Build your own X-team: Workplace evolution

February 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Building your own generation x teamThis is part 2 in the series of posts on workplace evolution.

I may be a Millenial, but I’m not too young to remember The A-Team. The best thing about the A-Team was that each member was so different and brought a unique talent. There was no B-squad; they could do it all. As Gen Xers move into positions of management, they need to create their own teams, X-Teams, to capture the unique talents of each generation.

Gen Xers are not inherently team players. However, they are moving into management roles and will need some guidance from the Baby Boomers who are slowly retiring. Gen Xers will benefit from working on teams with Baby Boomers and learning the skills they need to be strong leaders.

And how will Gen Xers manage once they get to the top? The Baby Boomers aren’t going anywhere too fast and Millenials are quickly becoming the largest population in the workforce, 75% by 2025 according to a study done by The Business and Professional Women’s Foundation. So, Gen Xers need to find ways to keep the experience of the Baby Boomers while attracting, motivating and keeping Millenials.

Enter the X-Teams.

In his book “Human Factors in Project Management: Concepts, Tools and Techniques for Inspiring Teamwork and Motivation”  Zachary Wong points out that Baby Boomers lived through and participated in a number of social movements, (civil rights, women’s rights), so they believe in the power of teamwork to drive progress.

More than just a team mentality, Baby Boomers have years of experience you don’t want to lose when they retire. Put them in a position to teach Gen Xers and Millenials by teaming them up and letting them all learn from each other. By putting them in teams, Baby Boomers will continue to feel valuable to the organization as well as filling mentee roles that will benefit Gen Xers and Millenials.

Although they may be the youngest members of the workforce, Millenials do not want to be on the B-Squad. Millenials want to be included; they want to feel valued for their input and they want to feel like what they say is taken seriously. Millenials are team players by design and actually more productive working in teams. The Millenials were practically born on teams. By five they were playing organized sports. By adolescence they were doing team learning projects in school.

Millenials are eager to take advice from older generations. They crave feedback; their parents hovered over them. They are looking for mentors now in the workplace. Baby Boomers and Gen Xers have a lot to offer Millenials, and Millenials are eager to listen.

Remove the obstacles

Before the A-Team could be a productive crime fighting unit; they had to break out of prison for a crime they didn’t commit. We too will have to break out, tear down some walls and create collaborative environments for your X-Teams.

Remember your first cube? If you’re like me, it filled you with a sense of dread. Well, the walls are coming down!  A more open workspace will foster creativity, productivity, distancing itself from the old cube farm format. To create a more collaborative, creative, hence productive workspace, consider small conference tables and open spaces. Places like The Nerdery have already tried this and seen unexpected and positive results.

With multi-generational teams, there are bound to be some generational clashes. Have you ever noticed that each generation views the next one as lazy? No generation is raising lazy kids or we wouldn’t be where we are today. What is interpreted as laziness is a misunderstanding of different work styles. As you build your X-Teams it’s important to recognize what the generational differences are and encourage respect and understanding of those differences.

X-Teams will harness the best of what each generation has to offer. You are likely to have some setbacks, cliffhangers, but as the team works together to complete complicated missions, everyone will benefit.

Filed Under: Generation X, Generation Y, Succession Planning, Talent Development Tagged With: , , ,

Workplace evolution: Flexibility for all generations

February 8, 2012 By Leave a Comment

This post is part 1 of 2 related to workplace evolution.

Remember when doctors smoked at the office? You don’t have to watch Mad Men to appreciate how much the workplace has evolved in the last 50 years. Right now we have three generations–Boomers, Gen X and Millenials–in the workforce with varying needs and expectations, and things are changing.

Now is the time for flexibility. In order to motivate and reward all three generations, employers will need to find ways to creatively foster a flexible workplace.

Each of generation values flexibility. For the Baby Boomers who stay in the workforce longer (not because they want to, but because financially they have to) flexibility is becomes an issue of leisure. This generation has worked hard to get where they are and they are looking for ways to enjoy themselves even as they stick it out for a few more years to hit their desired retirement dollar amounts.

In the same vein, Gen Xers have always valued a work life balance and believe that work is something you do, not someplace you go. And Millenials? They may never even consider going into an office. They’ve grown up with technology that made it possible to work from anywhere anytime; they got their degrees online and highly value their personal time. Across the board, all generations in the workforce have a potential need to telecommute from wherever they want to be.

And why should they be stuck in an office?

Current technology already allows for flexibility of schedules and interaction. Myself? I’m a Millenial. As an intern last summer, I never saw the physical office of the company I worked for; I only met with colleagues face to face a few times. And it doesn’t stop with telecommuting. The way generations job search is also evolving. I have seen my grandpa hand over  the help wanted section of a newspaper with ads circled, but  77 percent of job seekers today are using mobile apps to search for jobs, and 89 percent of companies are using social media to recruit new talent.

As a Millennial, I get a little smug teaching my aunt how to update her Facebook profile, but social media is a multi-generational tool. Yes, Baby Boomers can use Facebook; they even have some things to teach Millenials about it. Boomers have seen a lot of technological changes since they entered the workforce. They have gone from being frightened of social media to successfully integrating it into business practice to build relationships, something Millenials have yet to embrace. Gen Xers are already the number one users of social media for business purposes. No one will be left behind as social media helps create a more flexible workplace.

We’re not (meeting) in Kansas anymore

New media technology is already changing the way we work. Instead of face-to-face meetings, you can initiate Google+ Hangouts. That’s what’s been happening at the University of Minnesota since they implemented university-wide use of Google+ last fall. Employees at the U of M are already noticing that the Google+ Hangouts feature saves commute time and paying for parking by facilitating online meetings. Employees can call hangouts from wherever they are with a laptop without worrying about reserving a conference room or getting to it. Google Docs even allows multiple team members in different locations to all manipulate one document at the same time. And you don’t need to work at the U of M to start implementing these tools now.

The future workplace might look exactly like the environment you choose, the exact place you want to be while you work. You will be reached by phone or text or social media, but still able to communicate face to face. By 2019 the next generation, Gen Z, the digital natives, will be hitting the workforce, doing jobs that don’t even exist right now. Maybe they’ll crave structure, like desks and walls; this newfound flexibility may seem as outdated to them as smoking in hospitals seems to us.

Filed Under: Generation X, Generation Y, Generation Z Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Prolonged retirements could become America’s worst nightmare

December 6, 2011 By 2 Comments

In November, Wells Fargo released the results of its seventh annual Retirement Survey which found for many middle class Americans, 80 is the new 65 when it comes to retirement. According to the survey, a quarter (25%) of middle class Americans say they will need to work until at least age 80 to live comfortably in retirement. Three-fourths (74%) expect to work in their retirement years.

Many people saw the results of the survey, but most probably did not see the firestorm of online discussions this survey created. Discussion boards on CNN, Yahoo, CNBC, and other web sites became quite heated as Baby Boomers and Generations X and Y argued about whether prolonged retirement is a good idea.

Generation X (currently in their late-20s to mid-40s) and Generation Y  (currently in their late 20’s and younger) blame not only the current economic malaise on the Boomers, but also the inability to advance their own careers as fewer managerial level jobs are opening up due to Boomers remaining in the workforce.

This “gray ceiling” as they are calling it, is preventing them from attaining higher salaried positions and creating their own financial independence.

The Boomer’s (currently in their late-40’s to mid-60’s) blame economic circumstances beyond their control, a lack of jobs and age discrimination for their financial struggles. Some Boomers are indifferent towards the needs of younger generations, showing an “I’ve got mine, too bad for you” and “Get in line and pay your dues” attitude.

Regardless of which side of the issue you lean, a couple observations are painfully clear.  First, working longer is going to be a reality for many people, and second, it’s an emotionally charged issue.

The fact that the vast majority of middle class Americans expect to work well past the traditional retirement age has significant societal and economic implications. Personally, I just met someone (a Boomer, of course) who tried to convince me (unsuccessfully, I might add) that people should work until they’re 80 or even longer.

Undoubtedly, demographic shifts and economic decline has placed the United States in a position of great uncertainty, which has every generation feeling like they’re in a no-win situation.

But as someone who researches this topic in great detail, what’s unsettling to me is the amount of time and resources focused on caring for the Boomers–their careers, beauty, health, housing, finances, and everything in between.

In stark contrast, there is very little attention paid to workforce development, succession planning, education, training, and employment of Generations X and Y. I’m convinced this is because the Boomers comprise the vast majority of political power and executive leadership in nearly every sector and region of the nation.

Our society remains obsessed with the aging Boomer population and prolonging retirement is just another example of this anti-aging trend. In the meantime, our future generations have been neglected and abandoned.

Teen unemployment at an all-time high? Leadership skill training and succession planning virtually non-existent? Talent among people under 30 turning over at an unprecedented rate? College debt is higher than nation’s credit card debt? So what. Those young people will have to figure it out for themselves. The ‘Me Generation’ can’t afford to retire now so everyone else will just have to be patient and wait their turn.

For 40 years, Boomers have been the dominant generation. However, by 2015 Generation Y will outnumber the Boomers and change is likely to ensue. Hopefully, it won’t be too late and our economy won’t be ruined beyond repair.

To be clear, I’m not completely insensitive to the trials and tribulations of Boomers. I understand that Boomers have found themselves in the midst of great economic uncertainty.

Raised during one of the most prosperous eras in America, Boomers expected to work until hitting a retirement age and then to retire with an employer-paid pension plan. However, defined-benefit pensions are now uncommon in the private sector and are being scaled back for a growing number of new government employers.

At the same time, political leaders are discussing cuts to future Social Security and Medicare benefits, and many Boomers have seen their savings washed away by unemployment, sharp declines in house values, and wild swings in stock prices.

Politicians have recognized that spending on Social Security and Medicaid is not sustainable. According to the Senate Committee on Aging, increasing the retirement age would cut less than one third of the Social Security deficit.

I also understand that the concept of where and when and how we work has changed.

The retirement age of 65 was set back in the 1930s when the American economy was built on the backs of blue-collar workers, whose bodies wouldn’t allow continued strenuous work as they lived into their 60s.

However, many of the manufacturing jobs that used to reside in Detroit or Cleveland were shipped overseas in the 1970s and 1980s. Americans now do work that is less physically demanding but more mentally taxing.

Because of this, Americans are living longer. According to a U.S. Senate report, the life expectancy of U.S. citizens was 70 in 1969. Now, the average American can expect to live to 77.

What I disagree with is this notion that prolonging retirement for Boomers so they can work until they’re 80 can improve our economy.

Indeed, if we make the Boomers work longer we could milk the Boomers for more taxes and reduce the cost of government pensions and Social Security benefits in the process.

But let’s be honest here. If the U.S. wants to compete in a global economy it doesn’t need older workers as much as it needs young workers with the latest job skills.

There’s been more technology developed in the last five years than the last 50 years. Generation Y is the best educated generation of Americans, boasting a high volume of college graduates, and the most tech-savvy of all the generations.  Younger generations are also more innovative, driven, adaptable, and productive in comparison to older generations.

Also, there are entire industries at risk of aging out –industries like construction, manufacturing, finance, and healthcare– which are the cornerstones of the American economy. When entire industries are failing miserably at recruiting and retaining young workers– literally at risk of aging out–the U.S. has a serious problem on its hands!

Furthermore, it’s entirely possible that increasing the retirement age would not keep people working and paying taxes longer — it would just increase the level of poverty among people in their mid 60s who could neither find jobs nor collect Social Security benefits.

Since the Great Recession began, the unemployment rate among people over 55 has been at the highest levels in more than 60 years. When companies started laying off workers in massive waves in 2008 and 2009, millions of Baby Boomers lost their jobs and haven’t been able to find their way back into the workforce.

Many of them have decided to file for early Social Security benefits. In 2007, before the recession hit, 38 percent of 62-year-olds asked for their benefits. By 2009, the figure was up to 42 percent.

Instead of focusing on cutting costs by making people work longer, government leaders should be trying to boost the tax revenues generated by highly productive, innovative companies. In today’s competitive, globalized economy, U.S. companies should be focused on developing the talent and leadership (or lack thereof) who will be filling the void left by the massive exodus of Boomers.

The U.S. population is aging. And right now, more emphasis is placed on keeping our aging population working than it is on growing a young workforce capable of supporting our aging population.

In the future, employers and government alike will have to make some tough decisions about who should have the first crack at jobs and financial help: Boomers or Generations X and Y?

Let’s hope they make the right choice.

Filed Under: Generation X, Generation Y, Succession Planning, Talent Development Tagged With: , , , ,

Reality Bites for Employers Who Can’t Get to X

September 30, 2011 By 1 Comment

Generation X, the 48 million Americans born between 1965 and 1981, have become accustomed to being invisible –but no company can afford to ignore them now. Unfortunately, most companies haven’t come to this realization yet.

Sanwiched between two behemoth, ego-centric generations, Generation X has become the Jan Brady of the workforce. Since they entered the workforce, Xers have been stuck sitting in middle management hell waiting for the Baby Boomers to retire, and now they’re desperately hoping they get the opportunity to lead before Generation Y–the largest generation in history–pushes them out of the way.

For employers worldwide, Generation X is crucial to future success but few corporate programs are directed at their needs. Smart organizations will seek to  understand what motivates them in order to sustain, retain, realize and maximize  their potential.

Here’s why getting to X is more important than ever: More than a third  of them hope to leave their jobs in three years according to a survey of the Center for Work-Life Policy.

Other key findings: 41% are unsatisfied with their rate of  advancement and 49% feel stalled in their careers; 28% are working longer hours–an average of 10 more a week than three years ago;  and 74% feel credit card debt dictates their career choices.

Bottom line: Xers are under stressed, burned-out, and frustrated. Many employers have failed to identify a clear set of opportunities for them, so there is a considerable flight risk.

The findings come at  time when businesses say it’s increasingly difficult to find qualified workers.  In the U.S., 52% of employers reported having trouble filling positions  this year. That makes workers  in Generation X, a third of whom have a bachelor’s degree or higher and the  youngest of whom have been in the workforce for about a decade, a key pool for  companies.

However, the Xer flight risk poses a challenge to companies that need bench strength for leadership. And let’s face it–in light of economic decline and the pending retirement wave, most companies need bench strength desperately right now.

Generation X was epitomized as apathetic and  directionless in films such as Reality Bites (1994).

Now, as Xers approach middle age, reality does indeed ‘bite’ for the Xers who haven’t had a smooth transition into the workplace, and it also ‘bites’ for the employers who can’t engage the Xers.

After all, Xers are the next generation of leaders. They are a company’s only succession plan. At 48 million, the Xer generation is quite small, which will undoubtedly create a war for talent in the very near future.  With very different values, needs, wants and expectations than their Boomer counterparts, the Xers are seeking opportunities to have their professional and personal needs met within a company.

Here’s what employers need to know about the forgotten, restless middle:

  • The rising cost of higher education has hit Xers particularly hard. Average college expenses are more than four times higher than it was for the Boomers.
  • Xers have never known job secruity or a stable economy. Many began their  careers as companies started merging or downsizing and cutting back on pensions and health care benefits.
  • The vast majority of Xers are on the cusp of financial disaster — in debt, laid off, or owners of a house that’s now worth half of what they bought it for.
  • Generation X is more educated and more diverse than the Boomer generation.
  • Xers were raised to be self-sufficient. They don’t rely on the government to take care of them, trust their peers more than anyone else, and prefer to do tasks on their own.
  • Xers feel guilty about the time they spend away  from their children. This generation of ‘latchkey kids’ is passionate about being involved in their children’s lives.
  • Generation X is not motivated by salary. Their primary motivator is flexibility.

Not surprising, the Generation X  survey found that 70 percent would prefer to be their own bosses. They want the  flexibility that will allow them to devote time to outside pursuits and family  obligations. Less rigid hours and less time spent in the office are very  important to them. Solutions include offering alternative opportunities to Xers  when they cannot be promoted vertically and making sure that Gen Xers without  children receive the same flexibility as those with children.

Credit Suisse began  more actively promoting flexible arrangements last year within its finance  group, expanding from a focus on working mothers to all employees, and over 95 percent of requests are granted.

At Cisco, workers  may take leave of up to 12 months and keep their benefits and jobs, which  employees most often use to have children and take care of elderly parents.In 2007, Cisco began teaming up people in  different departments for 16 weeks at a time to develop new strategic products  or initiatives. Participants have priority consideration for leadership roles  within the company.

At PepsiCo Inc., the talent strategy focus on Generation X is “laser sharp” according to a global talent VP. One new PepsiCo  program helps develop the best prospects for senior management, with six-month  assignments that combine business school training with immersion in operations  in China, India and Brazil. PepsiCo last year started a career modeling program where employees and managers set goals for assignments three to 10 years out, so  people see clear paths to advancement.

Regardless of how you do it, it needs to get done. Eventually, the Boomers will retire or just get darn tired of holding the world on their shoulders. Someday, you will need to turn to Generation X for leadership and innovation and succession. The question you must ask yourself now is: will any Xers be there in our company’s time of need?

If your company continues to overlook them as the invisible, forgotten middle, don’t count on it.

Filed Under: Generation X, Succession Planning, Talent Development Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Fashion Faux Pas: Gen Y Takes Sexy to Work

September 22, 2011 By 2 Comments

A colleague of mine recently shared a story with me of a Gen Y employee who showed up for work in ‘Daisy Dukes’ – extremely short shorts. Outraged, she pulled the new hire into her office and asked her why she was wearing such inappropriate work attire. Confused and somewhat alarmed, the Gen Y shrugged her shoulders and said, “I thought you said we could dress casual on Fridays.”

Does this story make you laugh or cringe?

There’s no doubt about it, fashion in the workplace is getting a blunt makeover with Generation Y.  One Generation Y blogger describes the fashion of his generation as one with “flip-flops in hand bags waiting for 5 p.m., tattoos flown at full mast, and cleavage accepted most places VISA is.”

He argues the Generation Y’s fashion is part of their culture: extremely casual, fiercely independent, and highly innovative.

But how casual is too casual?

A Fortune 500 retailer (who has asked to remain anonymous) recently adopted a new dress code which they refer to internally as the ‘No-Bs Policy’ as in no belly, boobs, or butts can be visible at work. The HR executive told me the company created the policy shortly after Generation Y entered the workforce. “Never before have we had to literally spell out and train new hires on what was appropriate work attire,” she said.

I wonder what Dan Schawbel would say about his generation’s fashion choices. Schawbel is considered the leading personal branding expert for Generation Y. He’s the author of Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success, as well as the publisher of Personal Branding Magazine.

The concept of personal branding evolved with Generation Y and there are many resources dedicated to this topic. This is partly due to our fashion evolution, which has moved from wearing the required suits to business casual work attire to anything goes. (Soon we’ll be wearing pajamas to work. Why bother with getting dressed at all?)

It’s also partly due to technology — every move you make offline may be documented and everything you do online is already documented in your permanent record. As an article in Time Magazine put it, “Living is personal branding.” In an age of social media and reality TV—we are always on and always out there. We are moving from a society of attention controllers to attention seekers and Gen Y is leading the charge.

What I fail to understand is how Generation Y can tout the importance of personal branding and still believe that clothes aren’t an integral part of that equation. As the Gen Y blogger I mentioned above put it: “I have larger flags to fly than the clothes on my back.”

I understand that Generation Y wants to be radical hipsters celebrated more for their talent than their fashion choices, but let’s keep the ‘professional’ in the term young professional. Call this Gen Xer old-fashioned, but it’s just really difficult to take anyone seriously when they’re showing up at work in Daisy Dukes or flip flops.

Save it for the beach, Gen Y. Nudity at work is a no-no.

Filed Under: Generation X, Generation Y Tagged With: , , , , ,

Which generation works the hardest?

September 14, 2011 By 2 Comments

Last week I spoke at a corporate event where younger generations were getting a tongue-lashing from their Baby Boomer counterparts. The Boomers were scolding Generation Y for needing constant feedback, being unable to prioritize, and wanting to have (gasp!) fun at work.

Indeed, there’s a stereotype in many offices that younger employees–especially those born since the mid ’80s–are less responsible and unreliable.

It’s history repeating itself. Remember when Generation X entered the workforce? They were labeled as ‘slackers’ because they wanted flex-time.

And both the Xers and Ys will gladly sling mud at the Boomers, referring to them as ‘workaholics’ and ‘fuddy-duddies’.

There’s more than name-calling at work here. What these negative stereotypes really stem from are differences in productivity.

For a generation that followed the Industrial Revolution and was raised to value hard work, the perceived lack of Generation X and Y’s productivity drives the Boomers absolutely nuts. In fact, 68% of Boomers feel “younger people” do not have as strong a work ethic as they do and that makes doing their own work harder.

I don’t think the Boomers are doing the lion’s share of the work while Xers slack off and Ys seek pats on the back. Rather, productivity resembles something different for each generation.

  • Boomers (1946-1964) Productivity = Dedication
    Boomers tend to lean toward vision and values. They like inspiring mission statements, setting goals, fixing problems, and measure success in terms of quantity (i.e. hours spent on a project, years worked, etc.). They will do whatever it takes to get the job done.
  • Generation X (1965-1981) Productivity = Results
    Xers tend to lean toward pragmatic, now-focused, results-oriented outcomes. They are inspired by calls to action, being efficient, rapid results, and work-life balance. Xers prefer being self-sufficient and want to be trusted that they can get the job done.
  • Generation Y (1982-1995) Productivity = Collaboration
    Ys tend to lean toward collegial, collaborative, upbeat solutions. They like knowing how their participation makes a difference and the opportunity to do meaningful, challenging work. Ys prefer working in teams and want the opportunity to work whenever and wherever they want.

Individuals in all generations can and do value productivity, but they define productivity in very different ways and therein lies the rub; a key source for workplace conflict.

The fact is, no one generation is working more or less than  the other generations. But no two generations are working the same, either. We define work differently and we approach it differently based on our generation’s unique values, interests, and skills.

Take time to understand, or better yet accept, the different approaches to productivity in your workplace.

After all, fighting about which generation works the hardest certainly isn’t the most productive use of anyone’s time.

Filed Under: Generation X, Generation Y Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Big Global Crack Up: Generational shift causes economic and political shake-down

September 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Remember when associations and other membership organizations, like Rotary and chambers of commerce, enjoyed a lock on their markets? The Baby Boomers joined associations in droves. Now, participation is changing, fueled by social changes, generational shifts, a recession-prone economy, and rapidly-changing technology.

I just authored a book on this very conundrum –The End of Membership As We Know It.

While I’ve spent a great deal of time in recent years researching changing demographics and changing membership models and educating people on these topics, it’s important to note change is happening on substantial scale with radical proportions everywhere. Absolutely everything about the way everyone lives, works, and does business is changing. And most of that change can be attributed to one generation’s not-so-gracious fall from power.

Thomas Friedman authored a column in The New York Times on August 27 which addresses change on a global level. It states:

“The European Union is cracking up. The Arab world is cracking up. China’s growth model is under pressure and America’s credit-driven capitalist model has suffered a warning heart attack and needs a total rethink. Recasting any one of these alone would be huge. Doing all four at once — when the world has never been more interconnected — is mind-boggling.”

In Europe, large government welfare programs in some countries, without the revenue to finance them from local production, has led to a piling up of sovereign debt —mostly owed to European banks — and a lender revolt.

The old model of power based on kings and military dictators in the Middle East has been blown apart by an Arab youth bulge that is no longer ready to accept being behind, undereducated, unemployed, humiliated and powerless.

China has relied on a model built on Communism featuring a deliberately undervalued currency and export-led growth, with low domestic consumption and high savings. Persistent unemployment is making this model less sustainable and has fallen under threat.

China also has another challenge on its hands: to get rich before it gets old. It has to move from two parents saving for one kid, to one kid paying for the
retirement of two parents.

As for America, we’ve thrived in recent decades with a credit-consumption-led economy. It’s put us in a deep hole, and we’re seeing the emergence of new, hybrid politics that mixes spending cuts, tax increases, tax reform and investments in education, research and production.

So what exactly is causing the global economy to ‘crack up’?

According to Mark Goulston, Vice Chairman of Steele Partners, it’s generational.

Goulston authored an opinion article for the Huffington Post in response to Friedman’s column. Gouldman takes Friedman’s economic assessment a step further to pinpoint demographic shifts as the real reason for the global economic and political shake-down:

“When you read Friedman’s column about the institutions of various countries, continents and cultures of the world, it appears that they are breaking down as the younger generations globally are seeing what others have and how others live and how they could have and live the same.

Friedman doesn’t say it explicitly, but if you read between his lines and then look around you at the different generations, you will see that a revolution is brewing. But it is not brewing between democratic and totalitarian regimes. It is between generations.”

Back in February I authored a blog about Generation Y’s global revolution—the young, unemployed, and unhappy who are revolting against governments and workplaces the world over. Goulston focused his commentary on Generation X—the adults who are currently ages 30-46 and will soon assume power.

He wrote:

“In the year 2020 the Gen X’ers will be coming into their power and judging from what I hear from them now, they are not going to be interested in or willing to give more to the Boomers who will be heading toward the final chapters in their lives, nor will they be interested in or willing to let the Millennial children of the Boomers off the hook when it comes to being accountable.

To the Gen X’ers, blaming, complaining, finger pointing, excuse making and especially feeling sorry for themselves by Boomers and Millennials are like “nails on a chalkboard” and Friedman hasn’t said it explicitly, but has implied that Boomers and spoiled Millennials are on notice because of it.”

Goulston and Friedman bring to light that nothing in this world is stable, similar, or secure right now. We’re rebuilding, reorganizing, and redesigning our governments, workplaces, and entire economies. The question is whether we will we be able to accomplish these feats by working together.

Friedman projects that a global crisis is in our midst if America doesn’t get its act together.

Goulston projects that if Baby Boomers continue to hang on to positions of power,  they will find themselves facing the same fate as the fallen and falling dictators around the world at the hands of the generations who follow them.

One thing is certain: All over the world, Generation X and Y are hungry for a chance to thrive. And our governments, economies, and workplaces need these generations to survive.

The sooner we realize that we need each other and make this more about collaboration and less about power, the sooner we all will experience civil rest and prosperity.

 

Filed Under: Generation X, Generation Y Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The End of Membership As We Know It

August 9, 2011 By 1 Comment

What goes up must come down.

For years our society has supported membership associations and nonprofits and civic leadership. These organizations and concepts were especially prosperous in the mid-1900s.

However, since the early 2000s, associations have experienced a barrage of challenges that would weaken their position in the marketplace and forever alter their futures.

Is this to say that civic leadership is passe and membership is dead? No. But both concepts are certainly at a critical crossroads.

I’m just returning from the ASAE National Conference in St. Louis where my third book, The End of Membership As We Know It, made its
debut.

Besides the fact that I just wrote a book on the topic, I know many associations are tiptoeing on the verge of irrelevance simply from some of the conversations
that were taking place at the conference.

Here’s a sampling of what I saw and heard:

  • An association just updated its by-laws for the first time since 1880 to reword a
    reference to notifying members via telegraph;
  • An association spent 20 years implementing a dues change;
  • An association changed its name in hopes of drawing in more members.

Indeed these are extreme situations but it’s a reminder that what has been widely accepted and practiced in associations and nonprofits can no longer be the norm. The attitude of ‘We’ve always done it this way’ or the excuse ‘We’ll get to it someday’ isn’t sustainable, profitable, or acceptable in light of recent changes.

Economic swings, rapidly-changing technology, and demographic shifts have challenged most associations (some more than others) because all these changes
have redefined the meaning of membership. What members–and clients, employees, and consumers–want now is vastly different than what they wanted three years ago.

So what challenges is your organization facing? How is your organization responding to those challenges? How do you know that what your organization is doing now will be sustainable, profitable, and relevant in the future?

Please share your experiences and ideas here. We’d love to hear from you!

Indeed, what goes up must come down. It may seem like all hope is lost at this point, but remember this: When one chapter comes to an end, another one begins.

The key to your organization’s long-term success is to be open to whatever and whomever the future will bring.

To purchase your copy of The End of Membership As We Know It, click here.

Filed Under: Membership Associations, Succession Planning, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , ,

Ban This Man: Greenspan Blames Young Americans for Workforce Woes

July 27, 2011 By 5 Comments

Former Federal Reserve chairman, Alan Greenspan has said America’s young workforce pales in comparison to their Baby Boomer counterparts. He then suggested it would be better for America to hire skilled immigrants to counter the worrying trend.

I’m suggesting that Mr. Greenspan better sit back down. He’s clearly off his rocker.

Greenspan said the U.S. is in the process of seeing the Baby Boomers, which he called “the most productive, highly skilled, educated part of our labor force”, retire.

Really?

Because it can easily be argued that Generation X and Y are the most educated, productive, and innovative generations considering the high number of college graduates and entrepreneurs belonging to those generations.

Greenspan’s attack on younger generations continued with this statement: “They (Boomers) are being replaced by groups of young workers who have regrettably scored rather poorly in international educational match-ups over the last two decades.”

Well who fault is that?! I don’t think this generation was born dumb, Mr. Greenspan. I’m fairly certain our education system has failed us–which tends to be populated by Boomer-aged educators, by the way.

Greenspan went on to say how the average income of U.S. households headed by 25-year-olds and younger had been declining in comparison to the average income of the Baby Boomer population.

No surprise there, either! More than 80% of Generation Y moves back home after college graduation. That’s certainly not due to a lack of productivity or initiative, Mr. Greenspan. You could buy a small country for what it costs to go to college. The insurmountable price tag for a higher education forces most students into unbelievable loads of debt at the ripe old age of 22.

Plus, teen unemployment has been at an all-time high in the U.S. for the past five years. Why? It’s partly due to the rotten economy and partly because employers would rather hire immigrants and retired workers instead of American teenagers. (No thanks to Mr. Greenspan and his crummy advice!)

American teens are blamed for having no work ethic, but they also haven’t had any work experience. To top it all off, Baby Boomer parents can certainly share some of the blame here. Generation Y is the most protected, supervised generation in history. Their parents have coddled them so much, they aren’t about to kick their 20-something babies out of the nest just yet.

Mr. Greenspan, your blatant age discrimination has done nothing but hurt America. How dare you suggest that we rely on an immigrant workforce
to save our country!

We’re on the brink of the largest shift in human capital in history and most employers are unprepared. Indeed, we do need to be concerning ourselves with succession planning and leadership development and the future of work.

We need to make sure our education system does an adequate job of preparing our workforce.

We need to learn as much as possible about each generation, utilize the skills and knowledge that each generation brings to the table, and build collaborative, productive, multi-generational teams.

What we don’t need is someone like you doubting our potential. Mr. Greenspan, you are an embarrassment to America.

Want to see a team from Fox News debate Greenspan’s stupidity? Check this out: Blame Generation X for Employment Problems?

Filed Under: Generation X, Generation Y, Succession Planning, Talent Development Tagged With: , , , , ,

When Generations Fight: Resolving workplace conflict

July 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Picture in your mind a playground with three children fighting over a teeter-totter.

The oldest child is fighting to keep the teeter-totter firmly planted on the ground. He has a content grin on his face and he’s plugging his ears. He’s plugging his ears because the youngest child, seated on the other end of the teeter-totter high up in the air, is having a screaming fit because he wants to  be the heavy-weight on the teeter-totter.

Meanwhile, the middle child is standing by watching the fight unfold and growing increasingly impatient waiting for her turn. Her arms are crossed and she has a pouty look on her face.

The recent recession has only enhanced the impact that demographics will have on the workforce in the foreseeable future.

The Boomers have influenced the workplace for the last 40 years and they are determined to keep it that way. Gen Y is upset because they are used to getting all the attention as the youngest and largest generation, and the Xers are stuck in the middle and can’t get a word (or promotion) in edge-wise.

We can expect that with prolonged retirements, four generations in the workplace (and a fifth generation on the horizon), generational conflict is likely to become a major concern.

The Future of Work Research Consortium recently asked 2,500 executives which issues they believed would be critical in the future. Nearly a quarter of them rated intergenerational conflict as the most pressing concern and most rated it among their top three concerns.

Conflict is no laughing matter. U.S. employees spend about 2.8 hours per week dealing with conflict. This amounts to $359 billion in paid hours!

So how do you keep your multi-generational team from snarling at one another? Start by playing fair.

Provide access to technology
I recently met with a company that banned texting and the employees were outraged. Tension occurs when corporate communication favors the Boomers. Gen X and Y use social media and texting to access information and stay connected. Many companies have banned these mediums and by doing so have inadvertently favored one generation over another.

Be flexible
Some companies refuse to allow their employees to have flex-time or reserve the benefit for only the most senior-level employees. Gen Y wants to work virtually and Xers want time off to care for their children. As the Boomers age, they will want sabbaticals and part-time opportunities. If generations are to  work together, flexibility has to be a reality for all, not just for some.

Encourage relationship-building
The generations have much to teach each other. Whether you are pairing people of different generations up for lunch or incorporating mentoring and job  shadowing programs, cross-generational communication is imperative to team-building and succession planning.

Good business is based on understanding others. The majority of us think the correct way, and the only way, is our way. In business, as well as in personal life,  that is just not true.

To work effectively and efficiently, to increase productivity and quality, recognize the value each generation brings to the table, be open to new
ideas, and focus on building relationships.

This is the only way we will ever get past our differences and play nice together.

(This article was featured in XYZ’s e-newsletter. Click here to subscribe.)

Filed Under: Generation X, Generation Y, Talent Development Tagged With: , , , , ,
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