We're Opendoor execs who took paternity leave. It didn't just improve our personal lives it made us better leaders.

• Ian Wong is the cofounder and CTO of Opendoor and Mark Kinsella is Opendoor's VP of engineering.
• They say taking paternity leave when their respective kids were born was one of the best decisions.

We're two technology leaders who've been fortunate to work at companies that offer paid parental leave, allowing us to have precious time with our families after the birth of our kids. But not every parent is so fortunate.

It's common knowledge at this point that parental leave is woefully lacking in the United States. We're one of the only countries in the world to not offer guaranteed paid leave for parents, and only 23% of US workers have access to paid family leave through an employer. And even within companies that do offer it, many dads are choosing to opt-out. One study found that just 5% of new dads take at least two weeks of parental leave.

We get it. If you're a leader at a company, particularly at a tech startup like we are where you're working long days and nights to get something off the ground, stepping away from work for any length of time can feel daunting. There can also be an unfortunate stigma around dads taking time off work to be with their families.

However, there are numerous benefits to taking paternity leave. Studies have shown that dads who take time off report stronger bonds with both their kids and spouses, and our individual experiences back this up. There's no substitute for being there for your partner, taking on and learning the responsibilities of being a new dad, and getting to know your child.

Collectively, we've taken three paternity leaves, each ranging from four to 12 weeks. If you can, take the full time afforded to you — it will make a huge difference. The time spent with your family, especially early on, is one of the best investments you can make in your life.

For both of us, it was a crucial time to support our partners. The first month is tough and being present to take care of the baby, run errands, and simply be there for your partner helps the transition into parenthood. We both spent a lot of time holding our babies while our partners rested, went on long walks with our babies in the stroller or carrier, and took turns waking up in the middle of the night to help with feedings or order those items you never thought you'd need.

Spending full days with each of our families — uninterrupted by work — brought us closer to our spouses and kids, and helped us anticipate their needs better, too. But another surprising benefit was that it made us better leaders. Here are three leadership lessons we learned.

1. Leading by example sends a powerful message

The pandemic upended how companies view and treat their employees. Suddenly, work and home life blended into one, and team members without children saw the unique challenges and chaos that working parents were facing. People want a healthier life and work integration, and to feel seen and supported in all aspects of their life.

While taking paternity leave seems like an individual action, it has significant meaning. Spending this time with your family demonstrates that you prioritize your personal life and sets an example for the rest of the team, regardless of whether they are parents or not, to do the same. We've seen employees, regardless of their seniority, take paternity leave without reservations and with the full support of their teammates.

2. Taking leave can empower others to step into leadership roles

We've both found that taking leave can be a good forcing mechanism to see whether you've set up your team and processes well enough so that you're not needed in the day-to-day activities. It also gives some of your reports the opportunity to step up and take on leadership responsibilities on an interim basis.

For example, during our leaves, employees stepped up by taking meetings in our place, overseeing operational cadences, and managing important touch points with external partners.

Realistically, we get that it's hard to unplug 100% from work when taking paternity leave. If you still want to keep a pulse on business, consider asking for detailed bi-weekly updates from your reports. This is something we both did, and it will ensure you feel updated on your team and the business while also allowing you to unplug and be as present as possible for your family.

3. Taking leave will help you prioritize what really matters

There's a saying in business: "Your calendar reflects your priorities." The birth of your child and their early weeks is a very rare and special time in your life, and it should be spent with family. As fathers, parenting is now the most important commitment we have.

By scheduling time with your child, you'll learn to ruthlessly prioritize your work calendar and focus on what matters. For example, we block family time into our calendars and set aside time each evening where we can focus on our spouses and kids. Balancing personal life with work life is always important, and good to learn early when you're a new parent, because life will only get busier as your kids grow older.

For both of us, the benefits of taking paternity leave were immeasurable. Our leaves were a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be there for our spouses, and to bond with our kids when they were little. And, we gained confidence and knowledge of how to be present and supportive for our families. That gave us the peace of mind to jump back into work when the time was right, and it empowered us to be better leaders, too.