Becoming a parent is a time of unprecedented change and transformation. It can be incredibly difficult to allocate time and head-space to consider this weighty situation. The promise of extraordinary fulfilment for the career-mother is there for the taking, but the feeling of juggling haplessly and endlessly racing from one demand to another can make that sense of fulfilment feel frustratingly out of reach. While coaching can help to address this, the consequences for leaving this unaddressed can be costly for both the individual and the organisation.
“This struggle is real. The juggle is real. That’s why everyone should hire working mothers. They are put in crazy situations all the time and are forced to problem-solve. They are some of the most resourceful employees.”
Sara Blakely,
businesswoman and philanthropist
“No wonder the mother’s inner landscape has been little explored and explained. Mothers scarcely have time to identify it themselves!”
Daniel N Stern M.D.,
The Birth of a Mother
Many career-mothers return to work with excited anticipation about re-entering and contributing to the stimulating adult world of work. However, without the right support, this energy can slip away. As a career-mother returns to work, strong emotions of guilt, failure and inadequacy are common. Add into that heady mix, returning to a workplace which will not be as the new mother left it.
A loss of confidence is common as some of the skills and knowledge the career-mother built up may be out of date. Instead of maintaining a successful career, the career-mother can find herself becoming a working-mother ‘going through the motions’ or turning to the word ‘just’ to describe her contribution. How often do we hear, ‘I’m just a mum’ or ‘I’m just part-time’? Such language is problematic for the mother and the employer. It speaks of talent, potential and flair being put aside. It speaks of a lack of fulfilment.
Skilled coaching, combined with my carefully designed and targeted workshops, effectively supports women through this complex transformation of being a new parent as well as pursuing a hard-earned career. Coaching supports structured exploration of both roles in order to action plan practical steps to thrive at home and at work.
