Employees are the family you choose, not the ones you were given.

Not everybody is cut out to be a parent. Not everybody wants to be a parent. Same with management. Sometimes people become managers from a very intentional career path they have crafted over the years. Sometimes someone who never once expressed a desire to manage gets promoted and finds herself leading a team of 15 people. Regardless of the circumstances, when you think about leading and developing people, you’ll have better outcomes if you throw the traditional hierarchy out the window. Treat your team members like you would treat your family. In this case, treat developing employees like you would treat your kid. Keeping in mind a few guidelines I’ve picked up at work and at home over the years, you can build both a better team and a higher quality of life for everyone involved.

This post is part of a three-part series. Stay tuned for Part II and Part III.

1) Different kids walk at different ages.

Some kids walk at 9 months. Some kids walk at 18. Not every kid walks at the same age, but you don’t get mad at them. You say let’s take it slower, let’s take our time. If your 11-month-old kid hasn’t started walking yet, you don’t set him at the top of the stairs and say “Son, it’s time to sink or swim.” You coax, you practice, you encourage. You celebrate every effort, no matter how small or fumbling.

2) Yelling doesn’t get you anywhere.