Each month Maturn will be highlighting a current member of Maturn’s Motherhood Leadership Coaching Program, a leadership development training program for women who are growing both their career and their family.
This month our highlighted member is: Emily Mehra
Company and Position:
Senior Vice President, Marketing at JLL
Age of your kids :
Two daughters, ages 2 and 1
How has Motherhood grown you as a leader?
Motherhood has been a master class on patience and humility. Prior to motherhood, I prided myself on my allergy to inefficiency and a fierce competitive drive, developed from a lifetime of playing competitive team sports and being a member of high-performing teams. While those character traits undoubtedly remain a part of who I am, I am thankful for the humility, patience, grace and selflessness one learns when becoming a mother. It has challenged me to become a more clear communicator, trusting delegator, and empathetic leader. It has also provided perspective and empowered me to take risks, like leaving a job that no longer challenged me for an opportunity slightly outside of my comfort zone. Motherhood helps prioritize what matters and forces you to make the most of the time you have with others. It has been a lesson on the importance of being fully present, an ongoing learning experience for someone who used to take pride in being a serial multitasker.
What are some unique challenges you have faced in growing your career and your family
While I’ve had to contend with both cultural and generational perceptions of what it means to be a mother, the harshest critic I’ve faced, my whole life, is myself. The inner critic can paralyze you if you let it. While motherhood has introduced a new element to that critique, in the form of mom guilt, I have found that speaking openly and honestly with other working moms has been both cathartic and empowering. I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to participate in the Maturn program. It has been incredibly enlightening and rewarding to have a dedicated time and space to discuss the unique challenges facing working moms today, and has offered both immediate tactics and longer term strategies to excel in both profession and parenthood.
Do you have any thoughts or quotes for other mothers who are growing their careers and their families?
Set boundaries. They will ultimately benefit not only you, but all relationships around you.
Give yourself grace.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.
Embrace the woman you’re becoming, even when that identity looks different from the one you’ve always known.
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It’s not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” I have a visceral response every time I read or hear this quote. Especially now that I am a mother to two young girls, it is a powerful reminder, as they are always watching. How can I expect my girls to have the confidence to pursue their passions and their dreams if I am unwilling to model that behavior myself? Be the change.
Which Maturn program you are participating in?
I’m participating in Maturn’s Motherhood Leadership Coaching Program, a leadership development training program for women
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