e-Tips
12/2009 Generational Appeal of the Best Places to Work
Many of us have an intuitive sense about what makes a “best place to work.” Various surveys track what employees are looking for to join and stay, and those items shift in rank from generation to generation depending on existing social, political and economic circumstances.
11/2009 More on Generations and Money
10/2009 Each Generation Needs More Resilience
One trait thought to be essential for successful leaders today and in the future is “resilience,” defined as tough-mindedness and the ability to accept criticism. A study (released in mid-2006) of more than 2,000 employees at the managerial and professional levels by PsMax Solutions, a human capital assessment firm, provides some intriguing findings. Ranked highest of all groups was the middle-managers’ resilience score. CEOs and company presidents ranked lowest in resiliency, followed by executives and professional employees.
09/2009 How Lack of Nonverbal Cues Hinders Cross-Generational Communication
It’s obvious to just about everyone that we have been witnessing fundamental changes in communication media and styles, accelerating markedly in the last 10 years. Technology and the market have led the way to faster, more efficient, smaller, always on media; communication styles have followed and adjusted, causing generational and occupational divides. We have seen that most efficient is often not most effective. What is being lost?
08/2009 Generational Differences in Communication
The challenge of working with the communications styles of the different generations is what comes up most often in my programs and discussions. It’s important to recognize that it’s not just about technology. The medium is only part of the message and is a useful, but sometimes distracting and ineffective tool. These tips will help multi-generational communication to achieve desired results.
07/2009 Parenting Trends’ Impact on Workplace Behavior
In her New York Times magazine article “Let the Kid Be” (May 31, 2009), Lisa Belkin traces the history of parenting trends and says we are now beginning to see a shift from “overly enmeshed parenting” which sometimes led to micro-managing children (and, I will add, sometimes attempting to micro-manage teachers and employers)) to “free-range parenting.” Book writers and bloggers are confessing their lack of perfection and proclaiming that a good parent doesn’t worry so much.
06/2009 Online Networking – The Generational Perspective
Here are some insights on use of social media viewed through a generational lens.
Social networking is the perfect tool for getting young professionals to do what marketing professionals have been asking of them for years: keep in touch with classmates and other peers.05/2009 The Case for Facilitated Dialogues within Work Teams
While Generation Y/Millennials appear confident and sure of their “quick study” abilities and diligence, they want a precise guidebook for their activities so they won’t fail to be “right,” a status they have been brought up to think they will always achieve. They don’t deal well with ambiguity; used to being given help from parents, coaches, teachers, mentors, tutors and the fact that they most often work in teams, they are less adept at figuring things out on their own than Gen Xers, who were often left to their own resources, and the Boomers.