A Mother’s Job Description

While browsing through some older posts on here, I came across the “Where’s My Check?” post and it reminded me of a memo that I pasted into my palm several years ago. I think we moms underplay the CEO role way too often when in reality it is the most effective thing we can do to keep our sanity throughout the week. This reads kind of like a household mission statement. I think I modified it from the original, but you get the point.

Mother’s Job Description

I am CEO of a family-run operation. I manage, direct, and delegate the daily ins and outs of this organization. I keep the calendar of events current and do all the planning for future output and events. It is my job to keep everyone aware of the tasks at hand and also to prioritize, delegate, and reschedule those tasks as needed. I keep track of all contacts associated with this operation and maintain proper correspondence with those individuals or groups.

Financial Duties: To develop with my partner, a workable budget broken down by month for the current year, and to record a list of expenses daily to maintain it. To establish weekly meetings with my partner to discuss the budget, and other pending financial decisions. At this meeting, we will also respond to bills and other financial obligations that have been brought to our attention. Once a month, we will discuss current and future financial goals for our operation and make adjustments to these goals as needed.

Scheduling Tasks: To develop a current calendar of events that covers all individals in the operation and to keep it in a central location for everyone to maintain as needed. To schedule weekly meetings in which all members of the organization can meet for one half-hour to discuss any schedule changes or concerns within the organization. During this meeting, a mission statement will be reviewed and adaptations rendered as needed to further the success of the operation.

Organization Maintenance: To develop a routine plan for basic maintenance tasks necessary to keep up effective productivity of the operation. To delegate tasks to members based on skill level and appropriateness.

This job description may sound a bit sterile and unemotional, but having been in the working world where I was handed a job description much like the one above for a job with only monetary benefits, I find the mother’s job description to be a good reminder that my role as a mom is just as important and powerful as that of a Fortune 500 executive. My organization may be smaller and my employees are still more like trainees, but where would they be without me? Someone has to lead. ;)