Management for Moms

As a manager, I motivate my team by recognizing and rewarding their efforts --- a public recognition before her/his peers, a cash award, a lunch out, or dinner (as in the photo below, with our China counterparts and love ones at Max Brenner's), company tokens, a plaque. Being a manager (at least where I work) can be a tough job because you always have to deal with individual skills, motivations, attitudes to encourage people to be at their best.

I realized that management principles were pretty much applicable to children, as well. I also encourage Dino's new learnings by acknowledging his efforts. For example, I say "Wow, galing!" and clap my hands when he triumphantly hoists his empty milk bottle, or when I ask him where things are and he's able to point them out or when he acts on what I ask him to do (e.g. Give Mama your shoes).

Lately, Donat and I have been recognizing him a lot because he keeps showing us new things he's learned: repeatedly pointing at a book where a little boy was crying because he broke his toy (same thing happened to him when he broke one of his precious toy cars); unexpectedly blurting out words he hears from Blue's Clues and Dora the Explorer (Blue! Backpack! Map!).

Last week, my toddler management went the other way. Two members of my team did amazing jobs in their respective areas, and instead of the usual pat on the back or a congratulations, I responded by telling them "Wow, galing!" accompanied by much clapping of hands. Oooppsss! Fortunately, they didn't seem to mind :)