Situation: A CEO struggles to balance time and responsibility commitments to his business with demands of his family. This is not an uncommon struggle for executives. The question is: what strategies are effective to address the needs of both. How do you balance the demands of work and family?

Advice from the CEOs:

• One Member: It takes a plan to find a solution.
  • Decide what you want and write a business plan to get there.
  • What relationship do you want with your soul mate? Make this part of the plan.
  • Have a conversation and test whether your and your spouse’s long-term visions are complimentary.
  • Don’t take on additional work – this is good both for family relationships and the role as CEO.
• Another Member: My spouse and I talk about this a lot – particularly around time.
  • We have agreed on how the week is carved out – family time/work time.
  • We agree to honor each other as we are – not how we want the other to be.
  • Watch work commitments because – long-term – your spouse and children more important and more lasting than work.
• Another Member: I’ve lived through the same issues.
  • I probably erred on side of family vs. career. The benefit is that now, I can’t get enough time to play with my kids. It’s great!
  • Attention to children is very important during the early years. While infants are not as capable of communicating as they will be later, the basic emotional and learning patterns – as well as affection patterns – are created early in life. It’s like the foundation of a building – not much to look at from the street, but it allows the whole building to stand.
• The same mind that developed your business can solve this.
  • Stay open to solutions.
  • Make a choice.
  • This is uncomfortable, but not bad. The struggle proves that you care.
• View your spouse as somebody who cares enough about herself so that she thinks she deserves a class act from her mate. Isn’t this what you want in a mate?

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