This might not actually sound like that big of a deal. Lots of people like holidays. Lots of people hate them, too.
The funny thing about loving holidays is that it could be considered immature to get excited about Valentine’s candy or dressing up for Halloween. In addition to a turning your office into an elementary school classroom with decorations, holidays can add discomfort to your day-to-day work relationships.
Holidays open the door to your personal life.
For example, Thanksgiving and Christmas are known for being stressful due to family conflict. Even if you don’t bring in a giant bow for your door, you will probably bring in those worry lines anticipating Aunt Sally’s slurring at the dinner table. You might be short with your coworkers, distracted before and after the holiday, and pretty much miserable with your life for a few days.
That’s a worse-case scenario. But we all know how awkward it can be if someone suddenly blows up in a meeting or unloads on you in the hall.
In my experience, issues around holidays are truly about bringing your personal life to work.
Yet many of the Gen-Y books and blogs bring up the point that Gen-Yers blur the lines; there isn’t much separation between work and personal. Most of my close friends are work friends. I’ve moved a number of times, so I haven’t had the luxury of personal relationships that have nothing to do with my work. It’s actually another job for me to build friendships outside of my office. Basically, work is my life until something else comes along.
I bring this up because my birthday is in a few days. I love my birthday. Holidays are constant, and for someone who moved a bunch as a kid, my birthday was always the day when I knew I would have a bunch of friends celebrating with me.
Birthdays might be their own special category, but can be extra troublesome for Gen-Yers. Many of us are trying to make our way in the office, gathering experience at lightning speed and trying to prove ourselves. And then a birthday rolls around, and we remind everyone exactly how young we are. There’s also the threat of those photos posted on Facebook that you’ll have to untag, the stories if someone from the office saw you fall outside the bar, or even the odd looks you might get for bringing balloons to work.
So on Friday, I will be letting everyone know that I am turning 25. And there will be balloons, because that’s who I am.
And life is personal. Be it at work, in the classroom, in sports, at home, or anywhere. I’m not saying you need to share every personal detail, there should be some separation. But don’t force it and don’t be scared if one bleeds into the other. Hence work-life balance.
If you are into holidays like me, make sure that you do all you can to earn those celebrations. And with a down economy, no one can blame you for finding the light in the darkness…even if it’s a birthday candle.
The views expressed in my blog are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer.
So last fall, the world expected to see Gen-Y change the nation by showing up to vote. I even made sure to have filed for my Minnesota drivers license a couple days beforehand just to be sure. Apparently, Gen-Yers are all about the politics. Trust me, I used to live in DC. I would say that is pretty accurate in that city.
That statement, however, wasn’t so accurate when I got to Minnesota. While many Gen-Yers had their own opinions about the race, they weren’t pounding it down my throat like the DC Gen-Yers. In fact, some of my DC friends were so politically-passionate (which is fine), that they ignored my request to not include me and instead made me want to NOT vote.
Why all this about the Presidential race?
Politicking in the office is very similar to politicking in the government. People make alliances, shake hands to get things done, and hence the phrase “Good Old Boy Business” still gets applied to a number of companies today.
Naturally, one would assume that if Gen-Yers were so involved in the political changes made last fall, that Gen-Yers would be all over politicking in the office. But it’s not true.
It’s one thing to stand up for something you believe in, it’s another to buy into all the responsibilities that come with accepting campaign funding or having large bodies of influence with their own agendas. While Gen-Yers aren’t in a position to change all of that for the US Government (but you all know it will drastically change as Traditionalists and Boomers leave their positions), Gen-Yers don’t play the game in the workplace.
Why is this a bad habit? Because it’s just as annoying as “asking why” all the time.
So for example, I was in a staff meeting with our extended group (I’m in a small team within Marketing). A woman, not a Y-er, on the team was talking about a message our CEO just delivered to the company. She said, “While I’ve never spoken to him myself, he comes across with a lot of honesty and integrity.” Naturally, I was shocked…because the CEO’s office is literally across the hall from us. All you have to do is say “Hi” when he walks by.
And our CEO is awesome, by the way. He’s an X-er who is really going to do some neat things with our company. So I wanted to get to know him. When I realized I could do it, I bypassed the traditional ladder to him in order that we could build a rapport. He’s actually already nicknamed me “the pit-bull,” but in a good way. I promise I haven’t bitten or clawed at anyone since being in Minnesota.
Unsurprisingly, when I sit in a room with some of our other executives who all play position with each other, I realize we’re not going to get anything done. There are a lot of other interests on the table instead of just the good of the company, which is the same situation for companies across the board right now. And you can’t say, “Cut the crap, people.” Executives don’t really like that.
Being rebellious, I refuse to play. I have my own things I would like to get done, but as far as I’m concerned, those aren’t as critical as keeping the company on top during a recession.
The trick I have learned, though, is that if you aren’t going to play the political game, then you need to have a good plan. You can’t just spout off opinions or come up with great ideas. If you are going to present something that is nontraditional for your organization, you need to come prepared. Make a business plan for everything, including the execution and field enablement plans. Throw in the contingency plan and the list of things that could go wrong. You’ll have shown you put real thought into this. Trust me, at higher levels, many leaders haven’t had to think this thoroughly about actions in a long time. They may work on the brainstorming, but in-depth planning often gets delegated. Prove that you’re a step ahead.
And then you can make change happen.
The views expressed in my blog are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer.
I might be a little behind the times here...I'm a Verizon customer...but I just found out that the iPhone doesn't allow for multitasking. Meaning if you want to stream radio and play games at the same time, it's not possible. At least not on the same device. Now, I am taking this at the word of a colleague, and there could be user error here, but apparently it is an issue as stated in the iPhone Blog.
Now, again, I might be behind the times here, but I thought the point of marketing a gadget to an audience that is in large part Gen-Y, wouldn't the stereotypical attribute of the group be the first thing to check off on the features list?
Even our in-house Generational expert was surprised.
I can even multi-task on my Kindle, reading, flipping books, looking up words, making comments, all the while playing some music and knowing that I won't lose my spot.
So, odd isn't it? While Gen-Yers might want to shake off the shackles of stereotypes, some of our innate traits are really what we want catered to in the marketplace.
Asking Why. Anyone who has kids, knows kids, or has watched TV about kids, knows what I’m talking about. I am like that four-year-old who doesn’t stop asking “Why?”
It’s not that I want to be annoying, and I usually do cut myself off after the second Why. I also went to a pretty prestigious school, so I’m not having a blonde moment. And honestly, I’m not really trying to challenge authority. (I say “not really” because what usually happens when someone asks “why” is that everyone gets defensive, and you do challenge their authority.)
So why do I ask “Why?” Simply to improve my own understanding of a situation or process. I come from a family of engineers, so I can’t help but be curious about the way things work.
This is not to be confused with issues with authority or challenging “the man.” The last thing I want is to make trouble or rub people the wrong way.
As a Gen-Yer, I am too young to have absorbed years and years of history of how things are done in the workplace. Based on stories from books or my mother, I have a pretty decent idea of what has happened in the past…glass ceiling…pantsuits…Enron…and of course the current economic climate thanks to reading about our good friends Fannie and Freddie.
So I have to ask. Fill in the blanks, if you will.
A typical situation goes like this: I am in a meeting, having seen a broken process harm our ability to do business. The point of the meeting is to discuss how we might change that process. Half-way through the meeting, I realize that we aren’t really there to change it. Just talk about it. And not only were we going to talk about it, we were going to praise it like it’s the best thing since sliced bread. So before I automatically label everyone in the room as a crack head (because these are pretty smart people), I ask about how the process came to be and why we trust it so much.
And then the poop hits the fan.
Situations like this arise pretty frequently around me. And I have been advised on a regular basis that I might want to hold my questions for one-on-one discussions, not for the whole group. Of course my response to that is “Why would I want to do that?”
Apparently everyone has an ego that needs protecting and stroking. So asking why is like taking a shot below the belt.
So then there’s another Why: “Why are these executives afraid of ‘why’ questions? Shouldn’t they be secure enough around their decisions to answer without feeling threatened?” If you cycle around like this a few more times, you eventually come to everyone’s favorite answer, “Because that’s just the way it’s always been done.”
And if you ask “Why” after that answer, you’ve officially become the four-year-old.
Have I learned anything from this? Sure, but probably not what everyone else wants me to learn. See, I’ve already been publicly humiliated across all of my company’s North America offices (and I’ll write about that later). I’m still standing. I didn’t throw a hissy fit, and I didn’t storm off with two middle fingers blazing.
Plus, if we always do things the “way it’s always been done,” then how are we going to get better? How are we going to learn, grow, and truly become the best?
So I’m going to keep asking “Why” because it’s expected of me. Remember, I am a Gen-Why-er.
The views expressed in my blog are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer.
Not that I’m obsessed with posting in a series, but I kind of liked the idea of linking my posts. While my stereotype assumes that I think I’m perfect, I know in fact that there might be a couple of bad habits I have that could be attributed to my age. So here is the first in a series about Bad Habits.
Working Too Much. Now, many of you will say, “Where are you for my company, I have these kids leaving the chair spinning at 5:00 they’re out the door so fast…” Of course, I could also get a lot of crap from other Gen-Yers who think I make them look bad. But since I was always the kid who had her hand up during class because I was the only one who prepared, I’m not going to worry about that just yet.
Ok, so working too much. Ever since I stopped getting overtime, my timesheet keeps inching up in hours. Plus, my computer keeps finding its way to my coffee table, even when it’s Friday Movie Night. My Blackberry also goes with me everywhere, mostly because touch phones don’t work so well with mittens and Minnesota winter. So I can’t help but work all the time…right?
While I may not have reached what the Japanese call karoshi, I probably work more than I really should. And it’s for the same reason that caused me to always prepare for classes: Because you do what you’re supposed to do. If I have lots of projects going on, I’ll do them all. And then I volunteer for extra projects, either because I want to work with the team or the project itself is interesting. And then I have my own pet projects. Because for the first time in my career I’m excited about what I do.
Now, the funny thing is that I actually think I have a pretty good work-life balance. If I burnout in the middle of the week and sleep-in one morning, I don’t feel bad about not being in the office at 7:45 as usual…because I’m usually in at 7:45. The same would go with vacation, I don’t feel bad because I work so much. And I know a lot of managers fall into the trap of feeling guilty about taking vacation time. I would say, the only time you should feel guilty is if you didn’t take care of things before you headed out. No need to inflict pain on your team because you didn’t plan ahead.
I’ve also discovered there’s a loophole buried within the “If I can’t see you, you aren’t working” philosophy. If you are a selling organization, why be in the office anyways? Those people who still walk around looking for butts in seats forget that if you’re at your desk, that means you’re not selling to a client or didn’t win the work to deliver it. Not good.
What I will have to remember, is when I have a more demanding personal life outside of work, I will have to make new rules. For example: right now, I may go on some dates, watch hockey, DVR my shows for the weekend, and do some volunteering. For the most part, I can actually get in bed around 9:30 at night (yes, I am a nerd). If I pick up grad school in the fall, I’ll have to be sure I arrange my schedule around classes and homework, planning for assignments outside of work. In exchange, maybe I only take on two extra work projects instead of four. Or cut back on the amount of reality tv I DVR.
I think the final lesson is that I should be happy about the work I’m doing. If I’m spending way too much time thinking about the job, it shouldn’t be because I want to shoot myself. I should be because I want to get up, get in at 7:45, and start kicking some project butt.
The views expressed in my blog are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer.
Graphic from clipart, links courtesy of washingtonpost.com and vh1.com
Energy is a commodity that *cross your fingers* shouldn’t disappear with the rest of your assets as the economy continues to crash. But how do you stay upbeat when things seem to be so bad?
1.Have Energizer Meetings. This is something my team started doing over the past few months. Once a month, we meet (usually around pay day), and talk about everything we’re into. We get to keep tabs on people’s interests outside of work, from books to movies to vacation plans. Even if I’m having the worst day of my work week, these meetings help bring me out of the funk. Not only do we get to talk about fun things, but we build a certain level of comfort within the team. So when the company makes announcements about the future state of the business, and the news doesn’t sound good, you also know that you have a forum for expressing concern. Something that can keep you level-headed at the office, in addition to giving you new motivations.
2.Go Home To Something Fun. I’m young, single, and busy. So I don’t exactly have a pet to welcome me home or a man waiting with dinner on the table after the work day. I work to find my own happy things. These can include One Song Dance Parties, a few games of tennis on my Wii, or even my Christmas tree (yes, I know it’s really time to take it down). There are simple things that can make you happy, and those are the reasons to leave the office when the day is over. Everyone needs these happy moments, kind of like those Dove commercials.
3.Make That Life List. We all know there are things we want to accomplish in our life, but often we make sacrifices and the List falls by the wayside. Or there are those of us who haven’t actually articulated what might be on that list. Now seems like a good time to sit down and make that list. Do it on your own, use another List to get you started, or make a group activity out of it. The thing to remember is that while you may not have the money or means to accomplish everything right now, you may find out that there are some things you can start. Like reading all Jane Austen’s novels or starting a blog.
Everyone needs to happy, and while these things might be a small start, they could make a big difference.
The views expressed in my blog are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer.
Why don’t I provide a little context for you: A gentleman from IT came by my office to make sure that I was happy with the upgraded keyboard he ha d left for me (since I had been out when he dropped it off). Additionally, he came to personally tell me how he was handling another problem I was having, so that I could trust it was under control. The executive assistant around the corner from me walked by and said to the IT guy, “Stop flirting with the help!”
This assistant is of the late Boomer generation, with children around the same age as me. So at this point, I’m trying to decide is this a generational thing…a gender thing…or a position thing. (Did I mention I’m a manager?)
Google “the help” and it turns out there’s even a company called The Help Company:“The Help Company also offers you a premier list of consultants to train your domestic staff. Your house will run like a five star hotel in areas such as laundry, cooking, housekeeping, etiquette, and organization.”
Ok, so perhaps the phrase isn’t as Old World as I had thought it was. But this brings up a good point…are older female assistants threatened by the aggressive ladder-climbing Gen-Y women in the workplace?
It’s not just assistants. My mother has a master’s degree and her last position before retiring didn’t pay as much as my current newbie salary. She likes to remind me of this every time I ask if I should be negotiating my pay.
When I was in my first role, I picked up a book called New Girl on the Job: Advice from the Trenches. There’s a whole section about how to avoid being “assistant-ized.” I figured this was as good as gold: I was a high-potential employee on the bottom rung in an operations role, someone was going to think I was his or her bitch.
I had a major flaw however. I am a nice person at heart.
So while my title had never included the word “assistant,” I became a damn good one (in addition to everything else required of me).
It appears that I haven’t snapped out of that even in this new role. So it seems natural the executive assistant around the corner assumes I’m lower on the food chain than her. I’m too nice, she sees me take care of other colleagues, and I am the help.
In the grand scheme of things, this one comment won’t break my career. However, it makes me aware that companies are not immune to “classes” within the organization. There’s more than just the politicking at the senior levels.
At this point, I don’t have any advice to share. In fact, I’m going to make an experiment out of this situation. One woman’s attempt at de-assitant-izing with the other assistant.
The views expressed in my blog are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer.
In the blogosphere, many are saying that we should be identifying challenges due to the economy not as constraints, but as opportunities.
Try telling that to the low men on the totem pole.
Companies will be making more tough decisions this coming year…in addition to the ones already made. And the sad truth is that if it comes down to cuts, tenure can make an impact on who stays and who goes.
The profile of a Gen-Yer in the workplace probably looks something like this: youngest/newest person on the team; only brings a few years of experience to the table; probably isn't visible more than a level up in the organization, let alone at the top; might have unconventional approaches to work, including multitasking and using social media; could have a bright future…but not there yet.
Any of this seem familiar?
When it comes to cuts for a team, the reasons above might contribute to why it is easiest to let go the Gen-Yer.If he has a bright future, he should be able to find something else pretty easily…right?
We’re finding in this economy, that question is getting even shakier than it used to be. The best of the best are unemployed with no hope for something substantial in the months to come. And then they take on a few part-time jobs to pay the bills, competing with others who may not have the opportunity for a future in business. Everything spirals, and Ivy grads are asking if you’d like fries with that.
Maybe it’s not that bad, but there are definitely those who are blue collar who are losing job options to unemployed white collar workers.
So how can we attempt to ward off this spiral of doom?
First, be thankful you have a job. It may not be the best in the world, but if you know you’re getting a steady paycheck, put a smile on your face…things could always get worse. Times might make it more difficult for you to do other things in your life, like putting off school or other major expenses, but if you can make it through the day-to-day, you’re doing alright.
Second, talk to your boss. Honesty is the best policy right now, and if you haven’t had a heart-to-heart about your future in the short term, I would schedule that meeting right away. Your boss may not have all the answers, but if you go in asking what it is you can do to help ensure you keep your position, that will go a long way. You might be surprised at how often the answers are simple: no more overtime, take on an additional project, help train a colleague, keep a positive attitude, etc.
Third, do your best every day. This means not just showing up and wearing a smile (and that helps), but truly working to do your job in the best possible manner in which it can be done. Go out of your way to really show you want to be there doing what you do.
And finally, don’t give your boss a reason to fire you. We all have bad days or personal problems, but now is not the time to flip out, check out, or cut out because you will be kicked out. Consider every day Interview Day, consistently putting your best foot forward…namely the one you used when you interviewed for your job.
All of these can’t guarantee you keep your job, but it will help put you on the Good List instead of the Bad List. And trust me, you probably won’t get a second chance if you end up on the Bad List.
The views expressed in my blog are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer.
With the book’s release earlier this October, there seems to be a question nagging all of us in the back of our minds…How does the US economic situation fit into all of this?
Magnuson said that there are four things to look keep in mind about how the economy is going to impact generations in the workforce:
1. -Boomers will be staying longer than planned. What this means for companies is that there is a high risk of disengagement with Boomers who “retire on the job.”
2. -Xers will have to put off their own promotional aspirations with Boomers still holding leadership positions. The Xers have been waiting a long time and run the chance of becoming disgruntled as they ride out this economy.
3. -Yers are clamoring to move up and will experience the same obstacles as the Xers, who in turn will switch to job-hopping if applicable.
4. -Disengagement is the short-term issue every leader will need to think about. Long-term, however, companies will need to keep a pulse on the workforce. When the economy does pick up, Boomers will all retire at once (causing talent and financial drain), Xers and Yers may be attracted to higher-paying jobs in other companies, and the organization may be worse off than before the economic downturn.
The lesson seems to be that companies really need to plan for the long term, even if there are short-term challenges that may make foresight difficult.
Alexander said, “We may have more time to map out what the desired talent profile in a company will look like five or ten years from now, but if you aren’t planning for a whole new face of the workforce, your company will be in trouble. There are things that organizations will have to accept: leaders with less experience, employees willing to leave jobs after shorter times, and people prepared to move around frequently. “
Work with Me closes out with a chapter entitled “Face the Future with 2020 Vision.” As part of this, Alexander and Magnuson encourage companies to host Workforce 2020 Exercises to aid in preparing for the future.
I had the opportunity to participate in one of these sessions with the authors and found it quite enlightening and empowering.As a Gen-Yer, I express myself differently than many of my older colleagues, and this workshop gave us an opportunity to listen and learn from one another through the lens of generational differences. I would highly recommend that companies not only hold one of these workshops themselves (the directions are in the book), but have regular check-ins among the generations in your organization.
As we move into the future, more questions will continue to arise. From my personal Gen Y viewpoint, some of these questions might be:
·If the average age of your workforce is 40, why is there no one younger than 60 on your board?
·Why is it necessary to have “political” agendas within a company if it hinders the job that needs to get done?
·If a Gen-Yer can do something twice as fast, why don’t we find out what else can be done twice as fast?
·Why aren’t we pairing up new employees with those who have been around for a while as part of onboarding?
Something I picked up from speaking with Alexander and Magnuson is that we all will need to start being a little more honest, with each other and ourselves. And being honest is a sign of respect…one of the most important common ground elements found in this book.
Seems to me like these women were right on target.
While this is the last installment of this interview series, Alexander and Magnuson will be experts featured on this blog in the future.
Win a copy of Work with Me! Post a comment to this blog and you will be entered in a drawing to win a signed copy of the book. Additional information can be found at www.personneldecisions.com. Also available for Amazon Kindle.
I would like to thank Lora Alexander and Debra Magnuson for taking time to speak with me and take part in this interview series. Additionally, Kristie Nelson-Neuhaus, PDI’s Editor-in-Chief, was integral in helping to make this series happen.
The views expressed in my blog are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer.
Like it or not, there is some kind of tension between generations in the workplace. Every book about those pesky Gen-Yers claims that they’ll ruin the world.
The authors of Work with Me decided that we all might need a more constructive approach to collaborating across the generations.
“In writing this book,” said Magnuson, “we identified levels of generational conflict: flashpoints, rolled-eye moments, and generational blind spots. And while understanding those are important, it is more critical to take the next step to determine where we should act to solve these conflicts; the areas of common ground.”
Smart companies focus on these areas of common ground for two reasons. First, it is cumbersome and divisive (and sometimes illegal) to create different policies and practices for different age groups; second, it is more positive, efficient, and effective to create a workplace where everyone wins. Employee-centered strategies represent a big win for employers, too. Employee engagement and retention are the keys to business success in the future, and companies that focus on these priorities will be miles ahead of the competition.–Excerpt
Alexander and Magnuson identified four areas of common ground:
1.Flexibility
2.Leaders who coach
3.Development opportunities
4.Respect
This list means that it should be pretty easy to resolve conflict, right?
Not so fast.
“The biggest challenge is understanding that respect means different things to different generations,” said Alexander. “We inherently understand that everyone wants respect, but if we show respect to everyone in the same way we would want it, it doesn’t work.If you change the lens of how respect is viewed across the generations, your interactions will show respect in the appropriate ways for each group.”
Let’s talk about respect a little bit. In Work with Me, the Gen Y definition of respect “means understanding and accepting the way their generation functions in the world. Don’t we see how smart they are and how much they have to offer their employers? If we don’t see it, we don’t respect them.”
I would say that’s pretty on target. For example, I never understand why there seems to be a barrier to entry at the appropriate level for a recent college grad. Why do companies continue to hire top students from prestigious universities as file clerks?
And don’t play the “they-applied-for-the-job” card.Many are using that first file clerk job as a foot in the door to something more challenging if they have been screened out of other opportunities. If that employer has no viable career path, then on to the next job or role. Gen-Yers will continue to hop until they have found something engaging and challenging. I know I did.
And then the recession happened.
“Flexibility is going to be imperative during this economy,” said Magnuson. “Denying people a flexible work environment causes disengagement, cynicism, and dissatisfied employees, which leads to less productivity.Many people of all ages are starting to think in terms of results rather than “butts in seats” productivity. If the work is getting done and the results are good, does it really matter where it gets done? Companies aren’t making the shift fast enough, and in this economy that will reflect on engagement and retention. “
So Work with Me hold tremendous value right now. When companies are being forced to make difficult decisions, taking into account their future workforce will be necessary to make the right calls.
In our next entry, we will be looking at what Alexander and Magnuson project for the future, in addition to the biggest surprises they found while writing this book.
Win a copy of Work with Me! Post a comment to this blog and you will be entered in a drawing to win a signed copy of the book. Additional information can be found at www.personneldecisions.com. Also available for Amazon Kindle.
The views expressed in my blog are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer.
