Leadership Learned by Mothers

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a mother of five, spoke recently to US News about her own leadership training. And it sounded familiar.

“Having five children in six years, I had to be very task oriented. I was raising my children, but they were forging me. The time management and diplomatic skills required taught me about listening and using time wisely.”

And she spoke about what a woman in leadership offers:

“I believe women bring a unique perspective to leadership. Women work in a more collaborative fashion and bring a great respect for other voices and experiences. We understand that we each bring value to the debate and that allowing for a diversity of opinions leads to better results.”

To other women seeking elective office, Speaker Pelosi offers the following advice:  “Criticism comes with high-profile careers. That’s a fact of life, no matter your gender, so there’s no use dwelling on it. And that’s one of the keys to overcoming it. Have confidence. Value your experience. The best advice I ever received the first time I ran for office was, “Be yourself, and act upon it.””

I wonder what Governor Sarah Palin would say to that?