If you were to write down all the traits a 21st century leader should possess, you would be describing the quintessential mom: nurturing yet tough, inclusive yet decisive, empowering yet accountable, and humble yet courageous. For this reason, it should come as no surprise that there’s been a dramatic increase of “mother-leaders” on "Most Powerful Women" lists and also at the top of America's large businesses. Executive mothers are winning the hearts and minds of their employees and the boards who hire them. They have found the magical combination of toughness and softness that CEOs need to lead in today's volatile corporate arena. In her new book, Mother Leads Best – 50 Women Who are Changing the Way Organizations Define Leadership, top high-tech-industry executive and mother Moe Grzelakowski has discovered the keys to why motherhood transforms good leaders into great ones. Through interviews with 50 of America’s top corporate women who are also moms, Moe found that bearing and raising children had an amazing impact on their values and skills:
• While they maintained their intensively driven, high powered, work ethic, they also became remarkably more compassionate, selfless, and grounded.
• The love they gave and received at home unleashed their maternal instincts, strengthening their character and broadening their perspective on life.
• Their overwhelming desire to be the best mother they could possibly be sharpened their focus and softened their edges. They learned to manage chaos, stay calm in a crisis and foster teamwork. The stories of transformation in Mother Leads Best will captivate anyone interested in solutions to today’s corporate leadership issues. Moe weaves together the common threads of leadership maturity experienced by 50 remarkable executives in a way that will change both men’s and women’s perspective of mother leaders. The evidence she puts forth creates a convincing case that embracing the “maternal leadership model” offers organizations a competitive edge. |