Paul Sullivan, a former New York Times columnist and founder of The Company of Dads, has publicly advocated for the importance of paternity leave, drawing from his personal experience of taking leave three times. His comments come in response to recent statements by professor Scott Galloway, who suggested fathers were a "waste of time" in a newborn's first months, remarks Galloway later clarified were intended as a failed joke.
Sullivan's advocacy is rooted in his own family's decisions. In 2013, after the birth of his second daughter, his wife launched her own asset management firm. To support her venture, Sullivan embraced the role of "lead dad"—a term that later became the cornerstone of his media company focused on supporting fathers.
The Evolution of a 'Lead Dad'
Sullivan defines a "lead dad" as the primary, go-to parent, regardless of their work status. His confidence and the length of his leave grew with each child. For his first daughter in 2009, he took two to three weeks but pre-wrote columns. By his third daughter's birth in 2017, he took a full month off from his established columnist role.
"I worried my column would be taken away — the horror that I think any parent, man or woman, fears when they take leave," Sullivan admitted. He credited supportive colleagues for reassuring him, which allowed him to return to his column for four more years before founding his company.
Countering the Controversy and Building Bonds
Sullivan directly challenged Galloway's controversial stance. "The reason I can sit on my 16-year-old's bed at night... is because I've been sitting on her bed since she was a baby," he stated, emphasising that paternal bonds are built through consistent presence from infancy. He argued that fathers cannot simply "swoop in 15 years later" and expect a strong relationship.
He acknowledged agreeing with Galloway's broader goal of raising responsible, engaged adults but stressed that paid parental leave is the critical foundation for that engagement.
The Business and Care Case for Leave
Sullivan highlighted research showing that offering paternity leave is a retention benefit for companies, keeping fathers in their roles longer. He warned that even with good policies, a single dismissive comment from a manager can deter employees from using their entitled leave, breaking an "implicit contract" with the company.
His company also promotes the concept of "care days" for emergencies involving children, spouses, or parents, arguing that providing this dedicated time prevents resentment and distraction among employees who would otherwise juggle responsibilities secretly.
Context and Reaction
In response to Sullivan's story, Scott Galloway provided a statement to Business Insider, asserting his long-standing focus on engaged fatherhood. He shifted the debate, arguing that only 1 in 5 Americans have access to paid parental leave. Galloway stated the discussion should focus on economic policies like the Child Tax Credit to help the 90% only entitled to unpaid leave, rather than on "manufactured tiffs amongst the privileged 20%."
The exchange underscores a persistent gap: while each generation of fathers becomes more involved, parity with mothers in caregiving responsibilities has not been reached.