PRAISE FOR

THE PARENTAL LEAVE PLAYBOOK

“If you’ve ever wondered how becoming a parent advances your leadership skills, read this book. If you’re currently a leader seeking to help parents who work for you improve their leadership skills by taking parental leave, read this book. It provides a clear roadmap, practical tips, real examples, and shows us that parental leave is an important leadership development experience from which everyone benefits.”
—David Dotlich, PhD, entrepreneur and author, Why CEOs Fail; Head, Heart and Guts; Leadership Passages, and ten other bestselling leadership books, President and Senior Partner, Korn Ferry International

“The Parental Leave Playbook is a must-read for any expectant parent trying to navigate the transition to working-parenthood with less stress and more joy.”
—KJ Dell’Antonia, former editor of Motherlode, current contributor to The New York Times, author of How to Be a Happier Parent

“If you feel overwhelmed about how to plan your parental leave, look no further than this compassionate and ground-breaking book. The touchpoints, commonsense, and humor help you focus your time and energy where it will do the most good to create a smooth transition.”
—Meghan Leahy, certified parent coach, author of Parenting Outside the Lines, columnist for The Washington Post

“The Parental Leave Playbook offers practical and emotional preparation that has the power to help working families at a time when they need it most. This is the perfect guidebook for expecting and new parents, and gives essential information managers need as well. No matter how long your leave and no matter what kind of company or organization you work with, this book will be your trusted guide.”
—Wendy Davis, PhD, PMH-C, executive director, Postpartum Support International

Support your growing family without losing professional ground—a proven approach

The Parental Leave Playbook helps parents take control of their leave and make the most of what's considered a career timeout, but is actually a vital "time-in" for your life. If you're an expecting or new parent concerned about how your leave and return plans will affect your visibility, candidacy for promotion, work relationships, and performance (not to mention your identity and home life), this book will guide you into the smoothest transition possible. Most importantly, this book will help you as you grow and strengthen yourself and your family while remaining a professional.

In The Parental Leave Playbook, you'll learn Dr. Amy Beacom's innovative R.E.T.A.I.N. framework and the three-phase, ten-touchpoint model, to coach yourself through the leave process. Beacom identifies the critical points before, during, and after leave where parents and managers must work together, and explains how parents can facilitate success by finessing the way they approach their manager and colleagues. These models are supported by case studies from the author's work in the field with leading organizations like Microsoft, and supplemented by resources such as the evidence-based Parental Leave Transition Assessment (PLTA) sample report, leave action plan templates, reflection prompts, and development exercises to enhance self-awareness and skills.

You'll learn how to:

• Communicate your parental leave plans effectively and at the right time
• Set expectations with managers and colleagues to ensure a smooth transition
• Learn how to maintain visibility, avoid being replaced, and continue your upward career trajectory during your parental leave and beyond
• Grow and strengthen your family without sacrificing your professional gains

All working parents-to-be can benefit from the ideas and proven tools in this direct and practical book.