Why Moms Make the Best Project Managers

When people say motherhood is a full-time job, it’s a way to acknowledge that, as rewarding as the experience may be, it also comes with various tasks and responsibilities. Such responsibilities have blurred the lines between family and work to the extent that one can apply a professional tag to motherhood with the amount of skill it takes to fully step into this role.

In fact, more and more working and entrepreneurial moms are being encouraged to add their parenting experience to their resumé due to the competencies they’ve honed while caring for their families. Many of these transferable skills can be brought into the area of project management, so let’s find out below what exactly mothers and project managers have in common.

Ability to multitask
Projects have many moving parts, from team members with respective task assignments to budgets, timelines, and resources. In this light, among the essential skills of a project manager, as listed by LHH, is the ability to multitask and coordinate these workflows efficiently. Project managers align the different short- and long-term plans so that targets are met, and stakeholders are satisfied with the results.

Likewise, mothers are adept at juggling multiple tasks, such as caring for family members and tending to their basic needs while still keeping household finances and schedules in check. It goes without saying that this multitasking is only successful when the rest of the team, i.e., other family members, cooperate and support mothers in every task.

Flexible and adaptive behaviors
No matter how detailed a project’s plan and timeline are, there will always be unexpected challenges and sticky situations along the way. Thus, project managers must stay flexible, think on their feet, and manage the team even when under pressure.

Similarly, mothers undergo an adaptation process when supporting their kids at every stage of their development, starting from birth and infancy. They have to learn and develop new adaptive behaviors in response to significant life changes to provide the child with the best care. Additionally, their responsiveness extends to helping other family members affected by the change to better adjust to newness and uncertainty.

Capacity for risk assessment
Project managers are also responsible for pinpointing any potential risks and problems that might crop up during planning and implementation. Beyond using tools like SWOT analysis and a risk assessment matrix, this skill for risk identification can also be intuitive.

Similarly, mothers develop a finely tuned risk radar when they raise kids and communicate with them daily. As a mother herself, cybersecurity professional Jeanne Quimby shares how talking to her son about abstract art taught her to look beyond what’s visible and consider other viewpoints. After bringing the lesson from this interaction into her workplace, she was able to lead and manage cybersecurity projects that address communication risks and vulnerabilities by detecting visibility gaps and anomalous behavior.

Empathetic leadership style

Lastly, while project management can be primarily logistical and task-oriented, managers must still have the capacity to lead with empathy and kindness. Being able to recognize and understand each member’s strengths and weaknesses can boost morale and set the team up for success.

As covered in a previous post showing the link between motherhood and peacebuilding, mothers are also able to cultivate empathy by being attuned to their children’s needs. Despite painful and challenging moments, family units are able to weather the storm with empathetic and compassionate mothers at the helm.

With all these in mind, it is clear that motherhood can be a great opportunity for women to unlock new skills and improve existing ones. However, we must still empower and support mothers throughout their parenting journeys so they can truly achieve their full potential.

Article written by Reanne James

Exclusively for Women's Federation for World Peace USA
Image credit: Pexel Source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/mother-and-child-sitting-at-the-table-8035972/