How Being a Mom Made Me Better at Business

Truth: being a mom has helped me become a better business owner, employee, leader, and colleague. I’m sure of it.

Motherhood taught me lessons about people, priorities, communication and problem-solving that show up in my professional life every single day. Some of these lessons were learned easily, and others, well, any parent will tell you that some lessons require lots and lots of repetition. (In most things, I’m happy to report that I was a fast learner, but then again, my daughters were good teachers!)

Here are four that have made the biggest difference for me.

1. Patience Is More Than a Virtue

Kids operate on their own schedules. What needs to happen fast for you is often the very thing they dawdle over. You can explain something perfectly and still have to repeat it again and again.

Business isn't all that different.

Clients often want more information before making a decision. Employees may need time to master something new. A problem that seems simple may turn out to be more complex than you thought, and the deadline might therefore become more difficult to meet.

Motherhood taught me that reacting quickly isn't always the same as responding well. Sometimes the best thing you can do is listen, offer a different option, ask another question, and give someone the time they need to respond.

Patience doesn't mean being passive. It means understanding that not everything or everyone moves at the speed we'd like. (As someone that moves very quickly, this was a tough concept for me to embrace!)

2. Priorities Matter

Any working parent knows the feeling of having too much to do and not nearly enough time to do it.

Being a mom taught me pretty quickly how to distinguish between what needs to happen and what would simply be nice to accomplish. That skill is invaluable in business.

There will always be another email, text message, phone call, meeting, or item on the to-do list. If everything is a priority, nothing really is.

I try to focus first on what will have the greatest impact such as helping a client, responding to a referral source, supporting my team, solving an immediate problem, or taking care of something that could become a bigger issue if ignored. If some things have to wait until tomorrow, that's okay, but I endeavor to always keep my priorities in order.

3. Gratitude Changes Your Perspective

Motherhood has also taught me to appreciate the small moments.

Not every day comes with a big celebration or major accomplishment. Sometimes the good stuff is more subtle and quiet like having a great conversation, something that finally clicks, an unexpected moment of levity or simply knowing that everyone is doing okay.

I try to bring that same sense of gratitude to work.

I'm grateful for the people who trust us with their business, for referrals and recommendations, the people I work alongside and the ways we help each other get through busy or challenging days.

I wake up grateful for the opportunity of another day to do my best in all ways available to me.

4. You Learn How to Solve Disputes

Anyone with children knows that conflict is inevitable. People disagree and feelings get hurt. Two people can experience the exact same situation and walk away with completely different versions of what happened. This is the stuff of playground squabbles.

Being a mother taught me that resolving disagreements isn't necessarily about deciding who is right and who is wrong, but it's often about listening to both sides, finding out what really happened and figuring out how to move forward.

That's an important skill with clients, coworkers and pretty much every relationship in life.

Motherhood and Business Have More in Common Than I Ever Expected

I didn't become a mom because I thought it would improve my professional skills, but looking back, I can see how much motherhood has influenced the way I work.

As an added plus, my children also benefit from me being a business owner but that’s the stuff for another blog.