Parent Theses (💛)

This past week, my son left for university. It was a bittersweet moment: marking my shift from being a parent to becoming a guiding, unconditional supporter. I've been an emotional wreck all week. The dogs and I slept in his bed the first two nights after his departure. It was the mourning of a boy, and at the same time, the celebration of a new man.

Some continue to try to "parent" when their child is an adult. I believe it is better to recognize and support the maturity. I began to (deparent) when my son turned 15 years old, progressively giving him more independence while stepping in only to provide wisdom and course corrections. Now, I am at a place where I am physically on the other side of the country, available 24/7 for guidance, a listening ear, and unconditional support. Watching him step into independence reminded me of something we often overlook in leadership: whether at home or at work, letting go can be the greatest act of trust.

I believe this is an important transition. We often don't give our teams autonomy and think of them as children needing 24/7 support as opposed to responsible adults able to navigate the way. Due to pressures from our own leadership, we often over-manage by treating capable team members like they need constant oversight instead of trusting them to deliver.

However, what if we simply let go, trusting our team to lead the way and deliver? I have learned through my career that if you nurture your team and position your team members in roles that leverage their strengths, you can step back and trust the objectives will be delivered with excellence as you set the future strategy for the business. This enables an optimized environment where everyone is performing at their peak.

We hire the best so we don't have to manage. We lead by reminding them of their capabilities and value to the company. This sparks the fire in them to drive with accountability and excellence.

Next time you’re tempted to manage instead of lead, remember the excellence you hired for and carry this Parent Theses with you: (Trust their maturity, give them space, and watch them shine.) 😎

Have a golden week my friends! (💛)

© Nuri Dimler 2025