What’s a ‘Work Dad’?

When I first joined Huge, I was just about the oldest person in the office. What’s more, I worried my advertising background antiquated me further at such a digitally-minded shop. So I felt I had to justify my relevancy—and I did that by attempting to downplay my age.

But trying to act as peers to the people you’re managing is inherently problematic. It blurs a lot of important boundaries. At its best, it muddies a healthy working dynamic. At its worst, it can become manipulative and abusive. I was wrestling with that when one of my teammates finally cleared things up for me. She called me her “Work Dad.” Momentary sting to my middle-aged ego aside, from that moment on, I knew my role.

It was actually an incredible compliment. It not only validated my hopes that I was seen as a valued resource and authority figure, but it also connoted an interpersonal intimacy based on mutual trust. Since then, I’ve used that parental framework to guide my role as a manager, confidant and advocate for the work. (The last thing my team wants to hear from me during a concept presentation is ”I’m disappointed.”)  The best part is, it’s yielded positive, quantifiable results in terms of retention, morale, productivity and creative quality.

I’m super-proud of the teams I’ve built. Mostly because my folks seem proud to be on them. And, as such, they look out for each other, cheer for each other, push each other and run through walls for each other.

Office politics are poison. Family is forever.

If you want to know more, feel free to reach out. I speak and consult on the topic.