Mom skills. We’ve all got them. And while my mom skillset may be different from yours, I guarantee that being a mom makes us both great leaders, too. These mom skill qualities are transferable from your home to the high-rise. However and wherever you choose to use your influence, have confidence that you are equipped.
3 Reasons Why Moms Make Great Leaders:
1. Ability to Multi-Task
Often out of necessity, mom’s have to multi-task while they are multi-tasking. This makes us fine masters at this important art.
If we can motivate three children to get ready for school before 7:30 am, while checking homework, making lunches, signing permission forms, grabbing jackets, making sure everyone gets bathroom time to meet their hygiene and privacy needs, while talking to the dishwasher repairman on the phone, putting on our own make-up, finding the family guinea pig and chewing a granola bar for breakfast simultaneously, we can handle the demands of a high-responsibility role with ease.
So when your team’s budget is due in 30 minutes and your boss needs you to step into a conference call regarding an upcoming annual organizational-wide event at the same time you receive a text from your co-worker asking what kind of cupcakes to get for this afternoon’s baby shower and you realize some of them need to be gluten free, you send two texts to confirm the cupcakes and then you jump in to the organizational conference call with your budget tab open on the computer, eyes scanning and adjustments being made in the spreadsheet, right as your most needy client steps through the door, unannounced…and you don’t even blink. No problem. You’re a mom.
That’s way easier than what you handled on your way out the door this morning.
2. Experts in Resolving Conflict and Problem-Solving
As a mom, we regularly play “referee” between arguing parties and are relied upon to be “Mrs. Fix-It” for our crew. So if we can successfully negotiate the heated sibling discussion on whose turn it is to play the X-box (when everyone naturally thinks it’s their turn for their favorite game) and upon realizing we never got that costume tailored decide to use a stapler to “hem” our daughter’s dance pants for tonight’s recital with moments to spare and no staples showing, we can resolve conflict and problem solve alongside the big dogs, y’all. Bring on the business affiliate who won’t compromise on price…or the important document that won’t print just when you need it too…or the floorplan that doesn’t meet the wants of both the husband and the wife. We are experts in resolving conflict and problem-solving.
Seriously, we freakin’ rock at this stuff.
3. We Promote Growth in “Our” People
A mom’s whole life is about encouraging growth, believing in others beyond what they believe in themselves, and helping “our” people master tasks and gain independence.
A great leader does the same. Our nurturing ability can bring out the best in people, whether we are helping our daughter see her potential as a creative writer, or encouraging a new colleague to have confidence with their innovative decision-making while on a team with more tenured employees. Encouraging mastery of skills can look like teaching a preschooler to brush their teeth and put their dirty dishes in the sink, or finding a free workshop for your co-worker to become more familiar with the spreadsheet program that is new to them.
So, whether you are a leader among your household, a few moms for a playgroup, the school PTO, your neighborhood garage sale, a church committee, a non-profit organization, a business, a fund-raiser, a firm or anything else under the sun, remember: you’re a natural. Your Mom mojo has created a leader.
And a pretty stinkin’ good one at that.
*The home life examples in this post may or may not have been based on life in my home.*
