The Leadership That Walks Beside You: A Father’s Day Reflection

Father’s Day leadership lessons aren’t always taught in boardrooms. Sometimes, they’re learned in backyards and 25-minute coffee lines.

I’m writing to you this week from my old stomping grounds—SoCal. Where everything is 10 minutes away… except coffee. That takes waiting in line for 25 minutes,  and costs $23.50 if you’re bold (or foolish) enough to add banana bread.

But I’m not here for the coffee (though it helps). I’m here for something deeper— family , and the kind of love that only grows across generations.

 This weekend I’m visiting my son, daughter-in-law, and my almost-three-year-old granddaughter, Olivia.

She’s walking everywhere now—teetering between balance and belly-flop, always with a grin. Her favorite word? “Hi.” Over and over again. Why? Because when she says hi, someone says hi back. In her world, she’s discovered something powerful: she can control how and when people speak. And it makes me smile. 

It’s brilliant. And adorable.

Generosity isn’t just about money or things. It’s about giving presence. Attention. Time. A little one’s “hi.” A dad’s arm around your shoulder. A grandpa showing up for a walk to the park.

Olivia is at that magical stage of teetering between stability and free fall every five steps. Sometimes she catches herself. Sometimes the floor does. Either way, there’s always a lot of love involved.

We’re walking to the park, watching Blippi and Baby Shark on repeat, and fitting in the NBA Playoffs and U.S. Open wherever we can (between diaper changes and tail-wagging interruptions from Kahlua, the 80-pound dog who now proudly wears a red, white, and blue tail in anticipation of the 4th of July).

Walking Kahlua is more of a mutual negotiation than a stroll. When she stops, I stop. When she goes, I go. And when we disagree, well… let’s just say it’s easier walking a toddler.

I grew up nearby in Mission Viejo, back when Ladera wasn’t even a thought on the map.  Now I’m here, decades later, watching my granddaughter water-wing herself around the pool—grin from ear to ear, and leaving waves of giggle and laughter in her wake.

There’s something about Father’s Day that makes you pause. Two generations of dads in one room. A little one making memories she won’t remember, but we always will.

Love doesn’t have to be loud or perfect. It’s in the little things:

• the tiny voice saying “Hug”

• the sticky hand grabbing yours on a walk

• the ridiculous price of banana bread that you happily pay because you’re with people who matter

“Let all that you do be done in love.” – 1 Corinthians 16:14

Let’s not miss the opportunity to pause. To hug tighter. To laugh louder. And to be grateful for the generations walking beside us, and the ones coming behind us.

Here’s to fatherhood, banana bread, and the kind of love that makes even a 25-minute coffee line feel worth it.

In gratitude and purpose,
Coach John

If a tiny “hi” can shift someone’s day, imagine what a little love and presence from you can do. Keep showing up.

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