10:26 am | 0 recommendations | 1 comment

Are You Giving Generation Y a Reason to Stay?

Everyone is talking about how to attract and then keep Gen Y, and the knee jerk reaction to keeping a superstar is to throw money, a vacation abroad or another week off to keep them on board. While these incentives often work short-term, it is well known that these perks don’t keep people around for the long haul.

What many employers don’t seem to consider is the investment they are making or not making in Gen Y talent. They often say that they feel they are wasting their time developing out their young careerists, because they know they’re going to leave in 2-3 years. I believe this view is archaic. I have been in the middle of this conversation for the last 24 months, and when it comes to retaining Gen Y, here is what I am finding is true more often than not:

1) Gen Y’s will stick around longer if they know that their employer is invested in their career and leadership development. They will know this by observing you listening to their career goals and then responding to those goals by offering them opportunities to advance in the company. They want feedback about their performance, and as a manager or leader, it’s your place to provide that feedback. Many managers are afraid to develop out their young employees, because they are afraid they will help them grow out of the job. If this is your mindset, and you are not dedicated to your Gen Ys’ development, then guess what…you’re right. You’re probably going to lose them in a very short time.

2) Gen Y’s will be more dedicated to your company if the feel they are a right fit. Generation Y is the first generation to state out loud that they value authenticity and transparency. They want to know that the fit feels right…that it’s authentic. If your values match your Gen Y’s values, she will feel a sense of belonging to your culture.

3) Gen Y’s are happiest when they have a strong connection with other people in the company. Gen Y values friendships and a great life over just about anything else, and they crave connection with their work colleagues. They want access to not only their peers and other Gen Y’s but with their managers and executive leaders. They want to know that top leaders are highly accessible and open to connection with them.

4) Executive Coaching is a huge perk. Gen Yers are quite open to Executive Coaching, and many are already working with a mentor or adviser before they join your company. By offering Executive Coaching to your Gen Ys, your young careerists will always have someone to turn to when the going gets tough.

5) Promoting from within can seal the deal. In my opinion, there is no better way to get a young employee to stay on board than by offering them a promotion as soon as they are ready. The whole topic of 5, 10 and 20 years of tenure as a prerequisite for promotion is becoming passe. Giving Gen Y’s a chance at a bigger job that stretches their mental capabilities is a great way to send the message that you trust them and that you want them as a long-term member of your team.

06:38 am | 0 recommendations | Be the first to comment

Leadership Lessons We Can Learn From Generation Y

Over the last ten days, I have been interviewed by about a dozen or so talk show hosts…talking
about the topic of Gen Y in the workplace, and I have had a lot to talk
about and think about.

As I am going around the country, speaking about Gen Y, people are
now calling me a Gen Y Evangelist…spreading the good word about this
great generation. And, as I lay out the details about Gen Y and their amazing
skills and contributions, I seem to be met by Boomers and Gen Xers who appear to have not just a chip but a 200 pound boulder on their shoulders
about Gen Y.

Here’s the deal. As we move through life, each generation becomes
smarter, more tech savvy, more worldly and more evolved. It’s just the
way life works. But for some reason, we sit and make up names, stories
and stereotypes for each generation, because that’s what we do…we
analyze and dissect every situation, person and opportunity to the
point of being ridiculous.

I am a coach, and as a coach, I give a LOT of bad news…negative
feedback to leaders about what they are doing that’s creating a hiccup
in their leadership. It’s usually something like “Your communication
style is coming across as abrupt” or “You are not keeping up with the
times” or “You are judging people for negative behaviors you also
portray each time we talk” or “You are playing favorites.”

I also give a LOT of positive feedback. I want my clients to know
what I see in them and how they inspire ME. So, today’s post is
dedicated to the Gen Y’s I have met, how they have inspired me and the
leadership lessons I have learned by being in relationship with them.

1) Life is not all about work. Life is about being
happy, giving back to others and having fun. The Gen Yers I have met
are doing this! Many boomers say that this is ass backwards…that Gen Y
needs to work harder, be more serious and stop asking for so much time
off. Why? Are we really here to be work horses? Are we really here to
give 60, 70 or 80 hours a week to the job that is stressing us out to
the max? I don’t think so, and Gen Y knows this and gets it. If you are
a leader, and you are focusing on life being all about work, then
something isn’t right in your life. Something is terribly wrong if you
are working 60 or 70 hours a week. Either your company is not working,
or your home life is not working. Gen Yers have watched their parents
work their fingers to the bone, and they don’t want any part of this.
They know how to use their networks and technology to get a 60 hour a
week job done in 30 (and I’m not exaggerating!) So, maybe it’s time to
honestly look at why in the world it’s taking you so long to get the
job done and your beliefs about what constitutes a good day’s work.

2) Keeping up with current trends and technology is a must for success.
I bet I have said this 5,000 times, but so many senior leaders just
don’t get it. I had a conversation last week with a leader who asked me
why he and his company should be on Facebook? I then said “Why do you
go to conferences, board meetings and networking events?” His response:
“Well, to build relationships!” Relationship building is HUGE, and Gen
Y knows this. Networking on Facebook, blogging, podcasting or sending
tweets is just a smart move. If you want to be a leader, you have to be
willing to use the most current tools and know how to use them to your
advantage. If you are not keeping up with the current trends in
technology, young leaders will see you as outdated and old school. If
you don’t know how to use the technology, step up and be a leader and
say “You know what…I don’t know a thing about this, and I want to know
what to do!” Then ask a Gen Y to coach you and train you on how to use
the technology they know so well to help you be a better leader. They
will get you up to speed in about 30 minutes.

3) Diversity is King. I’m going to be honest, I
despise the word diversity. I believe that diversity is a word that is
reserved for people who are living a homogenous, white bread life. I am
using it in this post, because it is still a buzzword for most Boomers.
Listen, Gen Y’s network IS diverse, but they don’t see it as a
diversity issue. They see their networks as unique, open and accepting
of divergent thinking. My daughter, Katie, just transferred to UNC, and
she has two roommates from different cultures and backgrounds, and she
feels so at ease. If you are a Baby Boomer, get over the whole
“diversity” issue (if you can…many more senior leaders just don’t seem
to be able to get over the whole diversity issue…too bad in my
opinion). Just start accepting people for who they are. Get beyond
race, ethnicity, color and creed. When the day is over, we are all the
same with the same human desires and emotions.

4) Getting and giving feedback are critical for development. I
talk to top decision makers every day who are complaining about Gen Y’s
constant need for feedback. I honestly don’t know what’s so wrong with
this. Millennials have been given very high doses of feedback since age
4, and they need that feedback to know if they’re on the right or wrong
track (I know I need this as well…I have to have feedback to know if
I’m developing or stuck). If you have a problem with Gen Yers asking
you for feedback, it’s probably because you have a hard time hearing
feedback about your performance. Leaders don’t want to hear that they
are a jerk or they don’t communicate effectively or that they are
disorganized. On the other hand, Gen Yers want to know they are on the
right path. They want to know how they can do their job better. They
want to know they are moving in the right direction. One of my
daughters was whining a few weeks ago about something, and I said “What
do you most need from me right now?” She said “I just need to hear from
you that I am on the right path.” I then said “You are on the right
path. Every decision you make is moving you to your next opportunity,
and you are on the right path, and I love you!” She was fine after
that. This feedback took 30 seconds, so if you are a manager who is
complaining about Gen Y’s needing feedback, get over it, and then look
at this and just take the darn minute to give feedback.  What is this
going to do other then help you and the Gen Ys you manage? Maybe it’s
time for your entire organization to move to a coaching culture so that
feedback is given every day.  Feedback feeds growth, so stop
complaining about it and get with the program!

5) Building relationships is key to a leader’s success.
One thing I have observed is that Gen Yers congregate in groups. They
love their friends, and they do what they can to develop out those
relationships. I see so many older leaders who are isolated…living time
in an office behind closed doors and hiding information from their
employees and executive team members. Gen Y can teach us a great deal
here. Leadership is developed by being out and in the middle of people.
Developing relationships with people takes time (getting to know
people, asking about their lives, lending a supportive ear when
needed), but the reward is so worth that effort. People follow leaders
based on whether or not they like you. So, the question is “Do people
like you?” If not, then maybe it’s time to consult with a Gen Y on how
to build relationships and build them for a lifetime.

http://MillennialLeaders.com.  

06:53 am | 0 recommendations | 1 comment

You May Be a Helicopter Parent If...

I was speaking with an HR Director last week. He was at a cocktail party, and
a 23 year old young man whose father is a close friend of his walked up. The HR
Director told the young man how excited he was that he was applying to work for
his company. The young man looked puzzled. As it turns out, the 23 year old had
not applied for the job…his father had applied on his behalf. I had to say I
burst out in laughter. Later, I thought “You know…this may not be so funny.”

Our young adults are smart. They’re worldly. They are persistent. Yet for
some reason, we are sending them the message that we don’t trust them to make
smart decisions on their own, and this is a shame. As I heard this story, I had
to look back at my own helicopter parenting…the number of times I pick up the
phone each day to hear that one of my kids needs something (something they can
certainly figure out on their own.) I am here to say that while I consider
myself stronger than most, I have frequently fallen into the trap of reacting
rather than supporting my kids to be independent.

So, while this list below may make you chuckle, many of these things are
actually going on in the world. My request is that if you are a parent and if
any of these apply to you that you stop it. And…I will join you in taking this
list on!

You May Be a Helicopter Parent If…

• You are writing your child’s resume and passing it off as your child’s
• You are completing your child’s homework assignments
• You are staying up until 2:00 in the morning to write or tweak your child’s
  college essays
• You are calling college admissions’ departments to chew out the poor
  admissions folks when your child does not get into the college of his or her
  choice
• You are calling your colleagues to ask them if they will hire your son who
  won’t get off the couch
• You are more concerned about shopping for your outfit for
  your child’s job interview than advising your child on his or her outfit
• You invent your own “Bring Your Dad to Work” day so that you can pop into
  the job scene at any time
• You are attending job fairs on behalf of your child
• Your child gets into an argument with a friend, and you call the friend to
  let ‘em have it
• Your adult child gets a bad performance review, and you schedule a meeting
  with the boss to have a word or two
• Your child is over the age of 23, and you are still shopping for their
  groceries, toiletries and household items
• Your child calls ten times a day, and you answer the phone each and every
  time
• You are spending at least one hour daily searching college websites so that
  you can choose a college for your child
• You are still planning and throwing birthday parties for your age 15+ child,
  and you are inviting clowns, ponies and Barney
• Your child only calls one time a day, and you are getting your feelings hurt
• You have become a broker for roommate disputes with your child
• You demand to have a tour of the company before your child agrees to take a
  job
• Your dream job is to become the Dean of Parents for your child’s school
• You walk in the room, and everyone hears the sound of a roaring, whirring
  bird

If any of these sound like you, you may be hovering a bit too close over your
child and it’s time to back off and let them fly. While you can certainly be a
sounding board or provide solicited advice (the key word here
is solicited), when it comes to making a big life decision, in
the end, it’s truly up to your adult child. They will grow and learn from each
good and bad decision they make.

http://MillennialLeaders.com 

06:35 am | 0 recommendations | Be the first to comment

Marketing to Generation Y: The Experience Culture

Generation Y. You’ve heard that they don’t watch TV, and you’ve probably been told that they don’t read that much. Your research tells you that you can’t target them through MTV anymore, and you certainly can’t tell Gen Y what is cool. So how do you reach these 71 million “Millennials” that spend over 200 billion dollars annually and will soon replace the baby boomer generation as the largest percentage of the workforce? The answer is simple—you STOP marketing to them. Let me explain.

First, let's look at who they are. As a baby boomer, I can tell you that this generation—sometimes called the "Connecteds"—are our own invention. We raised Gen Y on a strong dose of praise to believe that they could do anything or be anything. We made their lives easy enough that they now believe they deserve to live first and work comes after living. (How dare them!) So the first thing we have to do is to stop being pissed off at our own creation and embrace the brilliance of the Gen Y community. If you don't first respect them, you can't expect them to want to do business with you.

This is the most optimistic generation to ever walk the face of the planet. They absolutely believe that miracles are possible. They refuse to work a job that does not bring them a sense of joy. They care about the earth and servicing their community. In Gen Y, we have created the possibility for everything that we wanted for the world. So we must stop whining about them being entitled and embrace the power of this generation. Once we do that, we can then begin to take a closer look at who they are, what makes them tick, and what they want from our businesses.

Let's look at bit closer at who has been successful at marketing to Gen Y: Apple, Jet Blue, Trader Joes, Jones Soda, Mountain Dew, and Red Bull, just to name a few. How do these companies speak to this demographic? To answer that, we first have to understand the four areas Gen Y considers before purchasing a product or service.

1. Cheap cost

2. Good quality

3. Fast service

4. An “experience” and

5. A little bit on the quirky side

When Apple created the 99-cent download that took eight seconds to transact, they hit the nail on the head with Gen Y. Music is an experience, the quality is stellar, the cost is low, and the purchase happens instantly. What did Apple do right? They spoke directly to Gen Y and asked the question: What do you want?

So who gets Gen Y's attention? Living in an age where information is everywhere ans wehre everyone can reach them, the Gen Y community is VERY selective about who they listen to. Just look at their MySpace and Facebook accounts, and you'll see that they get their information from each other—not from us, and certainly not from the media. The information they get from each other comes by text or online social networks, not from e-mails. Most Gen Y's don't use e-mail unless it's for business or academic reasons (I know you probably thought you were hip with your 100 emails per day.) They text one another. They IM. They watch each other on YouTube. And sometimes they do all three at one time (they are master multi-taskers!) Most importantly, Gen Y does NOT care about looking a second time at your business unless you have been endorsed by their friends. They care about what their community has to say, and they take each other and their network's recommendations VERY seriously.

Taking all of this into account, what do you do to reach this growing demographic of new consumers? Understand first of all that Gen Y is an "experience" culture. They don't like being told what to like or what to do. They want to "experience" the world for themselves and pass their own judgment. Even when it comes to charitable giving, they don't want to give just to throw money into an organization—they want to get in there and get their hands dirty, doing the grunt work so that they can "experience" the work. They love being in the trenches of life and out on the fringe of business, and they want to be there with their friends. If you want to meet Gen Y, you have to go to them, take them seriously and gain their respect by first respecting them. Here is where they congregate:

· Concerts (Gen Y LOVES live music.)

· Extreme sporting events (skateboarding, snowboarding, BMX)

· Movies (mainstream as well as art-house)

· Hiking events (They love the outdoors)

· Video games and video game competitions (Cyber Athlete Professional League, GameCaster, Global Gaming League)

· Mashups (Weather Bonk, Where’s Tim Hibbard, Y! Mash, Sims on Stage)

· Social networking sites (Facebook, MySpace, Second Life, del.icio.us, DIGG)

· Tattoo parlors (36 percent of them have at least one tattoo)

 Before I wrap this up, there is one more point to address, and that is how to earn Gen Y's respect in the markeplace:  AUTHENTICITY.  The twenty-something consumer does not waste time on people or companies that are not being real with them.  Authentic is cool.  Authentic is a bit dorky.  Authentic is hip.  Authentic is truthful.  This generation has seen it all, and it takes them all of three seconds to pass judgment on you as to whether or not you are the real thing.

What does this all mean for you?  It means that you cannot directly market to Gen Y until you buy into them (and that does not mean calling them names.)  You have to be willing to get to know them and value their world view.  So while other experts are out there giving you "tricks" on how to market to Gen Y, I'm here to say STOP marketing to them and START listening to them.  Spend time with them.  Experience life with them.  Respect them as consumers and leaders.  If you do, their outlook on life will change and so will yours.  You'll begin to behave differently, take on new values and begin to live more as yourself.  When you do that, you'll find your place within this generation.

For more information on the topic of Marketing to Generation Y, visit Learn About Gen Y.com.

06:12 am | 0 recommendations | Be the first to comment

How Do You Attract and Retain Generation Y? Learn From Google, Intuit and Disney

Generation Y (the young men and women born after 1977) are different
from other generations in many respects, from their political views to
the careers they choose (or don't choose). Their presence in the
workplace is truly making an impact, causing employers to worry, fret
and scratch their heads, and asking, "What do I do to attract the
20-something worker, and once I have them, how do I keep them?"

The answer to this question is this: Stop trying to keep them and
control them with old, worn out "pay your dues" tactics, and start
designing your company to be attractive to this generation, which
includes over 72 million young potential employers.

When it comes to loyalty, the companies Gen Y works for are last on their list.
These millennial leaders are ambitious, worldly and demanding, and if
you can't give them a compelling reason to stick around, don't expect
them to. They will either find a better job in greener pastures, or
they'll move back in with mom and dad (hey...free rent and a packed
fridge is not a bad deal after all, and moms and dads are allowing
their 20-something age kids to move back home in droves).

Many employers are labeling Gen Y workers "demanding" and "self-serving"
(not a good move), and when you look at the fact that over 64 million
workers will exit from the workforce by the year 2010, this puts
employers in a talent deficit dilemma. The pools they have to dip from
are these young, so-called "demanding" young men and women from ages
22-30. So, if you want to attract the up and coming knowledge worker,
you have to stop calling them names and start doing what you can to
accommodate their needs, even if their expectations seem to be
outrageous.

The remainder of this article will share with you
some information about the companies who I believe are doing a great
job in attracting Gen Y into their workforce and a few of the
strategies they are using. As you read this article, do your best to
resist the thought of "Well, Google, Intuit or Deloitte would never be
my competition...we are worlds apart in location, size, budget and
industry focus". While it is true that we are all not like Google or
Apple, there is one thing that is true: We are in the age of the "young
knowledge worker", and Generation Y is the most high-performing
generation in the history of mankind with more information in their
heads and at their fingertips (and they can multi-task), so they can
perform a variety of tasks in many business domains and can live
anywhere if the job and company cool. So, in today's world, any company
is your competition, yet the big question is

"Will Gen Y be working for you or for your competition?"

Here's my top ten list of companies who are being successful with attracting
the Gen Y worker. As you read through this list, don't try to bite off
everything on this list. Simply ask yourself "How can I shift my
business or organization to include a few of these strategies to make
my company more attractive to the young knowledge worker?"

1) Google: Focus on Perks: Google is unfortunately (or fortunately) raising the
bar for each company in the world in the war for young talent.
According to a study done by the Great Place to Work Institute, Google
is at the top of Gen Y's list of companies they most want to work for.
Why wouldn't when you can gain access to perks including: *On site
dental and medical facilities * Free breakfast, lunch and dinner on a
daily basis at 11 gourmet restaurants *Unlimited sick leave * 27 days
of paid time off after one year of employment * A global education
leave program which enables employees to take a leave of absence to
pursue further education for up to 5 years and $150,000 in
reimbursement * Free shuttles equipped with Wi-Fi from locations around
the San Francisco Bay area headquarters * Classes on a variety of
subjects including estate planning, Spanish, Japanese and Mandarin.

2) Intuit: Focus on a Rotational Development Program. Gen Y was born
multi-tasking, so boredom on the job can set in quickly. Intuit has
addressed this by offering a cracker-jack Rotational Development
Program, allowing new recruits rotation programs in finance, marketing
and product development every 6-12 months. This program not only keeps
young workers engaged but prepares them for future leadership positions
in the company.

3) Walt Disney: Focus on Internships and a Collaborative Culture. Disney has a rock solid
internship program for college students, which includes college credits
for the colleges they partner with, which gets young leaders committed
to the company before they graduate. Disney is also built on a
foundation of a diverse and collaborative culture, and Generation Y was
born playing on teams made up of members from all cultures and walks of
life. The sense of camaraderie makes Disney attractive for Gen Y,
because it breeds a familiar sense of teamwork.

4) Deloitte and Touche: Focus on Leadership Development. Generation Y is very attracted to all
aspects of learning and development. They have been raised on a diet
which includes a combination of personal, leadership and team
development. Deloitte and Touche have therefore designed a state of the
art leadership program called the Future Leaders Apprentice Program
(FLAP), and new recruits are immediately eligible for the program.
Deloitte is also offering a top flight coaching and mentoring program.
Because Gen Y has been coached since age 5, they are saying that the
coaching and development programs offered by Deloitte are two of the
main attraction points that has them stick around or return later in
their career.

5) The Peace Corps. Focus on Saving the World. The pay is not so great (as a matter of
fact, most Gen Y leaders say it's lousy), but they are willing to
sacrifice pay in order to do meaningful work on a global scale, to work
and live in another country where they can become fluent in a new
language and to toughen up mentally and emotionally by doing hard work
with long hours. Generation Y sees companies who are making a
significant contribution back to their communities as tops on their
lists for future employment. Teach for America is another hot and
growing company that allows emerging leaders the opportunity to teach
in failing school districts...another approach to "making a difference"
in the world.

6) Lockheed Martin. Focus on Continuing Education. Gen Y is all about knowledge acquisition
and this aeronautics and space company has hit the nail on the head
with 20-something recruits by offering a maximum of $7500.00 annual for
education reimbursement and full graduate school sponsorship for junior
level employees.

7) L'Oreal USA: Focus on College Competitions and World Travel. If you have not noticed this
lately, Gen Y LOVES a competition, and they are certainly keen on world
travel. You only have to watch American Idol, So You Think You Can
Dance or America's Next Top Model to verify this. L"Oreal has latched
onto this idea with its L'Oreal Brandstorm Competition, providing
college students the opportunity to compete by putting themselves in
the shoes of a L'Oreal Brand Manager. The competition allows emerging
leaders the opportunity to analyze consumer trends while developing a
top of the line marketing and advertising campaign for L'Oreal. The
winner receives a trip to Paris and the opportunity to interact with
top L'Oreal managers, giving young recruits a leg up during the
recruiting and hiring process. The competition alone creates buzz and a
"cool factor" for L'Oreal, which is appealing to 20-somethings.

8)Southwest Airlines: Focus on Fun. If you have never flown Southwest, I highly recommend you do it
just one time...just for the fun of it. Generation Y's mantra is "Live
First, Work Second and Have Fun!", and Southwest's quirky but
fun-loving culture makes it a great first stomping grounds for the
young knowledge worker.

9) Nike: Focus on Fitness. Nike's campus is a prime location for Gen Y, who hits the
gym at least 3-4 times each week. Nike is situated on over 170 acres,
which includes a fabulous exercise center, playing fields and running
trails. And of course, their "Just Do It" tagline inspires young
workers to actually use these facilities rather than sitting at home in
front of their computer or the tube.

10) Apple: Focus on Simplicity. If you have visited an Apple store lately, you
will notice that you will be greeted by a young man or woman under age
30 at the Genius Bar. Apple is filled with Gen Y employees. The reason?
Apple makes things simple. In a report by Outlaw Consulting, Apple won
the number 1 loyalty spot for Gen Y, because their products are as
"stripped-down and unadorned as possible" (According to Outlaw
Consulting). To be simple means convenience and speed to the
multi-tasking Gen Y crowd. This audience is also highly dedicated to
saving the environment, the concept of excess means that the
environment may be harmed even more. Gen Y is therefore choosing to
work for companies like Apple whose positioning is dedicated to the
greening of our world.

By Bea Fields

For more information on how to attract and retain Generaation Y, visit http://MillennialLeaders.com.

06:16 am | 0 recommendations | Be the first to comment

Helicopter Parents: Are You Hovering Over the Workplace?