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Leading the Way for All Generations!
Tuesday 09/21/2010
You may have seen the article that is circulating again, Bill Gates 11 Rules for Life That Kids Won’t Learn in School. The article was actually written by a contributing editor at the San Diego Union-Tribune in the mid 90’s, a fact I learned by checking the www.urbanlegends.com. The rules are a list of generational differences that makes us Baby Boomers look like the most fabulous workers ever created while anyone under 35 is painted as an entitled brat with all the negative characteristics and behavior that implies. As a person with many friends in the Gen X or under age range, I take exception to the wide ranging implications and want to offer a few countering thoughts.
First, yes. I have run into Gen X’ers who don’t understand why they are not making $75,000+ right out of college (the list used $40,000 but I am accounting for the salary inflations I have witnessed in the last 14 years); and I’ve run into those who won’t do certain tasks that they feel are beneath them; and those who think their boss is picking on them. Yet in my experience these behaviors are not limited to that generation. For years, I have witnessed managers pacify Boomer employees based on attitudes of entitlement and over-inflated egos, particularly if the individual had painted themselves as a star, a stellar perform, a strategic employee that cannot be lost. Really, what did Traditionalists think of our behavior as we insisted on new ways of engaging with the work and our co-workers?
I believe it would be a mistake for employers to set cultural attitudes or workforce policies based on viewing the worse characteristics of a generation. Each generation brings new ideas—often exciting, thought-provoking, and challenging—to the workplace. Yet organizations adapt and even thrive on the energy and results generated by these ideas. The technology industry would not be where it is if not for new ideas generated by younger employees who are not tied into our set systems of thinking or the specific cultural norms of an organization.
I encourage employers to embrace the change and energy that comes with younger employees. Listen with an open mind. Learn their values and understand where your values mesh. Implement policy changes regarding work hours and childcare and where the work actually gets done. Maintain your focus on the bottom line and the fact that the work does get done and goals are met. Isn’t that really what it is all about?
As someone who’s career is focused on the effectiveness of organizations, I must, however, comment on the Rules that state that no one cares about your self-esteem, and work is not a place to find yourself. Current data tells us that organizations that value career development and life balance, that have employees who feel they have a voice in the decisions around their work, and maintain a focus on outcomes, have more highly engaged employees—meaning employees more committed to your organization and more likely to remain in their jobs. I believe that is because they have found some piece of who they are at their job. They have learned new thinking, tested new skills, gained some footing in finding their niche in life. That is what makes them good employees. Organizations must—and many do—care about people’s self-esteem and their personal growth. That is one key to maintaining an organization’s long-term success.
So, let’s welcome those next generations with open arms! Encourage learning at all ages, model balance for all generations, and support self-understanding in finding one’s niche in life. Let’s model the way for all generations!
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Who wouldn’t want to work here??
Thursday 08/12/2010
I saw an ad for a Manager of Online Communities at the Extraordinaries and I had to share some of its content with you. This organization gets it! They set the tone for the job and the work environment right in the job posting. In addition to the technical abilities sought, these traits are also listed:
- A giant ball of energy! You create fun campaigns to keep our energy high!
- Have a bright smile and more energy than your dog!
- Are detail-oriented and results-driven like nobody’s business!
- Can think fast, put your foot down when you need to, and operate independently!
- Can spend hours in front of a computer making people feel special on the other end!
- Wear lots of hats (especially goofy hats) and work hard!
- Have a ridiculous sense of humor!
- And when submitting your qualifications, submit links to three of your favorite websites and tell us why (the point here is to make us laugh!). Also include a special secret attachment of your choice - make sure to provide context.
Who wouldn’t want to respond to this ad and work for a company called the Extraordinaries? I wish I had the technical skills. All of us can be a whole lot more fun in how we approach our work and how we recruit people to join our team. And still meet the 4 C’s of character, competency, chemistry and culture!
No Comments »Frustrated With Group Meetings?
Monday 07/26/2010
Have you ever found yourself in a group meeting feeling a high level of frustration about the process? Perhaps you were just feeling the angst, but not sure of its source. You were possibly in a group that just wasn’t working very well. It happens to the best of us. Church groups, business groups, maybe even an accountability group of some sort. Many of us have found ourselves in work groups commissioned around a specific set of tasks, and sensed that the assigned work wasn’t getting done even though there were plenty of good participants with good ideas.
How did that group experience make you feel? Frustrated? Confused? Wondering why you were there? Maybe the agenda was unclear. Perhaps the facilitation was weak. Perhaps there were no processes defined for communication, input and feedback. Experiencing this type of group is very frustrating and can easily turn off your desire to be a part of any group in the future.
As someone who has done process consulting, I too have had bad group experiences. If a group gone wrong isn’t fixed, people will quickly fall away from attending or attend without participating. But this can all be easily fixed with up-front planning.
All groups need defined meeting processes, purposeful charters, clear membership/participant expectations, and the appropriate level of facilitation. All groups function better when these elements are in place. And in this day when all of our time is so dear, group participants should expect these elements to be in place.
So, the next time you commission a group be sure to provide clarity on purpose, operating rules and membership interaction, and provide a skilled facilitator. Work these elements out in your first meeting and I guarantee future meetings will be more focused and fulfilling for participants.
No Comments »Difficult Conversations
Friday 07/09/2010
I recently had the opportunity to volunteer as a table facilitator at a town hall meeting created by America Speaks. The topic was “Our Budget, Our Economy”. This was the largest ever, national discussion on our nation’s fiscal future with 3,500 people gathered across nineteen cities and at forty smaller neighborhood organizations. It was a broad cross-section of the public, reflecting the demographic, geographic and political diversity of the United States.
Each table of eight participants had what seemed like an overwhelming task: review budget and revenue options and determine, as a group, where to cut $1.2 trillion from the federal deficit. I admit I felt some trepidation meeting the participants as they arrived at my table. I met strong personalities with strong voices expressing strong opinions. As I reflected on what lay ahead for the next few hours, I admit to feeling a twinge of fear. How would this diverse group come together on a shared solution to such a hot topic? And as a facilitator, would I be successful in maintaining a neutral stance? Those of you who know me well are probably chuckling at that.
I am happy to report that we were successful. My group of quirky, age-diverse, opinionated table mates accomplished our task in record time, and were quite civil with one another in completing what seemed like an overwhelming assignment. Actually, saying we were civil with one another does not capture the joking, cajoling and camaraderie that developed during that Saturday afternoon. We were all able to put aside our partisan political views and get down to business. Perhaps we were a model for what we’d all like to see more of in politics these days.
Why am I sharing this experience with you on my business blog? Because I know that every one of you has difficult situations in your organization that involve complex decisions with wide-ranging opinions on what may be the best path to follow. Or you work with colleagues who seem to have little to no appreciation for diversity of thought and the synergistic solutions that result from facilitated discussion. Or you simply have people who are human and don’t always know the best way to identify options and reach resolution in the business situations they encounter.
Do you need support for a difficult conversation? I’d love to help you design and facilitate the complex conversations that you face.
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