Council Post: Beyond The Résumé: How Managing Motherhood And Career Prepares Women For Leadership In High-Stakes Industries

Leen Kawas | Entrepreneur, Inventor, Innovator and Leader | Managing General Partner at Propel Bio Partners.

Excelling in a high-caliber industry requires a distinctive combination of attributes. Specialized expertise and business operations skills provide a solid foundation. A functional knowledge of ancillary areas, such as IT and accounting, is a definite plus. Lacking that, the company can easily hire experts in applicable disciplines.

Interpersonal and leadership skills help equip a business owner or senior executive to leverage positive relationships with internal and external partners. High emotional intelligence, and an ability to empathize with others, are also important. Finally, a finely honed ability to multitask and prioritize enables top-tier professionals to rise above the crowd.

Not coincidentally, these last two “soft skills” are exactly the same ones that allow working mothers to adeptly juggle multiple daily responsibilities. As a successful executive with two energetic young children, I regularly multitask and prioritize at home and in the C-suite. I’ve found that these skills-which are common among many mothers-complement industry expertise and can provide a solid foundation for career achievements.

For companies that are hiring, recognizing the unique strengths that working mothers often bring to the table could provide a competitive edge:

Multitasking And Prioritizing

In any industry, a leader’s ability to multitask enables them to manage multiple functions or tasks at the same time. In my company, I may be preparing for an investors’ meeting while monitoring industry trends and scanning emails for “urgent” subject lines. Alternatively, I may be planning an overseas trip while organizing projects for my team to handle while I’m gone.

Successfully juggling (and prioritizing) multiple projects requires an ability to focus while being ready to adapt to changing circumstances. Many mothers fine-tune this skill set while overseeing their household and managing young children’s ever-changing needs. On some days, we also face time constraints dictated by medical appointments and other commitments.

Two useful tools help me to effectively set priorities in both work environments. First, the Eisenhower Matrix organizes tasks by importance and urgency. Mothers (and leaders) often learn to focus on the truly important tasks while postponing or delegating other projects. In the workplace, leaders must also ensure each task is matched to the person best equipped to deliver a top-tier performance.

Finally, the Pareto Principle (also called the 80/20 rule) states that for any endeavor, 80% of the outcomes result from 20% of the work. Using this guideline, mothers (and leaders) should focus on tasks that make the biggest impact on their goals. This approach enables the best utilization of available resources and time.

Conflict Resolution

The term “conflict resolution” can mean resolving a simple disagreement between two team members. Conversely, a large-scale conflict can threaten to derail client or business partnerships. Conflicts with regulatory agencies and external partners can also negatively impact a company’s competitive position. In this often-high-stakes game, an effective leader is equipped to listen to both parties and craft a compromise or mutually beneficial solution.

Mothers often develop conflict resolution skills while mediating battles between squabbling toddlers. In my case, I learned that it’s always important to acknowledge both parties’ views while pursuing the best overall outcome.

Crisis Management

Crisis management presents a distinct set of challenges. In a corporate setting, a crisis can result from multiple factors that culminate in a potentially disastrous business problem. Alternatively, a crisis can suddenly arise from a firm’s financial misfortunes, market or supply chain disruptions, regulatory issues and other unexpected developments.

Regardless of the crisis’ cause, leaders must quickly analyze all aspects of the issue and craft a strategy to address it. While the CEO and their executive team work on this multifaceted problem, they must project an attitude of confidence and self-assurance about the situation’s outcome. Stated another way, employees, investors and external partners want to see that the situation is under control.

Many mothers develop crisis management skills at home. A child could injure themselves during a fall or otherwise fall victim to an accident. An insect bite may trigger painful (and potentially serious) symptoms. A sudden power outage might dictate a revamping of the entire day’s plans.

In every case, the mother must step back and objectively view the situation before developing a strategy to manage it. And once she creates a workable plan, she has to get other family members on the same page. Managing these stressful situations is, in my view, excellent preparation for handling high-level leadership challenges.

Emotional Intelligence And Empathy

At its core, the term “emotional intelligence” refers to a leader’s ability to forge productive relationships, resolve emerging conflicts and motivate their team to accomplish preset goals. A leader with these capabilities demonstrates self-awareness, social awareness and self-discipline when interacting with others. A leader with high emotional intelligence also practices positive, respectful relationship management.

Besides maintaining control of one’s own emotions, an emotionally intelligent leader is aware of their team members’ emotions and motivations. The leader can also empathize with a team member facing personal or professional challenges. This mutual awareness, and emotional bonding, together form a solid foundation for effective workplace communication.

Not surprisingly, working mothers often possess a high degree of emotional intelligence. As parents, they are accustomed to responding to their children’s emotions and needs. This capability is particularly useful in a stressful crisis situation when emotions are running high.

Mothers in leadership roles are often well-equipped to manage their own emotions while supporting team members who may be upset or challenged in some way. This promotes improved team cohesion and better employee morale, especially in high-stress situations. With everyone on the same page, the leader is better able to motivate their team toward an optimal outcome.

Considering Skills Across Disciplines

These “soft skills” help to create a well-rounded, innovative and committed leader in any industry. For hiring managers and HR personnel, candidates who exemplify these skills are an asset to any company.

In changing industries and across various segments of employment, working mothers can not only succeed within their positions but bring a unique set of skills and perspectives to their roles. Thus, identifying these prospective skills through interviews and conversations is integral to allowing working mothers to highlight and share their hard-earned skills.

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Originally published at https://www.forbes.com.