Hi, I’m Derek Pun, a Senior Manager for HubSpot APAC Services. Over the past two months, I have had one of the best times of my life. My family welcomed a new bundle of joy, and being a dad again has been fulfilling, tiring but rewarding. I can’t thank HubSpot enough with its generous parental leave policy and the tremendous support from my manager, peers, and team.

Below you can see a photo of my son Damon in the classic HubSpot onesie (I did a similar shot of my daughter Katie three years ago). I wanted to share a few lessons I learned as a father that helped me grow better at HubSpot.

(Damon left, Katie right)

1. Dads are for life. Leaders are for life, too. 

I think about my kids all the time. Are they growing well? Are they on the right track? Are they failing and learning from their mistakes? Are they becoming better tomorrow? Don’t call me a tiger 🐯 dad. As a leader, you do pretty much the same with one key question to answer: are you doing ALL you can to help your people grow better? There’s no playbook for it, and you often have to take that leap of faith to Just Do It. 

One of my focuses when leading a team is to help my people become a better version of themselves. The growth journey for each individual will look different and leaders like myself need to adopt a mix of teaching, supporting, coaching and delegating, according to the individual’s will and skill level. It’s easier said than done but again, take that leap of faith to help your people grow better.

2. It’s not always about getting it right. 

Having gone through parenthood once doesn’t make it any easier for the second time. New, unknown circumstances popped up and they had once again left me and my wife clueless. We’re much calmer this time than before though, knowing that some of those circumstances will eventually 'work out'. While solving the problem at hand is important in today’s fast moving world, knowing that some of it, over time, can and will resolve by itself is comforting. Not every problem requires an immediate solution. Being a dad helps me look beyond just the solution but appreciate other facets of a situation. 

In 2020 when I returned to work from my first paternity leave, I had to manage my team remotely due to lockdown and work policy under Covid. While most of us today have gotten used to living in a hybrid world, I was admittedly clueless, anxious and intimidated at that time. I felt compelled to fix the issues around accountability and culture for my team, not knowing that folks including myself will eventually adapt to the new normal. Yes, it’s taken a couple of years but we got there in the end. Upon reflection, working in a hybrid world requires a little more focus, courage to change, and, most importantly, patience. As the saying goes, go slow to go fast. 

3. Teamwork makes the dream work. 

Many will agree that it takes a village to raise a kid nowadays. I honestly don’t know how my parents and grandparents could look after multiple kids back in the days with seemingly much less or no help. As a leader, we’re sometimes too afraid to ask for help even though we don’t have the answers most of the time. Lean into your support network (build one first if you haven't had one!) when you need help and give someone a chance to help. Offer to help in return. It's a privilege to offer and receive help. 

I’m so grateful for my peers at HubSpot for covering my work duties so well during my paternity leave. P.S. I joined HubSpot 8 years ago today.. Thank you sincerely to all who believe(d) in me. It’s been such a pleasure and wild ride 🎢 
 
Onwards and upwards 🚀

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