Fourteen months ago, I left my job to become a stay at home Mom to my now 2.5 year old daughter (see Habits of successful career nomads). I had worn multiple hats and had been in numerous Sales, Marketing, and Business Development roles during my 16 year tenure. I had hunted and warrior road traveled from being a Sales Rep (check), Marketing and Sales Account Manager (check), Sr. Business Development Manager, to a V.P. of Sales, Marketing and Business Development (check). Cleaving onto a daily ritual of: making sure that my business attire was ironed crisp, folders of business documents were in place, business cards and my work husband (cell phone) in hand, and my “face on”. I had never given much thought to how becoming a Parent could make me an even better Sales leader while I was focused on “building the dream.”
Here are 7 ways:
1.) Becoming a Parent ensured I articulated each and every syllable of every word. Not that I didn’t before but there were times that I would excitedly say something and then notice my daughter try to string those same words together.
2.) Becoming a Parent presented me with a novel way of: thinking, seeing the world, and telling a story to a prospective customer. This prospective customer was meeting with me because they were hungry for new information about the product and/or services that my organization provided. I found myself thinking about how would I explain this to my child. Plainly, efficiently, and with excitement so that the prospective customer gets it and wants to move forward in the sales process, and ultimately do business with me.
3.) Becoming a Parent helped me to continuously fine tune my daily schedule, preparation for meetings, and gave me the rigor to get things done ahead of the timelines I placed on myself and those set for me.
4.) Becoming a Parent caused me to create a “work-life balance”. No longer was I solely vested on work during the week and then spending time with my husband on the weekend like I had become accustomed to. Instead, I had entered into a “Rite of Passage” called Parenthood that caused me to separate myself from work each evening so that I could be a great Mommy for my child and wife for my husband when he hurried home from traveling.
5.) Becoming a Parent caused me to have a richer relationship with my boss and colleagues. Not that we hadn’t interacted before. Sure, we conversed on the phone during weekly team meetings and saw each other at the office from time to time. In addition, to customarily inviting one another to sales calls for the purpose of bringing a potential customer a more diversified offering. On the other hand, becoming a Parent positioned me as not only a colleague or subordinate but a potential “Mommy Friend”. Entailing discussions about preschool goals, our children’s mutual interest, activities, and providing insight on how they dealt with a childhood milestone and were moving on to the next.
6.) Becoming a Parent made me more engaging and relatable to customers with children and grandchildren. The customers I traditionally cold called were 55+ years old.
7.) Becoming a Parent made me strive to work even harder knowing that I have someone adoringly looking up to me, and someone that I have to provide for.
How has becoming a Parent helped you be even better at your job? Please post a comment below. Share this post! Like our content? Subscribe!
