Motherhood is often underestimated in today’s society. You are responsible for taking care of another human being, making sure he or she grows up in the best environment with all of the knowledge they need to succeed in life. While people try to minimize the commitment it takes to raise children, they don’t see the everyday battles and obstacles you have to overcome, which not only makes you a better mother but a better person all around. No matter how I look at it, one constant remains true: my experience with motherhood has helped me to be a better leader, and here’s how.
- I realized no two people are the same.
- There’s a huge difference between having your first child and your second child. Your first child comes, and you’re brand new at the whole parenting thing so you learn along the way. Then, when your second child comes, you think you’ve got everything down pat and are prepared for whatever life throws your way, but there’s a catch: your second child is an entirely different human being with his or her own temperament, attitude, likes, and dislikes. Your second child may love the things your first child hates and vice versa. It taught me to realize that no two people are the same, so there is no one-size-fits-all approach to leadership; you need to handle each person and their own unique set of problems or concerns individually.
- I learned how to juggle… a lot.
- Like being a mom, when you’re a leader in any capacity, you need to be able to multitask and balance a lot of plates at once. As a mom, you need to stay on top of your own life as well as your kids’ lives. If my daughter had ballet and my son had soccer practice after school at two different times, I need to be able to keep everything organized and get everyone where they need to go in a timely manner. Looking back, I can see all of the little ways that handling motherhood has made me a better multitasker, more organized, and more confident in both of my roles.
- I learned how to tough it out.
- When you’re a mom, there are no sick days. You can’t call off of parenting because you have a cold or were up all night throwing up. No, you need to remain the fearless leader and take charge of the day. When you’re a leader, you also have people depending on you; you can’t just decide not to show up and expect things to run smoothly. You need to be able to weather the storms with your team, rather than jumping ship.