How having kids helped me at work

I have to admit that when my previous boss made an analogy on how his direct reports were fighting like 5 year old kids, I said to myself: "What a #@$R$@#$ @!##@!$!" (let's say that I don't remember the exact words). Despite how politically incorrect such comparisons can be, the truth is that there are striking similarities between being a father (or mother) and managing teams.

I am a father of three: my daughter is 4 and my twin boys are two years old... Well, let me confess that my interactions with people at work are easier now that I have children and I believe that having to raise little kids is the direct cause.

Why?

a) My communications are simpler and better tailored to different audiences. I believe that you exercise extreme targeted communication with kids. Not only you go to the essence of the message (good or bad, yes or no), but since the words don't mean much to a one or a two year old, you emphathize the tone, the face expression, the pace, etc. Also, you exercise audience specific tailoring of your message by switching register between the younger and older kids... and your wife!

b) I feel more comfortable directing, coaching, and most important, switching between those management modes. Technically put, you exercise situational leadership every day... I still remember practicing situational leadership in a training at GE's John F. Welch Leadership Development Center (a.k.a. Crotonville) where you had to move from one box drawn on the floor to another depending on which management style you used. That was fun... but I guess that practicing it for 10 minutes was illustrative but not as effective.

c) Back to my boss's original comment, I am convinced that you become better at recognizing emotional patterns... and yes-it's-true-even-if-it-hurts (ok, we where fighting like kids sometimes) you can diagnose those situations quickly and react accordingly.

Tips:

1) Have kids... or use any opportunity you have to babysit your best friend's!

2) Enjoy talking to them and spending time with them... consider it a management training!

Jokes aside... I'm interested in your experience:

Did having kids helped you manage? And if so...how?