Putting Family First: A Lesson From Joe Biden

In a 2014 memo to his staff, Joe Biden put an unwritten rule of putting family first in writing. Don’t miss family obligations or risk disappointing him.

Nancy Lee on Mar 11, 2019 (Updated: May 13, 2023)

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The demands of the White House can be very intense and time-consuming. But U.S. politician Joe Biden still wanted to make it clear to his staff that family always comes first. In a 2014 memo to his staff, the devoted family man put an unwritten rule of always putting family first in writing. He made it clear, don’t miss family obligations for work, otherwise, you will risk disappointing him.

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How Joe Biden Communicated The Importance Of Putting Family First To His Staff
Joe Biden’s Commitment To Family

How Joe Biden Communicated The Importance Of Putting Family First To His Staff

To My Wonderful Staff,

I would like to take a moment and make something clear to everyone. I do not expect nor do I want any of you to miss or sacrifice important family obligations for work. Family obligations include but are not limited to family birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, any religious ceremonies such as first communions and bar mitzvahs, graduations, and times of need such as an illness or loss in the family. This is very important to me. In fact, I will go so far as to say that if I find out that you are working with me while missing important family responsibilities, it will disappoint me greatly. This has been an unwritten rule since my day in the Senate.

Thank you for all of the hard work.

Joe Biden’s Commitment To Family

Joe Biden understands how valuable family time can be. His first wife, Neilia Biden, and one-year-old daughter Naomi Biden, both died in a car accident in 1972. Then in 2015, he lost one of his sons, Beau Biden, to brain cancer. These losses have only emphasized his commitment to family. Many times, family obligations can’t be replaced or replicated. If you’re a manager, consider establishing a work-life balance for your team. It will often time result in happier and more productive staff.

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Nancy Lee

I’m a dog owner that loves poetry, vampires, mountain biking, and cosplay. I’m open to ideas and still trying to figure my SFO life out one blog post at a time. LF ISO SWF GSOH SI DDF.

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