Good Management

Home is where it all is...   Love and warmth, food and nourishment, rest and rejuvenation, comfort and support, belonging and connection.  

It makes perfect sense that having a managerial position in such a powerful place would be rewarding and desirable.  Indeed, as Rhonda has said, Homemaking IS the Power Career ~ it's just that not everyone knows it yet!

If we accept the challenge, being a Homemaker is full of opportunities to grow, learn and thrive.  I am constantly challenged to increase my knowledge and hone my skills.  There is NEVER a day where I can say (with honesty) that there is nothing to do and no challenge to face.

These past few weeks have been extremely busy for me and that busy period has prevented me from doing my usual job at home.  BOY do we all notice the difference!  My husband and my children all work to contribute to the keeping of our home and property and no, I don't do *everything* here at home - I am not a servant!

The house isn't falling apart, nor is it truly filthy, it just looks sad and neglected.   It lacks the welcoming energy that it usually has and that feeling of our home being a haven has greatly diminished over the past few weeks.  Not any one definable thing is missing, it's more of a vibe that I can't tangibly see.

Hmmmm....  a house having a vibe?  An energy?   Oh, yes it does!

These past 2 weeks have taught me that having a capable, attentive home manager present and in charge is priceless.  Someone to guide and delegate, to problem solve and encourage, to look with a critical eye toward improvement, to change things that aren't working, to implement new ideas when needed and basically to "steer the ship" toward the family goals.  Someone to stay the course, so to speak.

Imagine a company running without a manager.   That business might stay afloat for a few weeks, or in good times, a few months even... but long term?  No.  Without a manager to oversee daily operations and MORE IMPORTANTLY, predict future events, trends, needs and changes, that business is at best plagued with problems, at worst, doomed to fail.

Keeping a home and caring for a family is much like running a business.  Changes are always occurring and a good business manager responds intuitively and intelligently to it.   A good business manager wouldn't intentionally introduce a new computer system just when the company is experiencing it's busiest sales period of the year.  A good manager would anticipate the upcoming busy season and plan ahead, giving lots of time for employees to train and get used to a new system BEFORE the busy season started.    

The same is so true in a home.  Managing a home effectively takes skill.  We aren't born into this skill, we acquire it over time through trial an error,  mentorship, reading and research, asking questions, watching others and trying new methods.   If we treat this job like a career, we seek continuing education like any effective and progressive business manager would.  Does that mean re-inventing the wheel and tossing out old ideas?  No.  It means that we seek knowledge in order to enhance our careers and to truly shine in our profession.

As CEO of our home, the list of my responsibilities is varied and long.  I spend my days in this management position watching, listening and responding.   Watching my home, listening to my family and responding to it all with discernment and skill.  It sounds simple but it is not always EASY.  Challenges abound.

In my life, I have worked long hours in middle and upper management and I have owned 2 profitable businesses.  I have been successful in all of those positions, but NOT ONE of them have I enjoyed as much as or felt as challenged in as I do as a Homemaker.   Creating a HOME from a house is truly the new power career and let me tell you, I am climbing this corporate ladder proudly and confidently with my apron ON, baby!