“No More Super Mom” How this engineer balances parenting and her challenging career – without guilt. Featuring Alison Seward, Senior Program Director at GE Appliances, a Haier company
Barbecue tofu may not be the secret
washer production line, and it was
Accepting help with the cooking –
for every working mom, but it’s helped
at the start of the COVID pandemic,”
guiltlessly – has been one successful
Alison Seward cope during the pan-
says Alison, who was formerly GE Ap-
strategy for Alison.
demic. It wasn’t just the energetic
pliances’ senior director of the dish-
feeling the mother of two got from
washer program. Alison also identified
So has outsourcing some other house-
the healthful food. It was also who
a meal-prep company that would shop
hold responsibilities, such as using a
was doing the cooking. Her husband,
for her and deliver food when time
cleaning service and finding an online
Jamie was appointed the family’s
was short so she could focus on her
resource that took the work out of
full-time cook while Alison’s work
engineering challenges without wor-
purchasing and shipping her daugh-
expectations were especially high.
rying about shortchanging her family.
ters’ school supplies. Through her
Barbecue tofu is Jamie’s specialty, and
employer, Alison has also been taking
the family now eats a mostly plant-
“It was clear to me very early on that
steps to ease other parents’ feelings of
based diet that Alison says has them
the challenges of work and COVID
not being able to do it all. That starts
all feeling better as a result.
could have a negative impact on my
with leading by example. Alison has
family, and that stress at home would
been applauded at work for modeling
“I realized I needed to ask for help and
negatively impact my leadership at
a “one-life” philosophy that doesn’t pit
accept it, so my family could have
work,” she explains.
“work life” against “home life.”
what they needed at a really stressful daughters. Alison was promoted
The myth that hurts working parents
earlier this year to executive director
“You just can’t have true work-life
your work really needs of you and
of manufacturing quality for GE Appli-
balance – that’s a myth,” Alison says.
what you can give.”
ances in Louisville, Kentucky.
“So the first step is to identify where
“The team I was leading at the time
you’re feeling guilt over it and then
“Find the ‘and’ wherever you can,”
was launching a new $80 million dish-
find the right strategies to help.”
Alison says.
time,” says Alison, who has two young
IMPACT 6
“You need to have honest conversations at work,” she says. “Ask what