Lead Like Mom

This Mother’s Day consider a few leadership lessons from mom. The Bible has much to say about women and motherhood. Proverbs 31:25-30 sets the high bar: “Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: ‘Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.’”

Not everyone one of us had a great experience with our mom growing up, but many of us did. Scripture gives instruction as to the responsibilities and gifts of motherhood. Mother’s Day is a reminder to be thankful for our moms and the investment they made in the persons we are today. Moms have a tremendous capacity to instill wisdom, values and principles into their children and families. Here are four things we can learn as leaders from mom:

Have high-fives and hope. Great moms lead by anticipating and celebrating good things in the lives of family and friends. They’re present to celebrate first steps and first words. They plan the birthday and Christmas gifts. Moms make the treks to sports practice and are there to cheer every game. Many of us can look back on our younger years and count our mom as someone who was always for us, no matter what the challenge or circumstance. 

But it’s not just the smiles and congratulations in winning. A mom’s unique gift is the hope she has for her children—an undying confidence that not that they will win every time, but that they are indeed capable of winning. A mom presses us to do our best in every circumstance, and still is there with a high-five when we fail. We might notice it when we try to ride a bike for the first time, but mom as cheerleader continues with every possibility and challenge in life, until our grey hairs echo hers. Oliver Wendell Holmes said, “Youth fades; love droops; the leaves of friendship fall; A mother’s secret hope outlives them all.”

Pass on what’s important. Great moms lead by passing on important principles to their kids. Proverbs 31:26-27 reminds us, “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.” While dad might be the one to teach his kids how to fish, or play football, or sell real estate, it’s likely that you got your sense of kindness, self-lessness, confidence and helpfulness toward others from mom. And you probably saw her model initiative and self-determination in her constant activity—working a job, keeping the house, planning meals, setting the calendar, and so much more. 

Moms have a great sense of legacy. Moms learn from the past, and in the present they pass on wisdom with an eye to the future. They realize through their example, speech and teaching, they are building their children into the people they will become later. Writer Maxim Grosky said, “Only mothers can think of the future because they give birth to it in their children.” When a mother looks into the eyes of her children, she realizes in a special way that she is literally building the next generation, and takes that responsibility seriously. 

Say and show love. Great moms lead by putting love on display. A mother is the engine of love for a family. God gifted moms with the unique ability to say and show love in every circumstance. What does this love look like? 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 says, “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” And that’s mom—patient, kind, humble, forgiving, joyful, enduring.

Mom was the one who provided the Band-Aids and kisses when we got skinned up. And she was the one who sat on the front porch for those long conversations about relationships and friendships and what we should expect from people we cared about. And when we disappoint her, mom reminds us that her love for us outweighs so many things we consider important. Psychologist Erich Fromm said,  “Mother’s love is peace. It need not be acquired, it need not be deserved.”

Sacrifice when required. Someone once said, “Motherhood is the exquisite inconvenience of being another person’s everything.” Moms willingly put their own interests and ambitions aside for the sake of their kids. They’re devoted to family, even if it means pausing or stopping a career, or picking up one. Ask a mom about her hobbies, interests and diversions and she’ll likely tell you that her time instead centers on keeping their home and managing the family. 

Moms sacrifices are endless. They gave up sleep countless nights to make sure we got ours. They gave up their own peace and quiet to deal with the yelling and screaming and playtimes and mealtimes. They gave up their own health if it meant keeping everyone else healthy. Most of all moms sacrifice what they want so that we can be ourselves. It’s a tall order to put aside your own ambition so that others can flourish. Maybe that’s why President Abraham Lincoln said, “All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.”

This Mother’s Day, be thankful for mom, regardless of the circumstance. Remember the best of what your mother instilled in you. And resolve to lead like mom as you celebrate and hope for the best in people, say and show love, sacrifice for your family, and pass down what’s important. Live and lead that kind of life, and your mom would be indeed proud.