“We live in a world where others need to lean on people sometimes – they need our help, counsel and patience,” said Eric Wischman, our Lead Dad of the Week from Buffalo. “I find that helping people is some of the most rewarding things I can do with my children.”
Wischman, an executive vice president and climate risk officer at M&T Bank, is married with three kids, 14, 12, and 10, and leading by example is the key to his parenting.
“I’ve been blessed with mentors who have shaped me to be what I think is a very grounded person,” he said. “A lot of qualities of fatherhood translate to being a strong leader in a bank. All the things that make you a good dad make you a helpful leader.”
Volunteering is at the crux of what he shows his children. He’s involved with Buffalo-Niagara Honor Flight, which brings veterans to Washington, D.C., to see the monuments to their service. (Yes, that’s the late Bob Dole, senator and war hero, in the photo with him and his late father.)
One thing he stresses in his life is focusing on the things you can control. “There are circumstances in everyone’s life that are beyond your control,” he said. “A real easy way to get tripped up is to focus on things you can’t control. People spend a lot of time harping on things they can’t change that easily. So id say don’t bother. Instead, think thoughtfully on how to spend your time and know that you don’t have the luxury of choice.”
Welcome, Eric, to The Company of Dads!
