I spend much of my time speaking and writing about the role that choice plays in our ability to reach our leadership potential. I often tell my clients that true leadership starts with choosing to become a leader. As with all rules, there are always exceptions. There will always be leadership roles that are thrust upon us. For me, that was the case with fatherhood. When my wife and I chose to become parents, we considered many things, but we never thought about the leadership implications. During the past fifteen and a half years, I have learned that being a father is the most important leadership role I will ever play. Even though I didn’t choose to lead when I chose to become a father, I have chosen how to grow into this vital role, and I hope fathers everywhere will do the same.

So this Sunday, when my family is honoring me as a father, I will reflect on the choices I have made and will make in how I lead my children. What lessons am I teaching them about how they will lead? How am I helping them prepare themselves for the leadership challenges they will face? Am I teaching them to know who they are and how to live in a way that reflects that knowledge? Am I helping them learn what they want? What do my behaviors teach them about earning and retaining the trust of others? What kind example am I setting for them?

I was lucky. I had a great example to learn from, my father. Moe Moran was and remains the model I aspire to. Although we lost Moe back in 2009, he continues to influence me in many ways. His love, wisdom and strength made him an extraordinary father and leader. Consider the leadership of your own father, or seek out other father leaders as role models. They are there. You just need to look. They may be people you know, or they may be people you’ve read about or studied in school. They may even be fictional characters. Here are a few historical and fictional father leaders worth investigating:

• Historic Fathers:
  • President John Adams
  • President Abraham Lincoln
  • Chris Garner (the person on whom the movie, The Pursuit of Happyness is based)

• Fictional Fathers:
  • Atticus Finch, the father in To Kill a Mockingbird
  • Guido Orefice, the father in Life is Beautiful
  • Gil Buckman, Steve Martin’s role in the movie Parenthood.

Whoever they are, learn from them and invest in becoming the father and leader your children need you to be. By the way, even if you aren’t a father, you can still lead like one. Happy Fathers Day!