As we approach Father’s Day, it’s important to remember that dads are a precious and limited resource. My father passed away when he was 52 years old and I was 25 years old. I work hard not to have any regrets in life. I am sorry that I didn’t get more time with my father.
Now that I look at my time with my kids, I know how precious our time is together. One of my top priorities is to leave nothing unsaid.
This Father’s Day consider sitting down with your father and asking him any number of these questions. Dads aren’t always the best communicators and many times aren’t great at expressing some of their deepest thoughts.
If Dad already left, use the questions to ask the fathers that are here to answer.
In coaching, we try to develop questions that will dig deeper. Here are a few for you to choose from to have a meaningful conversation with your father on Father’s Day.
Send me a note if it goes well or if some juicy gems come out of it. That will mean a lot to me to know that you had an even more fruitful conversation with your father.
Don’t forget to set the backdrop of the conversation.
Maybe it’s something like this, “Hey Dad for this Father’s Day I’d like to ask for your permission to ask you some very interesting questions. Think of this as a little bit of a Father’s Day exercise or a Father’s Day Workout for you and I. It will mean a lot to me if you participate. Have some fun, don’t overthink it.”
Here we go!
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Now mid pandemic – what would you tell me or your grand kids… any new thoughts/life lessons?
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What’s your perspective on our country, the racial unrest, and where you think we are headed?
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If you were 25 years old again, what advice would you give to the 25-year-old version of yourself?
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If you could be brutally honest with your family, is there anything you’d like to say that you haven’t said?
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Tell me something about you that I may not know or may have forgotten?
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If there was one tough question you would like to ask me what would it be?
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If you had one hope for your family, what would it be?
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Do you have any regrets about the family business?
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What is your one hope for the family business?
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If you were going to boil down your secrets to success in business into two or three key elements, what would they be?
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Is there anything else you want me to ask or you want to tell me?
Make sure and thank dad for participating in this exercise and don’t forget to tell him how much you love him!
Happy Father’s Day!
Coach Pete
Pete Walsh is a demanding, courageous and playful Master Coach in Phoenix, Arizona. He is the founder of Peak Workout Business Coaching and the Family Business Performance Center. He can be reached at pete@peakcoach.com.
