Being a young mom and running multimillion-dollar companies is impossible? These women, lulling a child with one hand and giving orders with the other, prove: raising children helps to become a successful leader many times more effective than any continuing education courses. Starting from self-discipline and ending with the ability to delegate authority correctly, as it turned out, modern entrepreneurs learn most of the skills of a successful leader not from well-known business coaches, but their young children. Here are five leadership lessons from working moms.
Know when to push and when to let go
Motherhood teaches an essential leadership skill, which is to know when to help, and when to give a chance to take the initiative. Everyone would want the employees to think independently and set goals so that they can offer their ideas and projects. But at the same time, it is critical to intervene at the right time, to help, to fix something.
The balance between control and freedom are synonyms of profitable leadership.
Flexibility and unpredictability
Preparing for being a mom, you believe that this fact is going to make your work even more stressful than it was before because of many new responsibilities to appear in your life after giving a birth to a child. But in fact, the birth of children has the adverse impact. You take it easy and understand that you do not need to figure on absolutely every little thing.
When your children are born, you quickly realize that mood control is beyond your power and plan all the activities on a precise schedule. You begin to get accustomed to the unknown and not see anything tragic in it. You become flexible, learn to adapt to the circumstances, and give up the illusion of control upon everything in the world. This is essential for good leadership.
A personal approach is one zero one to competent leadership
You need to adapt to the personalities of your children and take time for each and every one of them separately. Just like in the case of kids, an individual approach is essential at work. The manager needs to understand that all employees have different ambitions, passions, strengths, and motivation.
Yes, understanding the interests of each employee requires a fundamental investment of time, but the result is worth it. Besides, employees value attention to their need and become more frank and fair.
Do not be afraid of the mysteries
Motherhood teaches us not to be afraid of the mysteries, to enjoy the feeling of knowing something new, to gain energy and inspiration in learning new things. Instead of being fearful of mysteries, you begin to get to know it, analyze, and work with it. You come across so many amazing and achievements, starting the moment your kid takes first faltering steps. Do not be afraid of any challenge. Wait for them, and the sky is the limit.
Empathy
Parenthood gives you the understanding that your individual requirements are no higher than the requirements of others. Motherhood dramatically influences management style, expands views on working with people, and teaches employees to hear and understand. You understand that each of them would want to do a job well, to make a contribution to the development of the project, but every person has the right to personal life outside work.
When you become a mother and continue to work, you will make the most important discovery – it is impossible to manage everything. It may be difficult for you to part with specific activities and accept that not everything planned will be done.
You will have to quickly learn how to be organized so as not to go crazy. If you need to choose something that will help you not to lose your head, this is making lists.
You will love the lists! They give freedom to express your thoughts without worrying that you will forget to complete the task. The record provides confidence that essential points are recorded, and it is okay if the task eludes your head.
Personal time management tips for a working mom:
1) Use the correct time for lunch breaks
Suppose you have five dinners lasting one hour each week. This is 5 hours without a child hanging on you when you can do something! Always plan your dinners based on your “What to Do” list and expect how you can manage as much as possible during this time. For example, today, during lunch, you made the necessary purchases for your home.
2) Use technology
There are many articles on the topic of applications for a working mom available online. There are recommendations for simple mobile apps that they use to make their life easier.
3) Plan your day in the evening
It can be difficult for you. Who has the strength after a full day’s work, struggling with a child for dinner, putting him to bed and washing dishes to plan the next day?! You may not like this part of the day, but it makes the morning SO much more comfortable!
When your morning is planned, you will be happy for yourself! Before going to bed, always try to make sure that the dishes are washed, lunch is cooked, clothes are laid out, and bags are packed for the next day.
4) Delegate responsibilities and authority
Nobody will do it better than you. True! It is, but for a leadership lessons, you need to delegate. For example, your husband does not clean the kitchen the way you do, and sometimes it annoys you that he puts all the dishes in the dishwasher, even the one that needs to be washed by hand … Well, okay … So be it! You have more severe problems – for example, go to bed on time. Therefore, accept any help that is possible!
5) Release control
You are a human being. That is why you cannot always keep everything under control. It is okay if you postpone washing for later or allow the child to play on the carpet, which the husband has not vacuumed since last weekend. Try to calm down and appreciate the fact that your family does not always live during the chaos.
Every day, you will learn to be more efficient and survive with ever-increasing demands on your limited time. There are days when you will feel startled and upset, but there will be days when you will think that you have finally figured out how to be a working mom.
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