Workplace Skills Developed By Parenting

Dana Knight, reporting for IndyStar.com, looks at how being a parent prepares one for the office.

No CEO or high-ranking manager's career skills can compare to Dawn Nowakoski's. She's a pro at being patient with her subordinates, solving problems and perfecting time management.

After nearly two decades honing her skills at home with her children, Nowakoski has entered the work force and says nothing could have prepared her better than motherhood.

Conventional workplace thinking says combining a career and motherhood means somehow being out of whack. But could it be that being a mom gives women an advantage in the workplace?

"We can make the most of it by knowing ourselves and the strengths we have gained through motherhood," says Kelly Watson, president of Career Partners, which works with executives who want to succeed at work and family.