Working mothers face a unique set of challenges that can make it difficult to achieve success in their professional lives. As an executive leadership coach for mothers over the age of forty, it’s my mission to provide the tools and strategies necessary for them to excel in their careers.
In addition to leadership challenges executives face, mothers in leadership roles over the age of forty often have the following challenges too:
- work/life balance
- navigating difficult relationships at home (including children, life-partner and parents who are being cared for)
- being part of the sandwich generation (looking after ageing parents as well as their own children. Seeing a parent’s health decline can be devastating)
- perimenopause/menopause and its impact on self, home and work
- being the family/community linchpin (including being on committees, boards and school governing, etc)
I can tell you that I have:
- Fantastic work/life balance after struggling with it in my early career with my eldest son
- A wonderful, love-filled relationship with all four of my sons, even though I didn’t get on with two of them when they were younger to the point they had to leave home(!) That cast a painful shadow over my parenting life for many years. By the way, I’d live with any of them now at the drop of a hat – they’re great company!! I have a loving husband (happily married for fifteen years) after having disastrous relationships beforehand
- Been the primary carer for my father when he was dying from cancer. I did this whilst also looking after my youngest son who was 15 months old at the time.
- Had my first panic attack at the age of 46: I thought I was dying. I didn’t realise that a) it was a symptom of perimenopause and b) I was perimenopausal in the first place (or what that even had to do with anything!)
If you want to know about any particular leadership strategies that helped me through the above situations, AMA (ask me anything) in the comments section below. And yes, I absolutely do use leadership strategies in my personal life. In fact that’s one of my favourite leadership strategies!
From developing better time management skills to honing negotiation tactics, I’m here to help working mothers create the life and career they deserve. With the right strategies, working mothers can maintain and surpass exceptional leadership and excel in their professional roles.
Do you have any advice or strategies that have helped you succeed as a working mother? What challenges have you faced and how did you overcome them? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
#LeadershipStrategies #WorkingMothers #PersonalExperience
