Margot’s appointments were squeezed tight so adobo had to wait. No complaints, though, because as soon as we sat down, she was ready and unfazed, “I’m a working mother with the same issues as any working mother but I carry no guilt because it is important for me that my children learn the value of hard work and part of hard work are trade offs. That’s what life is all about.“
When her son was about four, he asked her, “How come the mom of Raffy bakes banana bread?” She asked him to make a choice, “ Either I spend 24-hours a day with him and bake banana bread but I couldn’t say ‘yes’ to every toy that he may have wanted.” She’s quick to qualify that she doesn’t say that because of the working mom’s usual guilt trip but to her, it’s reality. She wants her kids to know that when you want something, you need to work hard for it.
Proud Working Mom
On a trip to her kids’ orthodontist the doctor quipped, “I love your children. They’re not mayabang (arrogant) but they’re also not timid. What did you do to raise them to be that way? And she said, “Oh, I worked.” “Siguro neurotic na yung mga anak ko ngayon, (Maybe my kids turned out neurotic) if I had stayed home. I also think, me working make me a better mother. Again I’m not saying that out of guilt. Alam ko yung travails ng working mother pero hindi ko hang up ‘yon. (I know the travails of a working mother but I don’t have any hang up about it). She lets out a hearty laugh.
She does miss some of her kids’ activities but her husband, who’s an entrepreneur and has a more flexible schedule, is the one who goes. She does try very hard. Like days before her son’s first communion, she had to go to Malaysia for a business trip. The members of the family had to don formal attire and Margot didn’t have time to spare so she changed on the plane and lined up at immigration wearing her gown.
House Roles
Her kids know that when asking for permission, mom is only for the use of the driver and the car. In the house, it’s dad who’s the authority. He has the final say. Even simple things like, “Honey, can I buy a bag?” Her husband makes all the big decisions. He’s also the one who’s better in the kitchen. Margot proudly states, “Magaling siyang magluto! Ako magaling kumain (He’s good at cooking. I’m good at eating).”
No room for incompetence
She found out that her colleagues describe her as someone who has low tolerance for incompetence, “My standards are high and hindi pwede ang ‘pwede na’ (mediocrity is unacceptable). It’s something that she and her kids also talk about, “I wrote my kids a long private message in FB on the subject that my expectations are high. My son expressed worry that he might disappoint me. And I asked him, ‘Did you really think that if you do not graduate college with Latin honors that Mommy will love you less’. It’s not about the honors; the important thinking is going through the journey of achieving it,“ she explains, “Pag maglalabas ako ng output gusto ko maganda. (I want my output to be excellent). We join to win. Kung wala kang balak manalo, huwag ka na lang sumali (If you have no intention to win, don’t bother to join.)
Chasing the Cannes Lions
Her team had a good run last year but for Margot the sweetest award was the Boomerang, “We were given the first Digital Marketer of the Year. Twenty eleven pa ako nag-e-evangelize about the importance of digital in marketing (I have been evangelizing about the importance of digital in marketing since 2011).” And she’s got her eyes on a particular metal still since 2012. Before the 2015 ended she texted Raoul (Panes, Leo Burnett Manila’s creative honcho), “Happy New Year. It’s been a fantastic year for our teams. I’m looking forward to a Lion in 2016.” Raoul replied, “Yes it was, and we will work hard for the Lion,” But she forgot to tell him that she wouldn’t settle for a Bronze.
Finding balance
Her kids’ pediatrician used to laugh at her saying that her parenting and managerial style are the same and that it’s wrong, “Sometimes when I think about it, oh, my God, pareho nga yata (it might be the same). Even with my own people, parang trato mo rin, anak (you treat them like your own children). You’re one person, you have different roles to play, you have different aspects in your life. The key actually is balance.” To her that means being able to find time with her family and grow in a challenging job where the company’s culture and values are aligned with hers. McDonald’s is her tenth job. On the average, she spent three years in her other jobs but she’s been in McDonald’s for almost thirteen. It seems she’s found her balance.
Her days start at 7:30. She goes to her “secret hideaway” for coffee half way between her house and her office. When asked if it was a McDonald’s, she answers with an embarrassed, “No.”
This article was first published in the January-February 2016 issue of adobo magazine.
