The relationships we have with those that we lead, will have an affect on their willingness to want to help us on our projects. In family life as parents, the relationships we have with our spouse and our children also affect how well the team works together. The stronger the relationships are, the more understanding there is of one another, and the greater the connection.
While much has been written about building those relationships here are a few guidelines that will make a difference in our family relationships, ultimately building a stronger team.
1. Know who you are and what your values and goals are. Your relationships with family members starts with knowing yourself first and then being yourself.
2. Communication with your children and family, regularly spotlighting the efforts of all to achieve the teams goals and praising with sincerity and accurateness.
3. Know every family member and what they care about deep inside. This is especially important for spouses. If one in the family has a passion for a subject or art, working together to give time to pursue that will speak volumes to the children. The team can have varied interest – but all will be set to the tune of achieving their goals.
4. Live your message by practicing what you preach. What you value, your ethics and morals will be seen by your children long before they hear your speeches.
5. Go to where they are, not expecting your children to have the same interest as yourself. Showing that kind of respect will open any communication barriers and you can find a way to teach from that perspective. As it was once said, They do not care how much you know, till they know how much you care.
6. Focus on other family members and you will be loved for your selflessness. Their love and respect will be returned for many years to come. Allowing all in the family to be who they are, while working together to reach the goals and fulfill the mission of the family, will create an atmosphere of love and respect.
7. Believe in them, even when things are not going the way they or you thought that they might. Recognizing the value of each person as an individual in the family will go a long way to building the communication and respect for each other.
8. Offer direction and hope to all members of your team. Ultimately as a leader, parents set the goals of the team. Once the goals are set, the vision seen, our job as parents is to help all on the team to believe in the outcome and see the possibilities of achieving the goal.
Celebrate often. As progress on your goals and mission are seen – celebrate the success, giving credit to the team members.