For some, being a parent can be a joy and added challenge when it comes to their career. From inevitable emergencies to balancing work with family life, parents are often forced to exhibit qualities that some who don’t have children don’t necessarily have to exercise daily.
Being a parent can mean you’re often in situations where you’re forced to improvise, strengthen listening and communications skills and pass tests of patience. These are qualities that can be assets even in the workplace.
Writer Amy Levin-Epstein gives eight ways being a parent can be an asset in the workplace and how you can leverage those same tactics you use to raise your children to succeed in your career.
I’m more savvy at resolving conflicts. With three boys, there’s a lot of competing interests and headbutting. Often, getting them to articulate in words what they are thinking is the key to finding ways for them to come to mutually agreeable solutions. I do this with my team members, as well. The are often acting out of something they are not saying, instead of what they are actually complaining about. So getting them to talk
through it in a non-adversarial environment can bring these things out and then help them to help me respond to their needs and resolve their issues. — Michelle Colucci, CEO of MyLawsuit.com.