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There’s no denying that becoming a mother fundamentally changes you as a human. In fact, a recent study documented how a woman’s brain changes during pregnancy. Beyond these personal transformations, for working mothers especially, entering motherhood can deeply impact their professional roles, influencing everything from time management and decision-making to their approach to collaboration and leadership.
For years, working mothers were seen as a disadvantage in the workplace. While there’s no question that so much work still needs to be done to better support mothers in the workplace, what if we as a society celebrated the unique strengths mothers bring to the table? Hiring a mother should not be looked at as a disadvantage. It’s time to view working mothers as an asset, not a liability.
After years in sales and business development in the medical devices and software sales industries and now as CEO of Hello, Nanny!, a bespoke agency that matches in-home caregivers and household staff with families, I’ve come to recognize the value moms bring as leaders. The physical, emotional, and mental changes moms experience can enhance their leadership abilities and make them even stronger employees. It’s time to reframe how we think of mothers in the workplace and recognize the indisputable strengths they bring to the workforce.
Why moms make the best leaders
Moms are powerful and it’s time companies start recognizing the important traits they bring to the job—many of which they learned and refined in the trenches at home. From leading with compassion to prioritizing efficiency and never accepting failure, read on for six reasons moms add value to the workplace.
1. Lead with compassionate
Mothers have hearts of gold: we love our friends’ children like our own, teach our own kids empathy and compassion and always try to lead my example. When my own kids were younger I always told them to find a mother if they ever got lost because I know a mother’s compassion knows no bounds. This compassion is an asset in the workplace. Mothers are able to diplomatically relate to others, creating a supportive and collaborative environment. Their ability to appreciate different perspectives makes mothers exceptional at fostering strong, trusting relationships.
2. Pivots and adapts
Rain on the horizon for an outdoor birthday party? How about parenting two children with opposite needs and personalities? Mothers are built to pivot and adapt to whatever scenarios arise. This is true for the workplace as well: moms can take any tricky situation and resiliently find solutions that work.
3. Works well under pressure
Mothers have a superhuman ability to keep calm in the face of chaos. Just ask any mom who has 15 minutes to get her kids fed, dressed and out the door in the morning before the bell rings. While it may look like a frantic rush from the outside, behind the scenes moms are master planners. They’ve prepped the night before—placing shoes by the door, stocking the kitchen with easy-to-grab breakfasts and ensuring backpacks are packed with all the essentials. Whether at home or at work, moms know how to navigate pressure-filled situations with ease. They not only handle the stress in the moment, but often anticipate potential chaos and come armed with solutions before problems even arise.
4. Prioritizes efficiency
For many mothers, time is our most valuable commodity so maximizing time with efficiency is second-nature. Every day for a working mother is a juggle—from balancing work responsibilities to kids activities. This forces mothers to master the art of radical prioritization and to efficiently manage their time because every minute counts. A mother’s precise ability to manage their limited time translates seamlessly into the workplace, where efficiency and time management are critical for success.
5. Works autonomously
When running a household or caring for children, moms have no issue autonomously making executive decisions that are decisive and solutions-oriented. Mothers hold themselves accountable—both at work and at home—because they’re often the default parent. This sharpes a mom’s ability to act swiftly and confidently, making thoughtful decisions relying on her own competence, resourcefulness and experience.
6. Failure is not an option
For a mom, failure is not an option. We have our children depending on us and moms are going to do whatever it takes to make it work. This grit and determination is what helps moms rise to the occasion in the workplace as well. Whether it’s meeting a tight deadline or closing a sale, mothers bring the same tenacity to their careers because no matter the obstacles, moms will find a way forward to succeed.
My team of moms gets it done
I’ve hired and employed many people in my career and I’ve come to view moms as the biggest secret asset I have in my arsenal. From their ability to work autonomously to their unmatched resiliency, I know that as a founder employing a team of moms means my company will thrive. And for those inevitable bumps we encounter along the way, I trust the mothers on my team to lead with empathy and practicality, using their unmatched problem-solving skills to find effective solutions just as they would for any challenge at home.
I currently have three moms on my team at Hello, Nanny!—we coordinate travel and meetings around school and childcare schedules and I often receive a flurry of Slacks with 20 unique solutions as they wait for baseball practice to be over. I love my team and their dedication, creativity and work ethic. We laugh, we commiserate and we get work done because as moms know, failure is not an option.
