Do You Have Mamisma?

October 16, 2011

From mama bears to mama birds, the instinctual ferocity of a mother to protect her young extends to every species. Mothers are hard-wired to protect and rescue their babies, fend off predators and provide a nurturing home environment. Fathers of course, have their own instinctual drives to provide and care for their families, and it is predominantly male attributes that have shaped the world’s businesses and governments. Throughout the women’s movements of the 1960s and 70s, women often took on ‘male traits’ to be successful in a ‘man’s world’. In today’s post-feminist world, however, we see women rising to the top on the merits of their own very female traits.
We’re talking about ‘mamisma’’female strength, resilience and grace under pressure. It’s kind of like machismo, only driven by a female instinct for getting things done in a collaborative, supportive, compassionate manner. Many politicians today bring their mamisma to the table. Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany, is one of the most respected leaders trying to calmly steer the Eurozone out of its debt troubles. Thailand, Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Costa Rica, Australia, India, Ireland, Croatia, Iceland and Finland are all countries that currently have female presidents or prime ministers who are leading with their mamisma.

Here in Canada, Dr. Samantha Nutt’co-founder and Executive Director of War Child Canada’exemplifies mamisma in action as one of the country’s most prominent anti-war activists. Dr. Nutt has worked in some of the world’s most violent war zones, providing hands-on help to women and children. She also works at Women’s College Hospital in Toronto and at the University of Toronto in the Department of Family and Community Medicine. Named by Time Magazine as one of Canada’s Five Leading Activists, by the World Economic Forum as one of 200 top young global leaders, and by The Globe and Mail as one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women, the 41-year old Dr. Nutt was recently appointed to the Order of Canada.

So, how can we apply our own mamisma to our roles at work? What are the mamisma traits that make a female leader exceptional? Here are a few tips.

Think of your legacy. Business writer Harriet Rubin was the first to coin the term mamisma and she spoke of the urge to protect and provide for future generations. The same way a mother wants her kids to grow up with all the opportunities for a bright future, a strong female leader thinks beyond the immediate gratification of short-term returns and creates results that have a lasting positive impact on the community and the planet.
Be brave and stick to your vision. Mothers are used to being criticized as ‘crazy’ by their kids, but guess who always turns out to be right? Architect Zaha Hadid was rejected by many clients in her early career, as her designs were thought of as too ‘out there’. Yet today she wins awards and high-profile commissions around the world for the same innovation and creativity that always inspired her. In 2008, at the age of 58, Hadid was named to Forbes’ list of the most powerful women and in 2010, at the age of 60, she was named as one of the world’s most influential thinkers by both Time and New Statesman magazines.
Grow into your power’physically and spiritually. Maturity breeds confidence and women in particular grow in confidence as they get older and learn to trust their wisdom. While men tend to weaken with age, many women become physically stauncher (hello Ms. Obama’s biceps!). Our roles as caregivers evolve and we age more slowly, outliving men by an average of three to five years. As broadcaster Andy Rooney said, ‘By the age of 50, few women are wishy-washy. About anything. Thank God!’
Express yourself. The motherly combination of power, compassion and unconditional love is universally attractive. Many men throughout history have balanced their power by recognizing the roles their wives play (think Eva Peron, Eleanor Roosevelt and Michelle Obama) in representing and communicating the caring maternal qualities of their leadership. Today, female leaders are uniquely qualified to convey that balance of sharp intuition and gentle nurturing’not as a helpmate, but in their own right.
Let the love shine through! Chilean author Isabel Allende calls mamisma, ‘the wild mother energy; the passionate, loving energy of the mother. It is love at its very best ‘ warm and reassuring.’ Being generous, helpful and kind to the people around you makes you feel good as a person and spreads the positive energy throughout your team and to the world beyond.

The world needs more mothers

Whether you have children or not, you are blessed with the inner female instincts that can equip you to become a powerful mama-bear, among your friends, colleagues and community. We are fortunate to live in a world today where people of all nations are celebrating the virtues of womanhood and using mamisma to make the world a better place. Now get out there and let’s hear you roar!