Leadership isn’t only about boardrooms or billion-dollar decisions.

When Bill Gates’ eldest daughter, Jennifer, started kindergarten, he was still the CEO of Microsoft — one of the most demanding jobs in the world. Despite his packed schedule, Bill made the personal decision to drive her to school a couple of mornings each week. It was a conscious effort to be present as a parent and share in family responsibilities that are often defaulted to mothers.

Melinda Gates later shared that after just a few weeks of Bill doing the school drop-offs, there was a noticeable change. Fathers who hadn’t been part of the morning routine began showing up. What had previously been a scene filled mostly with mothers transformed as more and more dads started dropping off their kids. Bill’s action had a ripple effect — simply by stepping up in his own family, he subtly encouraged other fathers to rethink their roles at home.

This small yet powerful example highlights how leadership isn’t only about boardrooms or billion-dollar decisions — sometimes, it’s about modeling behaviors that challenge outdated norms. Bill Gates, one of the world’s most influential business leaders, showed that being an involved parent isn’t just possible — it’s important.