6 Skills Mothers Need to Raise our Future Leaders – Elmarie Pretorius

 

YOUTH MONTH

JUNE 2020

It may be a very scary thought to think that your sweet little girl may be the chief executive officer of a big corporate in the next few years.  How can she hire and fire people – look at that sweet face!  And she looks so pretty in the lovely pink sweater you bought her this week. But, here’s the thing:  you are in fact busy shaping the future of business and the country!

Being a great mother does not only revolve around you mastering the various types of looks to enforce good behaviour. It is not only about you doing better research than the FBI because you worry constantly about your child. Mothers are so very important in our society, because without them who will build leaders, boost self-esteem, show you how to care, and inspire you to be great…to name but a few.

When your baby lies in your arms, you realise that you have been promoted to the most vital position in the world. But, as is quoted in Spiderman, “with great power comes great responsibility.” How he/she will be shaped as a person will depend solely on you. A terrifying thought, isn’t it?

It is not only about being the best mother you can be, but also about raising a future generation of leaders. However, don’t freak out and be too hard on yourselves. Always remember that you are only human and that you are doing the best you possibly can.

I have found 6 skills that you as a mother need to help raise future leaders:

Critical thinking skills – this skill is probably the most important. If you have critical thinking skills, you will teach your kids, not only how to identify the core of the problem, but also how to solve problems creatively and efficiently. Make your kids think about a scenario. Don’t give the solution straight away; ask them how they would solve the issue. Put the ball in their court, and then wait for the magic. You will be surprised at their creative problem-solving skills if you only give them a chance to try.

Leadership skills – you need to lead by example. That old saying “monkey see, monkey do” has a ground level of truth to it. Our little ones see how we act, talk, and handle situations and they mimic us. By developing your own leadership skills, gain your children’s trust and respect, and live by it, you will raise your children to be leaders. You will lead by example and they will follow in your footsteps.

Communication skills – being able to listen before you talk creates a feeling amongst your child that he/she is important and that you care about their emotions. Active listening skills take practice, but once mastered, can perform miracles. Teach your kids this from an early age. It is an extremely good habit and vital skill they need to become great future leaders.

Emotional Intelligence – Teach your children about self-awareness and being in touch with their emotions. By having empathy with your kids, you teach them that emotions of others matter. You teach them to have compassion and walk in other people’s shoes so that you understand others and their emotional well-being.

Mentoring and constant coaching - show your kids that it’s ok to ask for help. That you as a mother also have a support structure. Teach them to learn from others and that making mistakes is a good learning curve. They must know that we all learn from each other. Motivate positive influences from mentors like athletes or someone they can relate to. Help them to aspire into the great leaders you know they can be.

Goal orientated and motivated - ever notice that if the mother is depressed or feeling down that day, the family feels down. Mothers dictate the mood of the house. Mothers should have self-motivation skills to achieve their mission and goals each day. They should point out every silver lining and stay positive no matter what. You think kids don’t see this, but they do. Teach your children to complete tasks. Motivate them to be self-motivators.

If you lie awake at night wondering if you are a good mother, the answer is YES. The fact that you worry shows that you are and that you care what type of person your child will turn out to be.

Every child, family, situation, and mother are different. Your children should trust and respect you. They should also see that their dad trusts and respects you. These are core leadership characteristics you as a mother need to instill in the relationship between you and your child so that you can teach them teamwork, accountability, and grow their own skillset. You are the top-ranking official in your home and a great leader in the eyes of your family.