Each month Maturn will be highlighting a current member of Maturn’s Maternity Leave Program, a maternity coaching community who is growing both their career and their family.
This month our highlighted member is: Zahra Stark
Company and Position:
Senior Philanthropy Officer at VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation
Age of your kids :
My daughter is 7 months old.
How has Motherhood grown you as a leader?
Motherhood has given me purpose and perspective, emboldening me in my convictions. I no longer live my life only in pursuit of my own desires and goals, but aim to be a role model, so am more considerate of my actions and their impact. Motherhood has helped me cultivate calm in the face of chaos and stress. I’ve learned to practice ‘radical acceptance’ and stay future-focused when things go awry. I now know better when to lean in and take charge and when to step back and let others contribute. I’ve garnered a higher level of self-awareness and have improved how I articulate my needs for myself and my child. Similarly, I believe good leadership is knowing when to be bold and take action, when you need support, and when to uplift and cheer others on, in addition to being able to communicate this with your team – be they your family members or colleagues.
As mothers, so much falls on our shoulders and we are tested every day. Leadership is in all that we do as we nurture and guide our little ones through life. I believe firmly that skills and abilities developed in motherhood make us better leaders in our professions.
What are some unique challenges you have faced in growing your career and your family
As a non-profit professional, I work in a relationship-centric business. Taking time away from this work to raise my daughter will inevitably pose a challenge to my immediate professional goals. It will take time to re-engage and reignite the relationships I held before my Leave. The patience I am cultivating through motherhood will benefit me as I recommence the journey that is my career path. I have to remind myself that there is a long road ahead and time for me to work towards my goals. This season of my life is centered around my family. When I return to work, my focus will once again be professional growth but at a pace that works for me (as ambitious as I am) as well as my family.
Do you have any thoughts or quotes for other mothers who are growing their careers and their families?
I adopted the mantra ‘trying is doing’ early on in my motherhood journey. You’re trying to put your baby down for a nap? You are putting your baby down for a nap (even if Baby isn’t cooperating!). You’re trying to prioritize self-care but can’t make it to the gym? You are prioritizing self-care by identifying your needs and figuring out how to make room in your new life for you. Framing things in this way has helped me immensely when I face self-doubt in navigating new challenges. My partner and I remind ourselves of this almost daily in a myriad of instances and it’s invariably grounding and reassuring.
Which Maturn program you are participating in?
I’m participating in Maturn’s Maternity Leave Program, a maternity coaching community
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