5 Leadership Lessons I Learned From Motherhood

Being a mother, besides being one of the greatest joys in the lives of practically all women, it is also an extremely challenging journey. On this route, I was very excited, I experienced some ups and downs, but, above all, I have accumulated several learnings, given that, in fact, today I clearly realize that, by reconciling more roles, obtained, as a result, a leap for my professional evolution. This is because the experience of motherhood itself has enormous value for organizations, and for us women

When reflecting on motherhood and work, I notice that many of the skills I developed while raising children greatly enhance our leadership skills. To begin, after maternity one often climbs many steps in efficiency. After all, which mother is not multitasking? The fact of accumulating papers, by itself, already makes us more efficient, isn't it? Furthermore, persuasion and negotiation are also skills that we further develop in motherhood.  

I share, next, five of my perceptions about leadership and motherhood, what they add to executive life

1. It is necessary to have clarity in the established objectivesChildren know what we expect in terms of behavior and attitudes, just as they begin, little by little, to be aware of the consequences of your actions. At work, it's not different. Thus, it is very important for the leader to align with the team on goals and expectations, so that everyone can perform their roles in the best way.  
2. Give the exampleAs a mother, I know that my daily actions inspire children. The same applies at work.The Oxford dictionary defines, by the way, the leader as "a person whose actions and words exert influence over the thoughts and behavior of others".That is to say,our attitudes, the tone of voice we use when speaking, our ethics, our listening, the way we treat people, all this set of characteristics influences our team. Remember: just as a child observes and imitates their parents, the collaborators follow the examples of the leadership. Want to inspire
3. Encourage a positive environmentOne of a mother's main roles is to validate her children. This approval conveys enormous psychological and emotional confidence to the child, what enables her to develop her own skills. In the same way, our work team also needs this confirmation. When employees realize that we want the best for them and that we will do everything possible to help them succeed, we have earned your loyalty and your commitment. Furthermore, a positive atmosphere is created, what is very important, since, in toxic-free environments, there is less stress, diseases and absenteeism. AND, thus, people become more engaged when they realize that their efforts are properly recognized.According to a study conducted by Gallup, companies with happy employees have 50% fewer workplace accidents. The research "The Happiness Dividend", made by Harvard Business Review, revealed that satisfied employees are 31% more productive, 85% more efficient and 30% more innovative
4. Understand each collaborator in their uniquenessA good leader must practice active listening, with attention to the particularities of each person. Since very early, we are driven to discover what motivates our children (and we realize that each child reacts to these stimuli differently).The same happens with team leadership. When we identify what drives each employee, we help you stay connected to your own joy and purpose, like in a virtuous cycle. And highly motivated teams are a powerful force!  
5. Embrace the unknownMotherhood taught me to embrace the learning journey with energy and motivation, being prepared to deal with various situations, many times, that arise suddenly. Everything to do with motherhood, after all, our children change habits and patterns (such as sleep, nutrition) at an impressive speed. As a manager, in the same way, it is important for us to be willing to embrace adversities and challenges, with the necessary temperance to accept the circumstances and face, every day, something that is still unknown. As a result, this attitude shows us, clearly, that every day represents opportunities for us to grow and learn