The Toughest HR Job I’ve Had? Parenting. If you work in HR, you know that managing a high-performing team is an art. But honestly, nothing prepared me for the emotional, logistical, and highly demanding "HR department" I run at home. It’s where my professional skills go to get stress-tested daily, and the stakes are much higher than Q4 targets. Here’s my Family Boardroom guide: Performance Reviews (KPIs vs. KPFs): Forget Key Performance Indicators; we run on Key Parental Feelings. Did they eat the broccoli? Did they share the toy? The feedback is instant, often loud, and the compensation (a late-night hug) is always non-monetary but invaluable. Conflict Resolution & Mediation: In the office, we have formal procedures. At home, it’s a high-stakes, real-time negotiation over the last cookie, where "I saw it first" is the most common grievance. My best practice? Active listening, a strong pivot, and a fair distributi...