How do you develop strong relationships that keep the family thriving for generations? David Bentall joins me today to bring some insight into just that with his years of multi-generational family business experience!

For more than two decades, David worked in his family’s real estate and construction business, and during his tenure as President and CEO of Dominion Construction, the family business doubled in size with almost $300,000 in sales! As the successor of such a thriving business, he’ll share with us his experience as the NextGen leader, the appointed president who guided his family, and the owner who sold his shares then worked for the next family.

So if you too want to build a business set to last for generations after you, this episode is perfect for you!

 

Listen as we draw out David's experience as a NextGen leader on:

• Choosing mentors and heroes that effectively inspire and guide family business leaders.
• Developing emotional intelligence in next-gen family leaders.
• Fostering the 9 family leadership traits that next-gen leaders need to create and sustain success.
• Implementing effective communication and decision-making processes in the family.
• Creating career, personal and professional development pathways.

 

Episode Highlights:

• David’s personal experience with next-generation succession.
• How David transitioned into helping other families with their business.
• The importance of emotional intelligence and how to develop that into the next generation.
• David’s life lessons for future successors of their family’s business.
• David's definition of governance and why it's so important for business families.
• What role faith played in building Davids company 
• What David learned about managing expectations

 

Thank you!

Thanks again for listening to the show! If it has helped you in any way, please share it using the social media buttons you see on the page.   We’d also really appreciate any feedback or questions that might guide what we talk about in future episodes.

Additionally, reviews for the podcast on iTunes are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and we read every one of them.

 

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Learn how to build your family’s relational bank account as Tim and Michelle share how to create healthy boundaries between family members, how to create a cadence of communication in the extended family, and how to deal with failure both in your personal life and in business in a way that helps you and your kids see it as a growth opportunity.

This is a rare opportunity to hear the wisdom Tim and Michelle Seneff are gaining as they learn to navigate challenging business and family transitions and intergenerational family dynamics in a way that brings deeper meaning and even joy.

Tim Seneff worked up through the ranks of the private investment firm his father started. He eventually becomes President of CNL Financial Group which has formed or acquired companies with assets of over $25 billion. But everything started to change when a significant health crisis shifted his perspective and the focus he wanted for his wife and five kids. This forced them to grapple with two critical questions:  What happens when the personal priorities of the next generation change or differ from the prior generation?  How do you balance the priorities of work and family when you’re a part of a family business?

 

Episode Highlights:

• How wealth and success can create lubrication for life that causes you to miss working on the hard stuff internally and in relationships.
• The pressure of wearing the family name or business name on your jersey every day.
• The value of crisis to reshape your perspective.
• The importance of having healthy feedback circles that call you on your stuff.
• Learning to enjoy the journey on a slower road where the people you love are with you.
• How to succeed as the second generation in the family business.
• Honoring prior generations (even when they make mistakes) while creating a culture of grace and truth and love. Thinking about what grace may I want my kids to give me when I'm older.
• How to be ready for major resets in life (e.g. relational fractures, divorce, or death in the family)
• Finding the balance between truth and love. Pressing onto peace instead of conflict.
• Leading with humility and diplomacy.
• Doing the deep work of knowing who you are and who you aren't.
• Families that play together, stay together.
• Wearing the right hand with each of your children based on the phase of life they are in.
• Creating a multigenerational mindset in your children through values transfer and storytelling.
• How divorce impacts adult next-gen and sibling relationships.
• The value of seeking personal counseling especially when not in crisis mode.
• Prioritizing your personal family over your family of origin while still loving your extended family well.
• Moving from predictable and controlled life to a position of risky adventure taking.
• The thrill and risk of measuring financial success are based on how much you give to others.
• Know the truth you believe, not just based on the truth your family believes.
• Shifting manhood identity to my pursuit of your wife and her heart instead of an identity based on achievement at work.
• Helping your kids develop the stewardship and entrepreneurship mindset especially when they are raised in affluence.
• Why it's valuable for your children to have failure being an option.
• Importance of not pushing the next-gen into your family business or into leadership roles too fast.

 

Thank you!

Thanks again for listening to the show! If it has helped you in any way, please share it using the social media buttons you see on the page.   We’d also really appreciate any feedback or questions that might guide what we talk about in future episodes.

Additionally, reviews for the podcast on iTunes are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and we read every one of them.

 

JOIN THE SYSTEMS FOR SUCCESS COMMUNITY!

• Subscribe to the Systems for Success Podcast on IOS or Apple Itunes.
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2020 was a crazy year that gave us unique opportunities for profound learnings that can only happen when life is disrupted.  We all learned more about ourselves, our relationships, our purposes and our values. 

Join our family as we gather around the table to share some of our highest impact learnings from challenging circumstances, accomplishments and mistakes.  

This entry from one of Lachelle’s 2020 reflection may give you some encouragement on your journey: 

When the world is chaos, when the boat is being rocked and the waves and the wind are large and wild, I have found my footing. I'm proud of us and proud of me. I love what we've created in our little family, how we see the world, the joy that keeps us going. 

We look for beauty. We are able to be flexible. 

We grieve and grow, but we don't stay low. 

We rest and we go. 

We create the experiences and work towards the attitudes we want to keep, that serve our lives. 

We are certain of our foundation, the solid rock. He is unshakable and has proven such more than ever this year. We know we will prevail because He prevails. We've established kingdom culture in our home more deeply than ever before. We're confident in His goodness!

Episode Highlights:

• Key learnings from our family that can help you this year and beyond
• The power of focusing on gratitude
• How to use “effective blaming” to turn every challenge into a benefit
• The value of continual learning to take your leadership effectiveness to the next level
• How to create a 10 year vision for your business or family and the steps to make that vision become reality
• Keys to building abundant relationships 
• Finding the one thing you can do that will make everything else unnecessary or irrelevant
• The power of going towards what you’ve been avoiding and pursuing the unknown
• Learning to turn inconvenient moments into beautiful, life enriching memories
• How disruption helps us experience and embrace what matters most

Thank you

Thanks again for listening to the show! If it has helped you in any way, please share it using the social media buttons you see on the page.   We’d also really appreciate any feedback or questions that might guide what we talk about in future episodes.

Additionally, reviews for the podcast on iTunes are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and we read every one of them.

JOIN THE SYSTEMS FOR SUCCESS COMMUNITY!

• Subscribe to the Systems for Success Podcast on IOS or Apple Itunes.
• Subscribe to the Systems for Success Podcast on Android or Windows OS.
• Enter your email in one of the email opt-ins on this site for regular emails from Lonnie Gienger or the Gienger Family on additional Systems for Success.
• Follow Systems for Success on Instagram @systemsforsuccess
• Follow Lonnie Gienger on Instagram @lonniegienger

This is a rare opportunity to sample the secrets of multigenerational families from the leader of a successful billion dollar a year 120-year-old family business with 341 family member shareholders.

What Are the Traits of a Successful Multigenerational Generation Family?

• They know the family story. They know who they are.
• They are clear on their values and live them out.
• They understand trust is important within the family and reinforce that through words and   actions.
• They are clear on the direction they want to go as a family and move in that direction.
• Each successive generation is empowered to design their own destiny, building on the strengths and values of the prior generations.
• They value family unity and affirm each family member, but don’t endorse behavior contrary to family values.
• They intentionally nurture good relationships amongst all members of the family, regardless of differences.
• They make sure spouses of family members, and adopted children, feel like family by blood.

How to Develop the Traits of a Successful Multigenerational Generation Family?

• They  know the  family  story. They  know  who  they  are.  Capture  and  tell  the family story through interviewing family members. Provide easy access to videos and written content telling the family story. Ask questions such as, “How did our great grandfather start the business?" Don’t tell only the hero stories. Tell the whole story, warts and all, to communicate that success is possible even with struggles and imperfection.
• They are clear on their values and live them out. Discover through stories how the family’s values came about. What values drove the family to believe in their ability to create something worthwhile? What anchored them, keeping them from being destroyed when the storms came? Retell the stories over and over and over to reinforce the values.
• They understand trust is important within the family, and reinforce that through words and actions. Seek to know the expectations  of  family members  and consider how those expectations can be incorporated into how the family lives out their values. Make it clear if it isn’t possible to include certain expectations within how the family interacts and deploys their resources.
• They are clear on the direction they want to go as a family and move in that direction. They establish a family compass - mission, vision, purpose, values. This provides direction. Then they frequently reassess, how are we doing related to our family compass? Where do we need to make course corrections?
• Each successive generation is empowered to design their own destiny, building on the strengths and values of the prior generations. They engage in open communication about honoring differing values and priorities amongst immediate family sub-units, while being respectful of the larger family's values.
• They value family unity and affirm each family member, but don’t endorse behavior contrary to family values. They are clear about family values but recognize not everyone in the family will enthusiastically endorse all of the family values. With love they affirm each family member, while not endorsing behavior that goes against family values.
• They intentionally nurture good relationships amongst all members of the family, regardless of differences. They look for ways to connect and enjoy being together. If there is not a good relationship with adult children, they look for and act on ways to rebuild the relationship. They are persistent until the relationship is restored, no matter how long it takes.
• They make sure spouses of family members, and adopted children, feel like family by blood. They embrace family unity and affirm everyone, making sure to include spouses of family members, and those who are adopted, in all gatherings and family discussions.

 Other Pivotal Family and Business Principles Discussed:

• How to make sure company and family values are not just marketing statements but are used as guiding accountability for the family and the business.
• How to make sure the direction you set on paper show up in the decisions and actions of the family and the business?
• How to keep the extended family pulling together for the good of everyone over multiple generations.
• How to handle family shareholders who cause disunity in the business or the family.
• How to remove family shareholders or terminate family employees and still maintain relationships.
• How to make sure your family business is headed in the right direction to get to the desired destination over multiple generations.
• How to educate all family members and shareholders about the family business by telling stories…warts and all… not just the hero stories.
• Defining responsibilities and communication lines between the owners group, family members the shareholders group and the board.
• Using a balanced scorecard that measures financial results, shareholder satisfaction, risk tolerance and stewardship of family values.
• How to build legacy with divorced parents. 
  • Don’t focus on the dirty laundry. Instead focus on the story you want your grand kids to know about.  Start where you are and create a new branch in the family tree.  Take the long view and determine what you can do today that could positively influence your generations 20 years from now. 
• How to integrate next gen spouses in family business and legacy processes.
  • Empowering each generation to be architects of their own destiny while at the same time building on the values of the prior generation.
• How to transfer stories, principles and values to next generations.
  • Developing family traditions and routines that make the family and its values attractional to future generations.

 

Thank you

Thanks again for listening to the show! If it has helped you in any way, please share it using the social media buttons you see on the page.   We’d also really appreciate any feedback or questions that might guide what we talk about in future episodes.

Additionally, reviews for the podcast on iTunes are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and we read each and every one of them.

JOIN THE SYSTEMS FOR SUCCESS COMMUNITY!

• Subscribe to the Systems for Success Podcast on IOS or Apple Itunes.
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This is a golden opportunity to hear the author of, How to Make Your Family Business Last, Mitzi Perdue, distill a combined 280 years of her own family’s culture-building wisdom into one hour. You’ll gain real life lessons and gain practical tools you can use to create and maintain a healthier family culture that could endure for generations.

Mitzi combines the experiences of two long-time family businesses: her father Ernest Henderson co-founded the Sheraton Hotel Chain and her late husband Frank Perdue was the second generation in the poultry company that today operates in more than 100 countries. You’ll be captivated by Mitzi’s genuine passion to share practical tips and tools that have helped her two long-running families flourish together for more than seven generations. 

“When family members love, support, and encourage each other, there is a flourishing of the human soul that is incomparable.” — Mitzi Perdue

Episode Highlights:

• Developing family traditions and gatherings that keep the family together over many generations 
• The value and process for truly getting to know and understand family members
• Creating a system to ensure the family continues to meet and keep in touch on a regular basis over the generations
• Instilling family activities and awards that build and reinforce family values
• How to leverage philanthropy to reinforce family culture and build relationships
• How to leave the legacy of a “recipe for living”
• Reinforcing generational values and learnings through creative forms of autobiographies 
• The value of developing an ethical will
• How to transfer a family value like frugality to the younger generation
• What does a high-functioning family look like and what is most likely to create this type of family
• How to educate the next generation of leaders
• How to generate happiness and build on the strengths of prior generations
• The importance of intentionality in creating family culture
• How to deal with family conflict: Perdue’s covenant and Henderson’s “we don’t wash our dirty linens in public”
• How to be up in down times

To find more gems of wisdom from Mitzi, go to www.mitziperdue.com or get her books on Amazon. 

Thank you

Thanks again for listening to the show! If it has helped you in any way, please share it using the social media buttons you see on the page.   We’d also really appreciate any feedback or questions that might guide what we talk about in future episodes.

Additionally, reviews for the podcast on iTunes are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and we read each and every one of them.

JOIN THE SYSTEMS FOR SUCCESS COMMUNITY!

• Subscribe to the Systems for Success Podcast on IOS or Apple Itunes.
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• Follow Systems for Success on Instagram @systemsforsuccess
• Follow Lonnie Gienger on Instagram @lonniegienger

The world has forever changed. It’s time to catch the current and make your own wave.  What can you learn from the currency of success patterns from the past that will help you adapt to and succeed in a post-COVID-19 world? Learn how you can accelerate the innovation of a more ideal future—now and beyond the current challenges—by adapting past learnings to current realities. 

Gain valuable insights from Kevin McGovern who has founded over 25 companies, six of which have become world/category leaders (such as SoBe Beverages), and has been lead negotiator/principal in over 15 global joint ventures. 

Learn from the experience of a super successful, seasoned entrepreneur and how he is applying the lessons he has learned from his past onto the future of his investments, businesses, and well-being of his family! Find out how you can catch the current and make your own wave to make a positive impact on the world!

Episode Highlights:

• Kevin shares his process of applying specific entrepreneurial learnings and life experiences to the new post COVID world that we live in today
• Breaking down impossible dreams into possible steps to achieve great things
• Key learnings about what creates entrepreneurial success from years of business acquisitions and ventures capital investments 
• The importance of having good relationships and why sharing the same passion matters
• Knowing your purpose and making a difference
• Adaptation and iteration
• Kevin’s experience and thoughts on doing business with family members
• Relationships and communication
• Real estate investing: What is likely to be the best play in the new economy
• Thoughts and visions for the new 2.0 economy
• How Kevin applies his lifetime experience in the current crisis we’re experiencing right now
• How to engage in something that we don’t like so that we can make better outcomes for society 
• How Kevin uses his confidence and motivation to positively influence others and make a difference in the word

Thank you

Thanks again for listening to the show! If it has helped you in any way, please share it using the social media buttons you see on the page.   We’d also really appreciate any feedback or questions that might guide what we talk about in future episodes.

Additionally, reviews for the podcast on iTunes are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and we read each and every one of them.

JOIN THE SYSTEMS FOR SUCCESS COMMUNITY!

• Subscribe to the Systems for Success Podcast on IOS or Apple Itunes.
• Subscribe to the Systems for Success Podcast on Android or Windows OS.
• Enter your email in one of the email opt-ins on this site for regular emails from Lonnie Gienger or the Gienger Family on additional Systems for Success.
• Follow Systems for Success on Instagram @systemsforsuccess
• Follow Lonnie Gienger on Instagram @lonniegienger

Developing and preserving family wealth and strong values takes great effort. What can you do to make sure your next generations are building on what’s important to your family rather than blowing it? Why is the most common pattern “shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations”? 

Most families within one generation develop tangible and intangible values they are proud of. But all too often that which is valuable to one generation is not effectively transferred to future generations.

In this episode, we’ll introduce you to two families that have managed to pass various forms of wealth to six or seven generations, including family businesses that have endured for over 200 years. Pierre DuPont shares a real-life case study of hard-earned lessons from his family which has been one of the wealthiest families in America for many generations. You’ll gain great wisdom from his intention to help other families and business leaders create a more positive, multi-generational legacy.

Learn from the experience of world-renowned families how to manage, maintain, and preserve financial and non-financial family wealth in ways that benefit future generations. Find out how you can help your children, grandchildren, and all future descendants sustain principles that can multiply your family‘s success! 

Episode Highlights:

• Pierre talks about his family history, inherited wealth, the businesses developed, and his definition of wealth.
• We discuss:
• • Forms of financial and non-financial wealth
  • The best paradigm for generational wealth transfer
  • Positive and negative impacts of financial wealth to your future descendants
  • The value of open, honest, inclusive communication about family traditions
  • Common principles and practices about finance in relation to family wealth
  • The importance of training and mentoring family members of what’s important to the family
  • Purpose and goals for wealth

• And we talk about how to:
• • Keep families together over multiple generations
  • Guide your future descendants on how to preserve and wisely utilize their financial wealth
  • Develop and maintain family bonds and traditions over the generation
  • Engage family members in business and philanthropy
  • Pass the wealth to your descendants with appropriate guidance 

Thank you

Thanks again for listening to the show! If it has helped you in any way, please share it using the social media buttons you see on the page.   We’d also really appreciate any feedback or questions that might guide what we talk about in future episodes.

Additionally, reviews for the podcast on iTunes are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and we read each and every one of them.

JOIN THE SYSTEMS FOR SUCCESS COMMUNITY!

• Subscribe to the Systems for Success Podcast on IOS or Apple Itunes.
• Subscribe to the Systems for Success Podcast on Android or Windows OS.
• Enter your email in one of the email opt-ins on this site for regular emails from Lonnie Gienger or the Gienger Family on additional Systems for Success.
• Follow Systems for Success on Instagram @systemsforsuccess

Follow Lonnie Gienger on Instagram @lonniegienger

Never before have so many families struggled with incorporating what happens in business with what happens in the home. The pursuit of work-life integration has become more important now than ever.  But what exactly, does that mean, and how do you do it?

Business can be an endlessly fascinating subject that encourages the exchange of ideas and eager discussions about the future. Or the constant demands of business creeping into the home can cause undue stress in the family and disintegrate relationships. How do you deal with the reality that the responsibilities of business can sometimes feel more urgent than the important everyday needs of your family?  How do you bring your work life into your home life in a way that is healthy for you and your family? 

Join us in this episode as our family discusses how you can integrate your work into your family in ways that benefit both your business and your marriage. Find out how you can create healthy boundaries, support each other’s goals and use your work as an opportunity to build intimacy in your marriage.  

Episode Highlights:

• How to integrate work into your life and family
• How spouses can understand and support each other’s work life in ways that build intimacy in the marriage
• Deciding what to share with your spouse about your business and professional life
• The benefits of integrating your business and professional life into your family life
• The challenges of integrating your business and professional life into your family life
• Creating healthy boundaries 
• Honoring your spouse’s needs and goals

Thank you

Thanks again for listening to the show! If it has helped you in any way, please share it using the social media buttons you see on the page.   We’d also really appreciate any feedback or questions that might guide what we talk about in future episodes.

Additionally, reviews for the podcast on iTunes are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and we read each and every one of them.

JOIN THE SYSTEMS FOR SUCCESS COMMUNITY!

• Subscribe to the Systems for Success Podcast on IOS or Apple Itunes.
• Subscribe to the Systems for Success Podcast on Android or Windows OS.
• Enter your email in one of the email opt-ins on this site for regular emails from Lonnie Gienger or the Gienger Family on additional Systems for Success.
• Follow Systems for Success on Instagram @systemsforsuccess
• Follow Lonnie Gienger on Instagram @lonniegienger

Relationships are the greatest treasure in life that we could ever have. In this episode, you’ll learn how you can improve your relationship with your parents or adult children. 

The quality of the relationship you have with your family does matter. Having that best friend type of relationship with your adult children or parents is one that you’ll truly enjoy for the rest of your life.

Join us as we discuss how to identify and truly value the differences in each family member, how we can appreciate them through a love language that they speak and keep a mindset of grace. Find out how you can overcome challenges between adult-children and parent relationships, as we’ll also tackle topics related to forgiveness, honesty, and love.

Episode Highlights:

• The friendship relationship between parents and their adult children
• Staying curious with your kids and having the same curiosity towards our parents
• Understanding and speaking their love language
• What it means to have a mindset of grace

Thank you

Thanks again for listening to the show! If it has helped you in any way, please share it using the social media buttons you see on the page.   We’d also really appreciate any feedback or questions that might guide what we talk about in future episodes.

Additionally, reviews for the podcast on iTunes are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and we read each and every one of them.

JOIN THE SYSTEMS FOR SUCCESS COMMUNITY!

• Subscribe to the Systems for Success Podcast on IOS or Apple Itunes.
• Subscribe to the Systems for Success Podcast on Android or Windows OS.
• Enter your email in one of the email opt-ins on this site for regular emails from Lonnie Gienger or the Gienger Family on additional Systems for Success.
• Follow Systems for Success on Instagram @systemsforsuccess
• Follow Lonnie Gienger on Instagram @lonniegienger

Nobody said parenting would be easy! Especially, when your kids are growing into adulthood. They are ever-changing, and everything happens very fast. 

Are you being a good parent to your adult child? Are you still treating your 21-year-old the way you treated him back when he was 14?

Many parents struggle to navigate their role in their children’s life as they transition into adulthood. Just like how your child evolves and grows, so should your relationship with them.

As parents, you must learn to relate to your grown-up child appropriately. You have to learn to listen more and let them talk about their thoughts and feelings.

How do you create a strong bond with your adult adult-children?

Join us in this episode, as we talk about navigating roles and relationships between parents and adult children. You’ll learn about the common beliefs that surround the parent and adult-child relationship. As well as the 4 phases to intentionally transition our parenting approach throughout the stages of our children’s lives.

Know what you should do as a parent and as an adult son or daughter. I hope today’s episode inspires you to see your relationship possibilities in different ways than you have before!

Episode Highlights:

• How to build strong bonds between parents and their adult children
• Key beliefs and practices that strengthen parent and adult children relationship
• Key beliefs and practices that prevent strong bonds between a parent and their adult children
• Navigating the 4 phases of parent child roles and relationships 
• Establishing a good relationship with your children at a young age
• How parents can develop friendship with grown-up kids
• How adults can improve relationships with parents. 
• Setting boundaries

There are 4 phases of parent child relationships that should intentionally change throughout the different stages of maturity.   I encourage parents to intentionally look for ways to build stronger relationships with your adult-children. And adult-children, be sure to make the most of the time you have left with your parents to do anything you can to optimize that relationship.  Why not find ways to foster rich friendship in the majority of these later years of the parent-child relationship?

Thank you

Thanks again for listening to the show! If it has helped you in any way, please share it using the social media buttons you see on the page.   We’d also really appreciate any feedback or questions that might guide what we talk about in future episodes.

Additionally, reviews for the podcast on iTunes are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show and we read each and every one of them.

JOIN THE SYSTEMS FOR SUCCESS COMMUNITY!

• Subscribe to the Systems for Success Podcast on IOS or Apple Itunes.
• Subscribe to the Systems for Success Podcast on Android or Windows OS.
• Enter your email in one of the email opt-ins on this site for regular emails from Lonnie Gienger or the Gienger Family on additional Systems for Success.
• Follow Systems for Success on Instagram @systemsforsuccess
• Follow Lonnie Gienger on Instagram @lonniegienger

How Mothers Shape the World

Both our married children recently had their first babies—two beautiful girls! As I’ve watched these new mothers learning to lead our precious granddaughters, it caused me to ponder the power of a mother’s leadership to shape our world.

In our society, we don't always think of parents as being equivalent to "leaders." Leaders, we believe, are heads of state, prime ministers, elected officials, CEOs of powerful corporations, media personalities, and others. Those people, we think, are the real movers and shakers of society.

Are they? In the organic cocoon of the family and home, character forms. And the character of each individual forms society. The person who makes decisions on war and peace in a political leadership position, the person who makes decisions that build or destroy companies comes from a home which shaped him or her. More specifically, that person came from a mother.

One thing all human beings have in common is that we all had mothers. Our mother might have been great; she might have been terrible. She might still be our foremost fan and source of emotional support, or she might have abandoned us at birth. She might have helped or harmed us, or done both, but we simply wouldn’t be here if it were not for mothers. Mothers are, at the very least, a biological necessity for the continuance of humankind.

What is more, for good or ill, mothers have tremendous impact and influence over who their children become. While mothers cannot take full credit or full blame for the way their children turn out, they are undoubtedly significant contributors to those outcomes. Hence, they shape society.

A mother forms a child's first impressions of the world, even while the child is inside the womb. Some research shows the neurological influence the qualities of a mother's thoughts and emotions have on a child. Common sense tells us that a tense and anxious mother or one exulting with the joys of laughter and song has an impact on the person in her womb, even if only at the level of unhealthy or healthy heart rates. Of course, what a mother ingests also impacts her child, sometimes for life.

In that sense, mothers are the first leaders we ever encounter in this life. The way they lead their lives starts settling into the folds of our brains early on to mold us into the people we are.

Abraham Lincoln, considered one of our greatest presidents, said, “All that I am, I owe to my angel mother.”

Even in eras where women had far less power in the voting booth and the marketplace, there was a saying: "The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world." Mothers exerted enormous influence over society by raising the children who would become tomorrow's adults.

Motherhood is vital for the existence of society in both biological and non-biological ways. Yet motherhood is rarely honored or as highly esteemed in our society as a position of leadership. Our culture gives off endless signals that the commitments made by mothers are not that important compared to what women may do in professional roles outside the home. Motherhood is not recognized as a world-influencing profession, a role of genuinely heroic proportions that propels society forward in innumerable ways.

One of the reasons for the devaluation of motherhood is that there is no economic value attached to it. Yet mothers provide services of high economic value. To purchase all the services a mother provides for a family would amount to about $143,102 per year, estimates Salary.com. This estimate is based upon the market value of replacing a mother's services by hiring a cook, a maid, a driver, a bookkeeper, a childcare worker, a laundress, a shopper, and probably a psychological counselor too.

That’s just for a 40-hour work week! Mothers often work long into the evening and through the night. They are at work before office hours too.

Of course, we all know that mothers contribute things that cannot be measured in dollars, invaluable things that humanity cannot do without. Yet we often hear in our culture, when someone is even willing to admit it: "I'm just a mom."

Just a mom? Actually, a society-shaping leader!

As a society, we do women a disservice not to support the life-altering leadership role they play as mothers. Raising children is something all of society should be interested in and supportive of, for mothers are helping to create the future.

Moms are foundational to healthy and happy families, which are the building blocks of safe and prosperous communities and societies. An important part of motherhood is creating an environment in which the family can thrive--providing healthy food, cleanliness, cultural knowledge, pleasant words, a soothing voice, peace, and support. Creating a haven for her family is valuable opportunity for a mother.

Some people remember the comforting and reassuring smells and tastes of their mothers’ cooking long into adulthood. They gaze with fondness over dilapidated decorations their mothers put up to celebrate important traditions. A compliment or a “word to the wise” from Mom can stay with and direct a person’s entire life.

A mother can create an atmosphere in a family where the members feel accepted and safe. Creating a welcoming, cozy, and warm home can create refreshment of body and soul after being out in a world that can be very harsh and rejecting at times. It is immeasurably valuable to have that safe haven.

A dedicated mother gives each child the individual attention he or she needs to flourish. She is the one who notices the drooping lip, who listens and offers counsel and help. She is the one who notices the hot forehead and gets out the thermometer. A loving mother is the one who points out, “You love to draw. Do you think you could draw a building?” or “Let’s spend some extra time together on your math skills,” or “I notice how much you like to help people. That’s a wonderful quality in you.” 

A loving mother is the one who knows you best and always has your best interests at heart. Where can you find someone else like that?  

The classic Disney animated film Peter Pan had a homesick Wendy contemplating mothers in song. Part of the lyrics of “Your Mother and Mine” are:

“Ask your heart to tell you her worth.

Your heart will say, ‘Heaven on earth.’

Another word for divine: your mother and mine.”

Moms also give emotional cues to relating to others. She reinforces the family by showing how much she values each member from young to old through her care and appreciation of each. She demonstrates manners and how to form good relationships with others, acting on and instructing children in the power and value of close connections with fellow human beings. These connections are not only vital to human health and fulfillment, but they also help people succeed in the workplace as well, demonstrating emotional intelligence.

The power of a mother to help a child learn to attach to other human beings is very real. If it doesn't happen in this relationship, it is vitally important for those deprived to seek neuro-emotional therapy; there is definitely help out there for learning to attach to others in healthy ways.

Mothers offer companionship. They can be wide-eyed explorers along with their children, making life together fun and exciting and reinforcing the joys of collaboration.

Mothers need to be resourceful; they make the best of what they have. When the children are bored, the creative mother comes up with ways to productively occupy the hours. In the traditional home, the man brought resources in, but it was the woman who made the best out of those resources, no matter how scarce or abundant they were. She made new curtains out of an old table cloth or a delicious stew out of odds and ends. She made a rainy afternoon a joyful discovery of the frontier as she put up a makeshift tent and taught her children about heroic explorers.

In modern culture, there is a constant pull for both parents to work full-time to bring in more resources. Yet isn't utilizing existing resources one of the most important parts of any economic system? Every enterprise needs to maximize its resources since resources are, by definition, limited.

In all cultures, in all societies, the powerful results of motherhood are being experienced right now, shaping our world. How much does it cost society in health care dollars, rehabilitation, and social welfare programs to make up for the actions of people who grew up without adequate mothering? Billions! Training kids to be benefits to society is an immeasurable contribution to society. What high costs to society if mothers are not able to raise their children well because they feel pressured into the workplace or unsupported in this vital role. 

Mothers are the most influential people in history as they shape and empower their children. Mothers, grandmothers, and mother figures have molded society by producing functioning, positive, productive human beings.

The following is a sample list of what I would consider good motherly qualities. It is clear that these are the qualities of a good leader:

• Artful management of a facility (the home) and the people in it (family members)
• Resourcefulness
• Ability to multi-task
• Consistency
• Steadfastness
• Empowerment
• Encouragement
• Actions taken in the best interests of the whole
• Toughness
• Resilience
• Creativity
• Wise counsel
• Listening skills
• Trustworthiness

Wouldn’t you vote for someone who had those qualities? Wouldn’t you endorse a person like that to lead a company or world enterprise? 

Children may not grow up to be famous people or heads of companies or countries. Still, they will be influencers and leaders. They will have an impact in their private and professional relationships and through their public personas. If mothers can raise children who add value wherever they go, who are benefits to themselves and society, then mothers lead the way in shaping society to create a better future for all.

Thank you

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