life balance culture can ultimately be beneficial to both employers and employees. For bosses, it’s certainly time to consider non-traditional development opportunities – and the transferable skills gained from life experiences such as parenting – when examining leadership development practices.
References:
- The Caring Advantage: When and How Parenting Improves Leadership, Leire Gartzia (2023, Journal of Organizational Behaviour)
- https://www.consultancy.uk/news/20205/part-time-parents-penalised-when-vying-for-promotion
- https://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/article/1747027/women-less-likely-to-be-promoted-after-having-children
