In the excitement of the 2014
World Cup, I find it interesting that Americans are more likely to know a female stereotype associated with this sport than any of the players on the U.S. national team.
She is the soccer mom, and your corporate team just may need her type of organization and leadership.
Merriam-Webster defines her as “a typically suburban mother who accompanies her children to their soccer games and is considered as part of a significant voting bloc or demographic group.”
I call her motivated and motivational.
As a leadership speaker, I believe strongly that she models several strong traits of great executives. Not every soccer mom will fit my description, many do. These women don’t just drive kids around; they are themselves driven to push their own capacity for their family’s sake.
If your corporate leadership needs a boost of inspiration and energy, look to these hallmarks of a soccer mom.
1. Multitasking, organization and efficiency.
She typically operates as a sole leader handling schedules and goals of multiple stakeholders. She navigates (literally and figuratively) to meet deadlines, with client safety and wellbeing in mind. There is constant movement and progress while juggling various personalities and even hormone levels, not to mention weather and traffic delays. The most effective soccer moms I know don’t have time for chitchat because they know how much they can get done in 10 minutes. A lot.
2. Clear perspective and values.
A soccer mom is as an example of a parent who wants more control and involvement in home and family life. Her service to her children is a conscious choice that involves sacrifice, which could involve career and/or family income. She knows that she is operating in a precious window of her children’s lives that is relatively short-lived, and she is making a strategic investment of her time and herself on behalf of her family. The calendar and deadlines structure her work, which is intense and immediate. The soccer moms I most admire are “all in,” because their lives and time are in line with their family-rooted values.
3. Going, going… and letting go.
None of her team (a.k.a children) has fully developed executive brain function, so a soccer mom often has a lot of pieces (from sports equipment to homework) to pick up. It’s her job to get them to soccer games and to grow up. Before they can drive themselves, she is transporting them and helping them transform into young adults with the confidence and training to take care of themselves. There is an incremental passing of expertise and competence as the child gets older, preparing him or her to take the wheel and drive themselves. A soccer mom isn’t just about the next game; she’s about the endgame of raising a responsible, well-rounded adult who can make it in the world. She knows from the get-go that it’s not about her.
Key takeaways for women leaders
The example of a soccer mom is important if you are on a business team that needs a boost in energy, leadership or both. It’s also important if you are among the many women leaders I meet at my speaking engagements who are looking to transition from soccer mom back to corporate life. Bringing the right person on your team, or being that right person, depends on being intentional, clear, disciplined and committed.
Don’t look for a person or job that will make you feel more complete; be that complete person who draws a team closer. Great talent or a great job will never just fall in your lap. Any soccer mom will tell you that it takes a lot of drive to get where you need to go.
Our joy is helping you succeed in your goals. Our focus is to help your operate at full potential. Whether your audience is largely men or women or evenly mixed, contact us today to book Molly Fletcher as your motivational business speaker.
