A Mom’s Legacy

One of the great satisfactions I get from public speaking is the chance to salute, promote, and encourage working moms. Still today, when you would think most of the battles had been won, there continue to be raging debates about leaning in, equal pay, promotion tracks, and work–life balance. So much of this obscures the tremendous contributions that moms make, both working moms and those who stay at home. My respect for both groups is unbounded.

It’s not easy being a mom. I can’t think of a more important job or one that can have a bigger impact on tomorrow’s world.

I have the privilege of speaking to numerous groups every year. When it’s appropriate and the talk is to women, I often close with the following:

Being a working mom means you have to miss a lot. We can never be at every concert, game, or field trip—but perhaps we leave a greater legacy.

A working mom teaches her daughter every day that being feminine is a good thing, but so is strength, independence, and self-worth.

We raise our sons with the understanding that women are to be treated as equals, that a mom can be a great cook, a great business person, and a respected partner in life and in work.

Working moms make America’s workplaces and communities better for all of us. I believe the work environment is a little kinder and a little more values-based, as we carry our family values into the workplace. The smart companies realize how these values build a better workforce for tomorrow while they give a powerful boost to the sales and profits of industry today. The path we forge will, we hope, make it easier for our daughters and granddaughters and build a place where our sons can be better men.