After handling a toddler's tantrum in the frozen foods aisle of Trader Joe's, managing people in the workplace looks much easier, apparently. Korn/Ferry recently surveyed female executives on a number of questions related to work and parenting and came away with one overwhelming point of consensus: 94 percent of respondents said raising kids has given them skills that transfer to the office. 

The most-often cited skill? Motivating or inspiring others. Not surprising. In fact, I suspect it's the central issue of parenthood: how do I get this other person—who apparently has an independent will—to do what I need her to do? Including eat. And sleep. And learn to use the toilet. After that, setting key performance indicators surely looks easy.

The strain of simultaneously working and parenting, our survey respondents report, has lessened somewhat because mobile and internet technology can connect them to the workplace no matter where they are. Nearly 80 percent said technology was a help in this way. But executive career demands are still an influencing factor on family life: 19 percent said they'd postponed having children, and 10 percent said they decided to forgo kids, because of their career.