Why Moms Make Great Managers

If you are looking for a new job, make sure to add “mom” to your resume. Why would you admittedly give yourself up as someone who has other obligations, you ask? Listen up hesitant mothers and heed my words hiring managers, because here’s why:

Mom’s Make Great Managers!

Yup, you heard right. Below are 10 reasons why you need a mom running your team right now:

1. Multi-tasking. You need a leader that can juggle all the different decisions of your business. Mom’s are the best multi-taskers around. They simultaneously make lunches, while dressing children, nursing a baby, while packing backpacks, applying a band-aid on a boo-boo, at the same time as washing paint off of the wall.
2. Planners. No business thrives when everything is left to the last minute. And guess who’s amazing at planning? That’s right, moms are. Mom’s have to plan each week out, rsvp to birthdays, schedule school plays and after school or weekend activities. Even t.v. time in some houses is a scheduled activity. We keep lists, planners, calendars and are accountable for our very own little tribe’s schedules.
3. Used to no sleep. When your employees go out drinking at night, you can expect the next day to be of little productivity. Moms on the other hand are used to never getting any sleep. Seriously, never. And against all odds can accomplish even more the next day. Truth is, you probably can’t tell the difference between a mother who got 6 hours of sleep one night and 1 hour the following night. She’ll still be able to finish all of her tasks!
4. No whine zone. Employees like to complain. Work is too hard, they don’t get what they want, dislike a project, it takes too long to get to work, hate their co-workers (wait, am I talking about adults or the kids here?) etc. When you allow constant complaining, you can expect it all the time. Mothers deal with whining non stop from kids and after a certain point, just do not tolerate it anymore. They will expect more from their direct reports and will make sure to keep the atmosphere a bit more positive.
5. Understanding and listening. We may be good at stopping the whining, but more than that moms are great at listening. As a parent, mothers develop a 6th sense for when someone needs some extra attention. Managers need to know when to take a step back and assess or reassess the overall happiness and satisfaction levels of her/his employees. A successful manager, like a successful mother knows that by listening to thoughts, ideas and concerns of her employees it will help her better direct them down the best road for success.
6. There are no sick days. If you are looking for an employee that doesn’t take off every-time she/he sneezes, moms are your best bet. Say the words “sick day” to a mom and she may look at you as if you are talking in a foreign language. When a mom gets sick, she still has to take care of her family. There is no “laying in bed until she feels better”. No, that’s for the husbands. Most moms I know, continue doing what has to be done even when they have the flu. That’s as hard working as you can get.
7. Natural teachers that lead by example. In order to manage tasks and employees effectively, the manager needs to lead by example and needs to be a teacher. Moms are just that. Whether it’s teaching manners, math, walking, personal hygiene spelling or even dating etiquette, moms have to know how to teach different skills to different personalities. That is key for any business.
8. Battle fighters and stress relievers. With all the fighting and tantruming that goes on in a household, moms have to become experts at picking which ones to give in on, which ones to ignore and which ones to to put armor on for. Honing in on this skill for business enables moms/managers to defuse sticky situations with ease.
9. We reward well. Moms expect the best. They see capabilities, and they work with their children to reach their potential. Moms as managers will do the same, and become especially proud and rewarding when employees reach that level of success.
10. FOOD! Yup, we mothers are used to feeding many mouths and that doesn’t change for adults! Many mom managers and employees I know love to cook for their co-workers!

Things that are taught in business school or through years of work experience seem to just come naturally to moms. So if you are looking for the next leader, manager and someone who may wipe your nose – then look for a mom (or an awesome dad).

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