Leadership Style of Working Mothers-Pt. 3
okay, last one.
They pick their battles
How important is it for the teenager to pick up his room? How important is it for the sales manager to fill in their call report. If it is important, she probably will come after the result in several different ways that engage, threaten, co-opt or punish to get the accountability.
They hold firm when they believe it is really important for their constituency (kids or staff or company objective)
When it is really important they will fight to the bitter end. You’ve seen the Mother whose kid has a peanut allergy argue about the snacks at pre-school. Or, the scientist who will not sign off on a bad lab sample, even just once. Be passionate about what you truly value.
They tend not to care who gets the credit.
Ronald Reagan said “you can accomplish much if you don’t care who gets the credit”. Moms don’t get much credit but they get a lot of blame. Deborah Tanner in her many books about the differing linguistics of men and women describes how all female groups don’t appreciate the woman who brags. The group is very conscious who does what and you will get rewarded for doing your part over the long term. So, from an early age, girls learn to work with the group for the goal and don’t go looking to get all the credit. Credit the group and the others who helped you succeed.
They can negotiate with 3 year olds.
How much patience and long term perspective does that take? Now, apply it to the work place and you see why some women seem to get ahead in our flat world, that now has less hierarchy, more cultural difference and instant feedback though social networking about how we are showing up.
