In a previous Mother’s Day letter, I shared that if there were a job description for the role of mother, “multitasker” would be the first bullet point. I would also add “SMART goal-setter” to the job description.
I was fortunate to grow up with a mother who was a skilled multitasker and goal-setter. She had to be because she raised five children — including two sets of twins — all born within a three-year window. She was the rock in our military family and stood firmly in her strategy to make our family work. She had SMART goals way before we knew what to call them. She started with the big picture, sharing her overall vision and mission for her family. We were military, so not only did we have to function as a team, but we moved every year. We even lived in Germany, where three of my siblings were born. We learned to acclimate quickly to new environments under her leadership and be resilient and adaptable.
Her SMART goals were much like our goals for our companies.
- She started with her vision and mission.
- Her goals were Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound.
- She clearly communicated her goals to the five of us and my father.
- She held us all accountable. (Saturday was cleaning day — no exceptions. I never knew until I was an adult that Venetian blinds did not have to be washed weekly.)
- She evaluated progress and made changes as needed.
Sound familiar? I still feel her influence today as I work to balance my personal and professional responsibilities and the many important AME projects that are happening concurrently. We must encourage our organizations to understand the benefits of having women and mothers at every business level. Acknowledging their multitasking and SMART goal-setting power on Mother’s Day is a start.
As a reminder, AME partners with Women in Manufacturing (WIM) to offer joint memberships for women and men. We support WIM’s mission and know that we must build diverse, equitable and inclusive workplaces where everyone’s contributions are valued. As a military child, I am proud to share that we offer free membership to our military and veteran community.
On behalf of AME’s staff and volunteers, I wish a happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers, adoptive and foster mothers, step- and second mothers, single mothers, mothers-to-be, mothers coping with loss, struggling mothers, those who wish to be mothers, and all who carry out the "multitasker" role of mother. You continue to inspire me, your colleagues and your families.
As always, please stay safe and keep looking out for one another.
