Working Parents
Right now the structures in place do not adequately support a parent’s transition into working parenthood.
As we work to advance our policies and structures, I am committed to supporting parents and organizations through the tool of leadership coaching - helping parents to thrive during this transition and within a broken system.
I work with each client to design a customized coaching engagement. My goal is to enable clients to better manage the life cycle of parental leave, creating clarity on what they need throughout each phase alongside the skills, mindsets, and structures to bring that into reality.
“Amanda supported my personal and professional growth immensely as I expanded my role at work and prepared for maternity leave! She gave me tools that allowed me to think big picture and manage up while also encouraging growth for my team members. Her guidance also prepared me to transition to my time away from work with confidence and comfort. Years later, I still think about some of the coaching lessons I took away from our time together.”
-Cory Krall, Managing Director of Family and Community Engagement, Public Preparatory Network
What does this type of engagement look like?
MINDSET-FOCUSED
There tends to be a myth that it is not possible to thrive at work as a parent. Yes, many workplace cultures don’t make it easy and we must change that. We also must change how we view the relationship between work and parenthood. For example, pregnancy brain has come to be associated with fogginess, when in reality science demonstrates quite the opposite. Research shows that yes a mother’s brain does change in pregnancy and the early weeks of a baby’s life, but as they track mothers over time researchers see how this space in the brain creates expanded capacity for strategic thanking, empathy, and focus. My coaching lives in this space of tapping into the newfound wisdom and strength to better lead at work and manage the new responsibilities on your plate.
TOOLS & SKILLS
Delegation and planning are always top of the list for paternity leave coaching. Even if you’re an excellent planner and team leader, there is often room to bolster these skills. We will partner to identify needs and access a variety of resources to set you and your team up for success. From leave plans to skillfulness in communication, we will select the areas to explore and shore up.
ORGANIZATION LEVEL
At the organizational level the cost of losing parents, with a trend toward more women not returning to work, can be detrimental. I partner with organizations to identify top talent to support through key transitions. Working with both the leader and the manager or board to create a smooth and successful transition. Organizations that have extended leave and bolstered their support to parents before and after leave have experienced increased retention and greater engagement.
I’ve managed two transitions from maternity leave, both while in a highly-demanding, fast-paced career. I learned from a community of incredible parents how to manage this time period and I want help others in the same way. My work is built on the work done by many before me.
