Being a mother, in addition to being one of the greatest joys in the lives of almost all women, is also an extremely challenging journey. Along this journey, I experienced a lot, went through some ups and downs, but above all, I accumulated many lessons, and I now clearly realize that by balancing more roles, I achieved a leap in my professional growth. This is because the experience of motherhood itself has enormous value for organizations and for us women.
Reflecting on motherhood and work, I notice that many of the skills I developed while raising children greatly contribute to enhancing our leadership skills. To begin with, after maternity leave, there is usually a significant increase in efficiency. After all, what mother isn't multitasking? The fact of accumulating papers, by itself, already makes us more efficient, doesn't it? Furthermore, persuasion and negotiation are also skills that we develop even more during motherhood.
Below, I share five of my insights on leadership and motherhood, which add value to executive life:
- It is necessary to be clear about the established objectives.Children know what we expect in terms of behavior and attitudes, as well as gradually becoming aware of the consequences of their actions. At work, it's no different. Therefore, 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.
- Set an example.As a mother, I know that my daily actions inspire the children. The same applies to work.The Oxford dictionary, by the way, defines a leader as "a person whose actions and words influence the thoughts and behavior of others." In other words, our attitudes, the tone of voice we use when speaking, our ethics, our listening skills, the way we treat people, all of these characteristics influence our team. Lembre-se: assim como uma criança observa e imita os pais, os colaboradores seguem os exemplos da liderança. Want to inspire!
- Encourage a positive environment.One of a mother's main roles is to validate her children. This approval conveys immense psychological and emotional confidence to the child, enabling them to develop their own skills. Similarly, our work team also needs this confirmation. When employees perceive that we wish the best for them and that we will do our best to help them succeed, we earn their loyalty and commitment. Furthermore, a positive atmosphere is created, which is very important, since in toxin-free environments, there is less stress, illness, and absenteeism. And thus, people become more engaged by realizing that their efforts are duly recognized.According to a study conducted by Gallup, companies with happy employees have 50% fewer workplace accidents. The research "The Happiness Dividend," conducted by Harvard Business Review, revealed that satisfied employees are 31% more productive, 85% more efficient, and 30% more innovative.
- Understand each employee in their uniqueness.A good leader must practice active listening, paying attention to the particularities of each person. From a very young age, 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 them stay connected to their own joy and purpose, creating a virtuous cycle. Highly motivated teams are a powerful force!
- Embrace the unknown.Motherhood taught me to embrace the learning journey with energy and motivation, being prepared to handle various situations, often arising suddenly. It's all about motherhood, after all, our children change habits and patterns (such as sleep, eating) at an impressive speed. As a manager, likewise, it is important for us to be willing to embrace adversities and challenges, with the necessary temperance to accept circumstances and face, every day, something that is still unknown. As a result, this attitude clearly shows us that every day presents opportunities to grow and learn.
