Fredericksburg Parent

24 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • June 2022 Q&A with Paul Gustavson WRITTEN BY RHIANNON ELLIS How Fathers Love and Lead Every father leaves a legacy—his own personal mark—that will touch or touches the lives of those who come after him, beginning with his children and continuing for many gener- ations to come. This legacy is written every day through his demonstrations of hard work and sacrifice, by his steady dedication and with bold acts of love. Fredericksbirg Parent spoke with a local dad and business owner about loving through leadership from a father's perspective, and what it means to "be a good ancestor." Paul Gustavson is co-founder and chief technical officer at SimVentions, Inc., a Freder- icksburg-based technology firm that supports today's military with innovative engineering solutions. He is also the author of three books, two of which are on the topic of leader- ship—"Breaking Average" and "Leaders Press On." He's the co-host of the Breaking Aver- age podcast and an Old Dominion University graduate. He and his wife have two adult sons and a daughter-in-law. Q: What is your definition of a leader? Paul Gustavson: When I think of a leader, I think of someone who is willing to step up, take responsibility and effect change in way that adds value to others. It's not that they are fearless or don't experience doubt, but it's that they are willing to be courageous despite the challenge. Leaders—the great ones—seem to have a vision beyond the pres- ent, and even beyond their resources. Q: What are some similarities/differences in how you lead at work and how you lead at home? The way one leads at home and at work should be very similar. It comes down to values. What you value at work is going to dictate how you lead at work. Likewise, what you value at home is going to dictate how you lead at home. My values today are five-fold: • Keep growing • Connect with others • Live courageously • Break average • Be Grateful Parenting is the toughest leadership job I've ever had. It will test you, consume you, worry you, tire you and put you on your back, but it's also the most rewarding and satis- fying. The great thing about parental leadership is you learn to love your kids regardless of their choices and decisions. The easy thing about leading at work is you can learn to love your team unconditionally just like your family, the only difference is that your family is a greater legacy than your business will ever be. The question we should ask ourselves as leaders is: "Am I going to be a good ancestor?" That question alone can help shape how you lead in both settings. Paul Gustavson is co-founder and chief technical officer at SimVentions, Inc., a Fredericksburg-based technology firm that supports today's military with innovative engineering solutions. Parenting... will test you, consume you, worry you, tire you and put you on your back, but it's also the most rewarding and satisfying.

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