Every year I encourage you to be brave, have some fun, and have a conversation with Dad like it might be your last and most important conversation with him.
This last year has been interesting, if anything. Seriously. Without even getting into a big dialogue or debate about the pandemic, my wife and I both lost our mothers to old age this year. It reminds us that we all have limited time with our parents.
One of the things I think about regarding my mother leaving is that I no longer have access to that large database of information, memories, and life lessons from her perspective.
So, as Father’s Day approaches, consider using the following questions to have a really interesting conversation with your father. Or, if you are a dad like I am, use it as a script to share wisdom and insight to your children.
Remember, the setup of a conversation is really important. I found that I have the most success when I can keep a light-hearted approach to the conversation.
So you might say to Dad, “Would you mind if we have a little fun and let me interview you for Father’s Day?”
Questions for Dad
- In 2021, what would you say are a couple of the most important beliefs or values you think matter most? What would you love to see your family embrace and perpetuate going forward?
- What, if anything, is exciting you about the future of our family (or country)?
- What, if anything, concerns you about the future of our family (or country)?
- If you got to be President of the United States for a day, and could put any law into effect you wanted without haggling with Congress and the Senate, what law would you put in place?
- If you could go in a time machine to when you were 21 years old again, what are one or two things you would do differently?
- If you go in that time machine and go forward 40 years into the future, what would you be most interested in seeing?
- What would you say to me if you were going to be extraordinarily brave?
- What 1 or 2 words would you like to be remembered by after you’re gone?
Have some fun and feel free to drop me a note if you have any highlights from your conversation. Let me know if you found it to be a useful exercise with you and your family.
Happy Father’s Day!
Questions like these and many more can be found in Coach Pete’s recently published book, The Family Business Playbook! The Family Business Playbook makes a great Father’s Day gift – and Coach Pete will personalize it by including a note for your father!
Coach Pete
