Generation Y: Tips for Taking on the New Year

With the new year approaching I am focusing the next few blog entries on potential "Resolutions" that any of us can proclaim. As a Generational Enthusiast (I have no idea what that means but some people like titles), I will focus this entry on Generation Y. Like a previous blog entry, "Tips for Managing Generation Y", I will once again stress that if you are looking for rampant proclamations about negative perceptions about this generation or any for that matter, you are reading the wrong blog. I want to help build the bridge connecting the generational gaps, not push them further apart.

Tips for Managing Gen Y focused on how we (older generations) can create a culture conducive to productive and happy Gen Y employees. I'd like to change perspectives here and make suggestions on how Gen Y can become a productive asset to today's modern business. For my Gen Y readers, this isn't about assimilation (so don't click to another site). To the contrary, this is about getting your way. It's about proving you are as valuable as you say. It's about priming and setting the right amount of powder to catapult you perhaps even beyond your career trajectory. These are tips to make you successful.

The following are 10 ways you (Generation Y) can increase your value to your organization and employer:

1. LEARN TO LOSE: What the heck is he talking about? Some of you may be reading that and saying I am a winner. That is where I should focus. My response to that is I have never met a person in my life who didn't lose. However, the truly great ones, are the ones that lose well. You won't win every battle you fight. Life guarantees that. If you lose poorly, your value is diminished but if you lose like a pro, you may even increase your value beyond the winners. Look at the Jamaican Bob Sled team. Who won the gold, silver, or bronze Olympic medals that year?

2. LEARN HOW TO EMPATHIZE: The Greeks designed the communication model, Ethos, Pathos, Logos. Pathos helps us to understand the other person. To often we try to understand the other person from our perspective. That couldn't be more selfish. Understand them from their perspective. Hold off judgement until you can do that. To judge before you achieve Pathos is not a reflection of the other person. It is a reflection of you and a poor one at that.

3. LISTEN: This couldn't be place any more strategically behind empathy. I once read an author (who's name escapes me) define listening as the act of existing solely for the person speaking. What a powerful statement. To me it means my mind is clear from assumptions and open to facts and perspective. Listening is not an agreement of terms but a tactic to help you understand and gain position. Listening is also a play of offense not defense as it is often mistaken.

4. VALUE EXPERIENCE: I had a conversation with a Gen Y employee who was struggling with this. She was 23 at the time and I asked her if experience doesn't matter would it be okay with you if I replace you with a 13 year old. She was insulted and said how could you think a 13 year old could do a better job than me. I made my point by explaining how do you think an employee who is 45 sees you. Experience is extremely valuable and usually that is a lesson learned once you get the experience.

5. PRACTICE POWERFUL PERSUASION: If no one agrees with you, it doesn't mean their naive, it simply means, you did a poor job of persuading them. The Power of Persuasion is a skill that is up there at the top for leaders and managers. Without it, you may find yourself leading a party of one, you.

6. MANAGER YOUR TIME: Prioritize, Prioritize, Prioritize. Time management is about decision making. You are deciding what should be your priority at any given time. Make no mistake, the time slot of NOW can only be occupied by one priority and cannot be shared. You are judged by your decision of what priority you place in the NOW time slot. Read my post "Multi-Tasking: Manager's Beware" to gain further insight.

7. KEEP THE CUSTOMER IN MIND: First, do you know who your (direct internal or external) customer is? If not that is the first question you need to answer. Everything you do, every task and decision should have the customer in mind. Keep the customer at the center of your work and it is unlikely you can go wrong.

8. BALANCE YOUR TECH BIAS: This is one of the greatest strengths of Gen Y but can also become your biggest obstacle. Your attraction to technology can isolate you from older generations who don't integrate it so willingly into their methodology. Its not right or wrong, its choice. You have to respect that to influence them. There could very well be a legitimate reason why tech may be the wrong option. Look at the film "Up in the Air" with George Clooney to open a great debate on this point.

9. BUILD YOUR REPUTATION: The accomplishments of your peers or predecessors don't belong to you. Your employers are judging you based on what you accomplish. This also holds true to the weakness of any generation as well. You should not be grounded or propelled by anonymity but by the thrust of your accomplishments. Build them and boast them to your employer.

10. INCORPORATE AGE DIVERSITY INTO YOUR NETWORK: What's the average age of your network? How many members do you have over 60, 50, 40, etc.? Gen Y seems to have an amazing tolerance for some traditional issues of inclusion (race, gender, religion, etc.). A need is for Gen Y to increase their tolerance of Age Diversity. Look to include the talent of these groups into your network.

11. ASK FOR HELP: (Here's a bonus point beyond the usually list of ten.) What I am not referring to here is asking Google, Yahoo, or Bing for help. Gen Y does an amazing job at that. Ask your fellow co-workers for help. This is an expression of the value you see in them. One person can instigate a difference but it takes a community to make a difference.

This list contains common themes of relationship, trust, collaboration, respect, etc. As I look back on it (despite being designed for Gen Y), I realize that these are tips for each of the generations. It makes me realize not how different we are but how similar.

You can follow me on Twitter @TerrenceWing or @LiquidLearn

NETWORKING: A BLACK BELT SKILL

I attended a one hour teleclass by the Los Angeles Chapter of ASTD on Networking hosted by Tom Henschel of Essential Communications. Clearly one hour hardly covers the complexity of networking but Tom discussed some critical points that are important when trying to complete your networking strategy. This blog will cover some of Tom’s key points.



“Networking is about planting, not hunting” was Tom’s lead in. He couldn’t be more on target. I can’t begin to tell of how many times I have been approached by someone at a networking event who wanted something from me, expected me to give it, and had never met me before. The balls on some people. For me, networking is more relationship building than anything else. My goal at any event where networking is an activity is to build relationships and get to know the people in the room, nothing more. I am not looking to sell them anything or even pitch an idea. Typically I reroute conversations away from me and I start asking questions about them. These questions derive from a genuine interest also. Which brings us to a second point made by Tom.




“Be Genuine when you are networking”. Tom seems to subscribe to the Networking School of Trust. A phony might as well walk around with a tattoo on his or her head saying, “It’s all about me”. I like to get into the mindset that I am at this event to prove that the people in the room are way smarter than me. This allows me to want to learn from them. Also, my listening skills become activated because there is no other agenda.




Keep the close for another time. I paraphrase Tom a little here but in essence, he is stating that closing a stranger during networking is like, “proposing to a blind date when you first meet them”. What a way to lose trust (and not know what you’re getting into). It’s so hard to get trust and to waste it on a selfish agenda should be a crime.




Tom further gave a few tips on “ Elevator speeches”. As professionals, these are common and often an aspect of networking that sees the poorest performance from many people. For those reading who may not be familiar with this, the “Elevator Speech” is a high level and very short summary of who you are and the value you bring. You’re stuck in an elevator for about 20 to 30 seconds with the CEO of a company you would like to work for or do business with, what do you say to leave an impression before the doors open again. You can stare at the ascending or descending numbers or make the most of that brief but valuable time period. Here’s 3 of Tom’s suggestions on making your pitch memorable:

• Use numbers and specific language - “I’d like to tell you three things about my company”
  
• Use short labels – “I’m in the Talent Harvesting Business”
  
• Make the pitch repeatable
  
  

So let’s summarize here. Here is the executive review of Tom Henschel’s teleseminar on Networking. It also includes a few other key points that I didn’t elaborate on.

• Networking is about planting not hunting
  
• Be genuine when you are networking
  
• Keep the close for another time and event
  
• Make your (Elevator) Pitch” memorable
  
• When networking, think, “stop talking sooner”
  
• Follow up with those you meet
  
• Be positive
  
• Forecast your question before the event
  

Networking can be a powerful skill. Like all skills, it takes careful preparation and flawless execution to bear a bountiful harvest. Thanks Tom for you tips and advice.

You can follow me on twitter @TerrenceWing.