| For most women, becoming a mother is a turning point | | | | competitive edge over their child-free colleagues. |
| in their career. It's a time in one's life that's rife with | | | | Multi-Tasking |
| challenges, frustrations, and uncertainties, but it's also | | | | If you've ever changed a diaper while on the phone |
| when many of life's most rewarding achievements | | | | making a doctor's appointment, while reading an email, |
| and miraculous moments occur. What many new | | | | you understand multi-tasking. Sure, we'd all love to be |
| moms figure out rather quickly is that the skills that | | | | able to focus on one task at a time, but in this age of |
| they use every day while taking care of children are | | | | technology and information, the ability to multi-task is a |
| also very applicable in succeeding in business. Nurturing | | | | necessity if you want to be competitive in the market. |
| a needy newborn isn't all that different from managing | | | | Motherhood promotes multi-tasking skills tremendously, |
| a high-maintenance client, and trying to juggle chores | | | | and these skills remain with mothers long after the |
| and kids can be strikingly similar to the multi-tasking | | | | diaper changes cease. |
| required to manage a large list of prospects. Here are | | | | Training Skills |
| just a few of the skills that are fine-tuned and | | | | One of the primary jobs of a parent is to teach your |
| mastered the minute you take that leap into | | | | child what is needed to succeed in the world. This |
| motherhood. | | | | requires you to be a dedicated, skilled trainer. The |
| Patience | | | | same skills are required in business. Whether you're |
| Colicky infants, whiny toddlers, defiant teenagers - If | | | | training a classroom of seminar attendees or guiding a |
| you didn't have patience before you had children, you | | | | client through the sales process, the training abilities |
| quickly developed this virtue as a parent. And, the | | | | you've acquired as a mother will certainly come in |
| patience required for childcare definitely helps you | | | | handy in the business world. |
| increase your tolerance threshold in business. Difficult | | | | Flexibility |
| clients and prospects are plentiful, and patience is the | | | | Children are full of surprises, and staying flexible is a |
| key to unlocking their buying potential. | | | | necessity to maintain sanity. Everyday is full of |
| Time Management | | | | challenges and interruptions, and if there is one thing |
| As any new mother knows, time can be a scarce | | | | that is consistent about parenting, it's the fact that it's |
| commodity and shouldn't be wasted frivolously. | | | | ever-changing. Inflexibility doesn't work for parents, nor |
| Whether you need to meet a specific deadline or only | | | | does it work in business. People can be indecisive, |
| have an hour before your child wakes from a nap, | | | | situations can change, and even your role can evolve. |
| time management skills are essential to getting things | | | | Having the flexibility to gracefully manage the |
| done. Parenthood does wonders for enlightening | | | | unexpected is a skill that will always serve you well, |
| women (and some men) on the need to budget time | | | | whether with the kids or in the office. |
| wisely, and this skill certainly gives moms a distinct | | | | |