AS adults, we often seek opportunities to gain knowledge with a view to enhancing our leadership skills. Some of us naturally have such traits by birth and some develop these qualities by virtue of experience. However, we quite often overlook the fact that there is a huge opportunity not only to hone our leadership skills, but also to impart valuable leadership lessons. This opportunity is available to all of us. It is an opportunity that does not require a school, a set syllabus, rules or rigid framework. Yet it is a great opportunity. It is the opportunity of being a leader at home! Leadership begins at home. Your family is an organization that needs to be managed, cherished and elevated, if you wish to have the life that you truly deserve. I, for one, firmly believe that the highest moments of life are the moments that we share with our loved ones! But how do we plan our leadership role at home? How do we strive to be the "ideal" leader that we seek to be in our profession and our other roles outside our profession and home? If we take a moment for introspection, we will realize that it is almost certain that each one of us has room for improvement. Last summer during a trip to England, I was driving through Manchester with my childhood friend, whom I had not seen for 10 years. We were sharing an old joke and having a hearty laugh. Suddenly my eyes fell on the license plate of the car in front of us, it read: RKIDSROC. I must admit it took me a moment to understand what it actually meant. But when I understood it, it made me smile. Are we not all proud of our children? Yes, indeed we are! Are they our primary priority? Yes they are! I have been a father for 20 years now and have realized that no matter what I give my kids, whether the latest toys or gifts, nothing beats giving them my time. They do not enjoy anything more than the time that I spend with them. Actually, that is what children really want. They only want your unwavering attention and your quality time. It is during this quality time that you cannot only exercise your knowledge and experience as a leader but you can also teach them about values and leadership. During the course of life, I have had the opportunity of meeting several extremely successful and rich entrepreneurs. Many of them felt that they had it all but still had nothing because they traveled around so much for their success that they missed spending time with their children. It is clear that money is not the best form of wealth. We, who are blessed with children, are indeed truly blessed. So love your loved ones and celebrate every moment you spend with them. Cherish them. Tell them all the things that you have always wanted to say, but have not had the courage to. You will never regret showing them how proud you are of them. In the process, you will help them to elevate their self-esteem and help them to blossom into fine individuals. There is a lot of pride in parenting.
