Successful working mothers share one trait in common. They are the CEO of their lives. They take responsibility for their lives, their happiness, their boundaries and their success. They are able to prioritize on the fly and have the gift of perspective. Many of the women who wrote in the Working Mother Experience book talked about the concept of CEO of your life either directly or indirectly. One woman went so far as to give titles to each member of the family!
One amazing thing occurred to me while reading the book. The traits are the same everywhere in the world. Working Mothers cherish their communities and take charge of their lives. The women who wrote inspired me with their skills. We always worry about getting it all done and having work and life balanced. What I got from reading the book was that balance is not defined as a constant even keel, but the ability to emerge from moments of chaos with a plan or path back to balance. We have not failed when our lives are out of balance unless we give into the chaos and feel powerless.
One of the reasons working mothers thrive so well in the high tech workplace is that they have mastery of concepts like teamwork, accountability and delegation. Their negotiation skills are well practiced. Any mother who has ever talked a toy out of a toddler’s hands at Toys R Us without a scene, into a dentist chair, or to leave a birthday party is a fierce negotiator.
The one role that working mother CEO’s could use some more bench strength is in marketing. We are statistically less likely to talk about our successes and strengths as our male counterparts. We have proved we are fast learners so this gap will likely fill in soon. We have come far from the Rosie the Riveter days.
