5 ways being a boss is like being a dad

(MoneyWatch) Obviously, there are a few things that clearly distinguish being a boss from being a father. For one, you're paid to coach underlings at work while at home, you helm the team for the love of the game. But there are a few ways that skills and strengths from one position can carry over to the other. In honor of Father's Day this Sunday, here are 5 ways that being head of the office is similar to being head of household - from men who are both.

You need to focus on solutions instead of blame.
"Both kids and co-workers have a tendency to blame others when a problem comes up, whether it is a mess in the living room or a mess with a customer. I seldom care who is at fault in either case and prefer to focus on rewarding the person that is focused on fixing the problem, whatever it may be." -- Chris Golec, CEO of Demandbase, a technology platform company.

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You have to give them responsibility.
"When I became a daddy for the first time, a lot of my management training kicked in. If I 'take care' of my son by picking up after him, bathing him, making his meals, he doesn't learn anything. [Now] he knows where his toys are stored, how to get ready for bed, and how to make simple meals. When he gets his 'work' done he earns rewards such as bedtime stories, or time with the iPad." -- Ryan Eldridge, vice president and co-founder of Nerds On Call, an on-site computer and laptop repair service.

You have to have trust in them.
"You trust your child to abide by the family rules. You trust your employee to understand that the company's reputation can be badly damaged if they make a commitment to a client and then do not follow through. [But] you cannot ground an employee when they violate some particular company rule or regulation. [And] your daughter cannot be fired for repeated violations of family rules." -- Mark Horner, owner, DNA Maintenance, L.L.C.

You have to lead and listen.
"Bosses and fathers do not need to know everything but they must be ready to listen and to provide encouragement. Being both is an exercise in leadership. That is the bottom line. The challenge is to provide the best motivation and the best support possible to the kids or the employees." -- Gerald Bricker, principal, Aadvise Consulting, a management consulting firm.

You have to communicate clearly.
"The power of positive feedback and consistency in communication applies in most areas of life, including work and parenting. Workers and kids need to know the rules, the boundaries and the consequences of stepping over the line. It is far easier to hold them accountable and guide them successfully when they know these things in advance rather than having to test each boundary and possibly suffer the consequences." -- Ben Sayers, CEO of VoIP Supply.