Since becoming a mum for the first time, I have discovered how similar the job of a mother and leader really are. But all the Mummy Managers reading this probably already knew that…
Mothers manage behaviour for a living. The job of a Manager is a lot about managing people’s behaviour too.

Check out the job description of a Mum and see if is reads like that of a leader:

• Organising people
• Motivating (or bribing) kids to do what you want
• Giving feedback and correcting behaviour
• Directing people (bossing little people around)
• Disciplining unacceptable behaviour
• Rewarding good behaviour
• Setting and enforcing rules
• Working under pressure

Do Mum’s make good leaders?

All Mum’s have their own style based on their beliefs & upbringing, much like leaders. So, the key to hiring a mother who ‘manages’ little people at home like the you’d manage big people in the workplace, is to tap into their style. Find out what their underlying leadership beliefs are. Determine what they believe are the characteristics and behaviours of a good manager.
Remember that past performance is the best predictor of future behaviour. So, it’s important to explore how the Mum has managed people in the past during the interview or when checking references. This will give you a reliable insight into how she is likely to manage people and situations in the future.