What I Learned About Work From Mom

Mother’s Day 2012 seems an appropriate time to offer a few reflections about my mom. I thought about writing a traditional tribute piece detailing her love, support, and encouragement for me over the past 57 years. Then I realized that mom also taught me a good deal about work and, since I spend so much of my time doing just that, it seemed appropriate to offer a few insights I learned (and am still learning) from her.

One of the early lessons gleaned from mom was the joy she found in daily activities. I’m sure she wasn’t always excited about cooking, baking, cleaning, or gardening yet I always sensed a deep inner delight in whatever she was doing. She passed on her felicity by turning everyday chores into fun. I learned to appreciate washing dishes, pulling weeds, and cleaning my room because mom modeled joy as she completed these routine tasks.

Mom was also quick to praise the work I did as a child or youth. While my early attempts to fold laundry or vacuum surely fell far short of her standards, I received a kind word of encouragement anyway (perhaps with a quick lesson on areas to improve the next time). Although my professional work standards are always quite high I have learned how to compliment the work of others and share my mom’s lesson that “praise does wonders” when offered by those we respect.

I also learned that sometimes work isn’t exciting or compelling yet it is generally doing the little things well that results in lasting success. Cleaning the rabbit pens certainly wasn’t very exhilarating, however banking the money raised from selling all their offspring several times a year surely was. Mom had the sense to know that if I could grasp the concept of delayed gratification then I would more likely achieve my personal and professional goals.

One final lesson about work that I learned from mom—clean up the messes you make. Failure is a fact of life. I grew up watching my mom throw away a cake that flopped while baking, laugh about a load of laundry that blew off the clothesline, and gather up the remnants of a broken dish she had dropped. Many of my early attempts at chores resulted in a similar fate. Yet, mom was persistent in trying again and encouraging me to do the same.

Today’s culture has idealized the role of mothers into an impossible blend of career professional, impeccable hostess, devoted housewife, and perfect parent. My mom didn’t have an outside job or do everything well all the time. What she did―besides love me unconditionally―was model joy, dispense praise generously, focus on the small stuff, and clean up the messes of life. These experiences have shaped who I am as a person and a leader. I’m sure many of my readers would have similar examples to share. Of all the things mom taught me over the years, on this Mother’s Day I am most grateful for these life lessons about work. I love you mom!