A mother is the first 'Leadership Coach'
The odds of your mother being the one who inspired you the most in your growing up years are quite high. Mothers are our biggest critics and support system. They help form leadership qualities in us through their disciplining methods. Find out how those earliest experiences impact your present.
The first leadership lessons are learnt at home. And it's generally the mother who instil leadership qualities in children. When successful people are asked who influenced their lives the most, there is a good chance of most of them naming their moms as among the most influential and significant individual in their lives.
Not many will deny the immense impact a mother has on her child. Mothers are always around their children, in fact, their presence in the child's life begins from the moment they come into existence. And, if you reflect on it, you will notice that just about every leadership skill that you possess, was somehow imbibed from her.
Mothers, whether highly-qualified or illiterates ingrain valuable life-lessons in their children. Leadership and management skills that each of us grows up with have a subtle connection to what our mothers taught us. Go back in time and you'll realise how your mother's words laid the foundation for you to be a better leader. Your mother moulded your life profoundly, and perhaps still does. Let's walk down memory lane and revisit some of every mother's enduring as well as endearing leadership concepts. Go to your room and think about what you did
The tone of a mother's voice is enough to know you've done wrong. Mothers often ask their children to 'reflect' over their behaviour. It serves as a punishment, but it also gives a child a moment to judge his own actions. When a mother says "think about what you did" she not just disciplines, but uses it as a means for you to understand your mistake.Lesson learnt
It is one of the most valuable lessons that we learnt as children. It taught us to ponder over and examine our actions. Only when we are able to critique ourselves can we expand our leadership skills. Is that the way you talk to me?
Talk back to your mom and she's going to retort with "who do you think you're talking to?" it's enough for you to shut your mouth and keep those thoughts to yourself, right. Lesson learnt
What you say, when you say it, and the way you say it, matters. Especially when others look up to you and respect you. When you are in the leadership mode, you are watchful of how you speak to people, you are careful to not step on other people's toes.Don't cheat, play fair
Isn't this one of the most fundamental principles of life? And all mothers teach this to their children. Be honest, be fair, mothers are always the referees, sitting on the sidelines and teaching us life's basic lesson.Lesson learnt
You have got to set your prejudices aside and be just. You have to be honest in your approach for that will prove your sincerity.Be polite
Mothers insist that kids watch their manners. Don't shout, wait for others, say 'thank you' and 'you're welcome'…and a whole lot else. Lesson learnt
The childhood lessons of minding our manners transcend way into our adult life. We practice social graces, etiquettes and courtesies because we were taught to be nice. We learn to set boundaries and adhere to them. We learn to draw lines between what is acceptable and what is not. We become socially equipped. No fighting
The mother is the first one to yell out "stop fighting", when siblings go at war, over silly things, such as toys and books etc. It is part of every household. And we learn to be more caring and more forgiving. We learn to share and be respectful of other's feelings. Lesson learnt
It's a mighty big lesson in dealing with conflicts, especially with people you can't seem to get along. Keeping unsavory surging emotions from erupting is an art we master during childhood. The "No fighting" command, from the mother, makes siblings adjust to each other's temperament.
Later on, in life, it is this very lesson that makes us work with others with whom we do not see eye to eye. And make the work environment conducive to better results. You think you know everything, don't you?
Children often assert their independence and act as though they know all. A curt warning from the mother, lets them know their place. You learn to listen before you speak. Lesson learnt
You become a great listener. And this can be to your advantage. You learn so much by just listening. You will always have time to respond, but listening to what the other person has to say shows the making of an effective leader.Watch the company you keep
Mothers are like 'hawks' when it comes to keeping an eye on who their child is befriending. Hanging around with the wrong crowd can be a bad influence. You might have hated her for taking control and deciding who you can be friends with, but now you know she was correct.Lesson learnt
Choosing the company, you keep says a lot about you. Your friends are generally a reflection of you, there's an uncanny likeness in personality traits. This is because every bond that we build has an influence on us. The relationship attracts us because we relate and think alike. Choose your friends and associates wisely. People with intellect will guide and mentor you. Finish your homework before you play
Schoolwork always gets priority, when mothers are the boss. There is no way a child can dodge the mother in this aspect. People have fond memories of how strict their mother could be when it came to finishing the homework. Homework not done meant no going out to playLesson learnt
This simple lesson taught us to set our priorities. It also taught us to be prepared for eventualities and was a great lesson in time management. Don't judge a book by its cover
Mothers teach us to be understanding and not be judgmental. They instill empathy in us. They teach us to recognize that everyone is unique and that we shouldn't form opinions without knowing them.Lesson learnt
We learn to accept people with different temperaments. We take into our fold a diverse people, from different regions and cultures. We do not discriminate but accept those different from us. Give respect to elders
Mothers inculcate values in their children, such as respecting people older than the child. Kids learn to be respectful of the elderly and continue to do so even as they grow olde. Lesson learnt
We learn to look at people older than us as being wiser. We turn to them for guidance and direction, we choose them to counsel and advise us and learn from their experiences. I am proud of you
Mothers take immense pride in their children. It is pure and unconditional love. And it is this pride that makes children do better, overcome failures, and strive for better results. Lesson learnt
We learn to recognise that recognition and support are motivating and do our best to support and motivate others, working with us.
Mothers are gifted with deep, perspicacious and timeless wisdom. These subtle lessons mothers teach their children have a magical effect on them, they leave an indelible mark, on them and shape them into confident leaders.
I agree with the author. I feel most of us will agree with the fact that a mother is the first 'Leadership Coach'. A nicely narrated article describing the impact and influence of the mother on our lives surely makes me go back to the past and dwell in the pleasant memories. The author truly deserves appreciation for her efforts.
Certain events would seem casual during the early days of our lives. When we today think about those past events, they seem to be valuable lessons that we learned about leadership. The perception of seeing life changes now. The dynamics that exist between a mother and child are absolutely different from the dynamics present in other relationships. We learn from a number of people during our academic years. We then learn from our employer and colleagues. However, the lessons learned from mother are the ones which cannot be described in words. They are the valuable lessons that will remain with us throughout our lives.
A leader is the one who is self-sufficient. Now, who else can teach us more about this aspect other than our mother? She showered love on us and embraced us dearly. She took care of us in every possible way. As we started growing up, she started making us self-sufficient. She encouraged us more and more and helped us master everything irrespective of how many times we failed doing the same task. Sometimes we did not feel like carrying out certain actions and sometimes we did not want to do that as we felt that we lacked skill. Despite our unwillingness, she never gave up on us. Her sheer effort and motivational words made us what we are today. When we embraced our everyday tasks, she felt relieved. It was not because she wanted to lessen the burden but because she wanted her dear ones to attain a certain level of maturity. Self-sufficient quality lays the foundation and inculcates leadership qualities in an individual.