Ten Rainmaking skills every working Mom has:
#1- The ability to persuade. All Rainmakers need to have the ability to communicate persuasively while keeping the clients’ best interests at hearts. Moms do this every day as they navigate life with their children. Whether it’s trying to talk a 2 year old into eating peas or a teen-ager into wearing a jacket in the winter, working Moms are great at persuasive communication.
#2- The ability to see another point of view. If you have more than one child, you likely spend some portion of your day playing referee. Even if you are mother to a singleton, somewhere along the way your little angel likely had to learn to navigate social norms-requiring Moms to think about conflicts from multiple perspectives. Think the biter and the bitee at preschool. Having perspective is a critical rainmaking skill as well. Clients hire people that help them solve problems. Rainmakers must be able to assess the problem from the client’s point of view as well as the service provider’s point of view. Just like the Mom that has to navigate the back-seat teasing match.
#3- The ability to evaluate lots of information quickly. For some reason, pregnant women often find themselves on the receiving end of LOTS of unsolicited opinions and advice. This tirade of information continues after the baby is born. So Moms must quickly learn to gracefully receive and immediately evaluate mountains of information selecting the few nuggets to actually act upon. Rainmakers need this same skill. Rainmakers meet lots of people, learn lots of information about business and must decide which pieces of information have meaning and deserve action.
#4- The ability to prioritize. Most Moms have never-ending to-do lists. Each day they must make decision about how to prioritize that precious commodity we call time. Rainmakers need this same skill as they decide which prospects are hot and need immediate action and which can go into the system for a follow up at a later time.
#5- The ability to be flexible. What Mom hasn’t had well-laid plans changed by their child’s needs? Moms learn to adjust and re-adjust their time, priorities, and schedules according to their families current needs. Rainmakers do too. When you best client needs you TODAY, your have to know how to quickly adjust on the fly. Of course, when your best clients needs you EVERY day you have to know how to set boundaries which leads us to #6.
# 6 Boundaries. As much as we Moms love our little ones, we understand chocolate for dinner, no afternoon nap, and too much screen time is not good for them. Moms learn very quickly that they have to set clear boundaries for their kids to avoid meltdowns of unpredictability later. Rainmakers need boundaries too. It is very easy to get sucked into dinners, happy hours, morning meetings, and more when you are trying to develop business. To maintain their sanity and health, rainmakers have to have clear boundaries regarding the use of their time. Whether it is a one-evening event per week rule or a per day meeting limit, the best Rainmakers have clear boundaries of what they will and won’t do in the name of building business.
#7 Time Maximization. Moms know that in order to get it all done, they must maximize their time. From planning their errand routes to delegating household duties to scheduling Dr’s visits near the Starbucks so that you can connect to email, Moms understand how to maximize their time. Time maximization is a critical rainmaking skill as well. No amount of managing will create additional times. Rainmakers understand how to thoughtfully schedule their days to bring in the clients and take care of their needs.
#8 Organization. Have you ever seen the calendar of a working Mom? Nearly every detail of every day is organized. Moms know that there is no time to waste looking for stuff or deciding what to do next. Staying organized keeps them sane. The best Rainmakers apply this same discipline and organization to building a book of business. Rainmakers understand that developing business takes time and strategy and they organize their time, their appointments, and their approach accordingly.
#9 Leadership. Most mothers are the heartbeat of the family unit. They assume responsibility for their family’s economic and emotional well-being. They generally assume responsibility for the meal planning, determine the perimeters for the family vacation, and schedule the childcare arrangements. All of this responsibility, planning, and decision making is called leadership. The best rainmakers are leaders too. Rainmakers consistently look for opportunities to step up and making decisions for their business. They are the go to person for solving a client problem and planning a great event.
#10 Attitude. Working Moms are often the most tired people I meet in a day. Their days start before dawn and end long after the kids are asleep. Yet-every day they start fresh with a brand new can do attitude. Rainmaking is an attitude too. It is seeing the glass half full and recognizing the multiple opportunities.
Why on earth am I spending time writing about the similarities between working Moms and Rainmakers? Simple-true freedom and career success is built. Every working Mom that wants more flexibility or more control over her career and schedule needs to become a rainmaker. Remember the movie, Field of Dreams. The main character was driven by the words, “if you build it, they will come.” If you want your own Field of Dreams- you too must build it and it starts with a self-sustaining book of business!
About Jonelle- Jonelle Vold is a business coach that is passionate about your success. A mother of twins, former Assistant Dean at a tier-one law school, attorney, and seasoned sales professional, Jonelle understands the challenges of high-level professionals. Her coaching philosophy is every person has the ability to be a rainmaker by cracking their own personal code and doing business with intention. You can reach Jonelle at jonelle@jonellevold.com or www.jonellevold.com.
Women's MasterMind group starting in January, 2012. Are you a woman in business that would benefit from having a personal board of directors? Do you need some help holding yourself accountable and staying motivated? Would you like to have a support system of brilliant professional women to bounce ideas off of? If so, the Women's Mastermind group may be exactly what you need. Contact jonelle@jonellevold.com for details or go to http://tinyurl.com/4xhchav
