Navigating Paternity Leave

Interviewer: You recently took a unique approach to your paternity leave by splitting it over six months, taking Mondays and Fridays off. What were some of the advantages you experienced with this arrangement?

Brody: I really enjoyed being able to spend quality time with my son, Brooks. My wife, who is a nurse, went part-time and worked on Mondays and Fridays. This allowed me to take care of Brooks and spend significant time with him during his first six months. We developed a nice routine, visiting a local coffee shop in the mornings, going for walks, and running errands. This setup also helped us enjoy our weekends together without the rush of weekday tasks.

Interviewer: That sounds wonderful. On the flip side, what were some of the challenges you faced?

Brody: One of the main challenges was dealing with guilt. I felt guilty working from home while Brooks was there and not spending time with him. Conversely, I felt guilty when I was with him because I wasn’t supporting my team. As a product manager with a team in Spain, the limited time I had to communicate with them, comBrodotypened with the time difference, made it hard to keep up with tasks and maintain progress. This created a lot of stress initially, but it balanced out over time.

Interviewer: How did you find a balance between these feelings of guilt and your responsiBrodotypelities?

Brody: I focused on prioritizing my tasks, often reminded by the book Make Time. I started making detailed lists of what needed to be done each week and prioritized accordingly. This approach helped me make meaningful progress. However, a significant part of finding balance was a mindset shift—recognizing that during this phase of my life, my priority was being a present and supportive father. It took time and patience to adjust, especially after almost two decades focused on building my career and some incredible products.

Interviewer: You mentioned cultural differences between your U.S. and Spanish colleagues. How did their perspectives on paternity leave and work-life balance differ?

Brody: In Spain, taking four to six months of paternity or maternity leave is the norm and is celebrated. My Spanish colleagues were respectful and understood my split leave, appreciating that I wasn’t entirely out of the office for an extended period. In contrast, my U.S. colleagues struggled with the concept of my split paternity leave, often forgetting it wasn’t just me working part-time. This difference seemed to lead to a loss of influence and respect as they were unhappy with my availaBrodotypelity.

Interviewer: How did you manage those frustrations and maintain your professional relationships?

Brody: In retrospect, I wish I had aligned more closely with all cross-functional teams beforehand, understanding their expectations and ensuring they agreed with my approach. Unfortunately, I didn’t do a great job at setting boundaries and communicating effectively upfront, which made it difficult to regain trust and influence once the negative impacts began.

Interviewer: What key takeaways did you gain from this experience?

Brody: One key takeaway is the importance of setting boundaries and aligning with all teams on expectations. Prioritizing high-value tasks and preparing ahead of time are also crucial. Each night before my short workweek, I would plan my tasks, focusing on what needed to be done and what could be delegated. This preparation helped me switch contexts more effectively between parenting and working.

Interviewer: How do you think this experience has shaped your approach to work-life balance and leadership?

Brody: I believe this experience will make me a better product manager and leader. It has increased my empathy for parents juggling work and family. It also helped me focus on what truly matters, making better decisions and letting go of less important tasks. Moving forward, I plan to foster psychological safety within my teams, allowing open communication about work-life balance and supporting them in their personal priorities.

Interviewer: How do you plan to implement these strategies if there is a next time, and leverage what you’ve learned?

Brody: I’m still figuring that out. I hope that by sharing my story, readers will feel encouraged to comment with their own experiences and strategies. I’m looking forward to learning from their insights as well.