Working With Others

A number of years ago, I wrote an article for The Albuquerque Journal titled “How to Set a Bad Manager on a Better Path”. At that time, I remarked that if one did a Google search on the keywords “bad manager” there would be more than 7 million hits.  Now the same search yields more than four times that number.  And what is more striking is that the websites devoted to the topic of “bad managers” have gone from telling stories about them to actually rating them – and naming names!

One such site is http://ebosswatch.com.  The basic premise of this site is that workplace bullying is fast becoming THE critical work place issue and that “nobody should have to work for a jerk”. So this site allows employees to rate their bosses and lists the results by name and organization.  Since I spend a lot of my time teaching new and experienced managers how to be great managers, I did a quick search of my client organizations and fortunately found them missing from the list!

Bad managers have been around for decades. And study after study indicates that employees leave organizations for reasons related to a bad boss. Conversely, more recent research from within major companies shows that great managers help employees feel totally engaged and willing to go that extra mile. So why does the problem persist?

I think there are at least three reasons:

1. Organizations promote outstanding individual contributors into the management role by making the assumption that a great individual contributor will also be a great manager. The reality is that being a successful manager requires an entirely different set of competencies than being a successful individual contributor.
2. Many organizations take a “they’ll figure it out approach” to training new managers.  Unless an organization helps a new manager become self-aware, value style differences, manage performance, and realize that they are now accountable for getting work done through others, the probability of that new manager being successful is left totally to chance.
3. Many organizations are scared to deal with a jerk.  Unlike fine wine, bad managers will not improve with age.  Organizations need to hold managers accountable for not only what business results they achieve, but how they achieve them and deal swiftly with problem managers.

I am interested in hearing your thoughts about the causes and cures for the persistent problem of bad managers.

Sometimes we take things way too seriously.  As winter drags on in some (actually all) parts of of the US, I thought it might be helpful to look on the lighter side.

I have a memory trace from my graduate school days of courses that I took in post-modern philosophy and ethics. I recall the professors developing the argument that that in a perfect world we would not need any laws because people would respect each other and get along just fine without them.  Last week I happened to be listening to Twin Cities talk show host Joe Soucheray on KSTP 1500AM.  The voice over at the beginning of Soucheray’s show talked about “Minnesota – the state where it is not legal to do anything”. There are certainly a lot of laws and local ordinances on the books here in Minnesota.  And as a rule things work pretty well here. However, after I heard that intro piece on the radio, I wondered if there were some laws that were originally intended to promote a civil society and help people safely work and play well with together, that were now unneeded or even absurd.  In my quick and dirty research I came across www.dumblaws.com.  Here is what I found:

In Minnesota…

• It is illegal to stand around any building without a good reason to be there. (I’m in trouble some days.)
• A person may not cross state lines with a duck atop his head. (I can’t imagine why one would want to!)
• It is illegal to sleep naked. (It does get cold here in the winter!)
• All men driving motorcycles must wear shirts. (N.B. This law says nothing about women.)
• Citizens may not enter Wisconsin with a chicken on their head. (I know that my Brazen Careerist friends in Madison will sleep better knowing this!)
• All bathtubs must have feet. (Good to know if you are remodeling your bathroom.)

And there are some amusing Minnesota city laws as well.  For example, in Minnetonka, driving a truck with dirty tires is considered a public nuisance. In St. Cloud, hamburgers may not be eaten on Sundays.  And in Minneapolis, red cars may not drive down Lake Street.  I wonder if my good friend, Laura Goodrich of Seeing Red Cars fame knows this!

At any rate, I got a good laugh out of doing this piece and hope you did, too.  Feel free to share any “dumb laws” in your city or state as well.

As I drive around Minneapolis running my pre-holiday errands, for some reason, I started thinking about the number of buildings, programs, streets, and events named after people.  And in pretty much every city I’ve either lived in or visited I notice the same thing.  Some of the names are familiar – like those of  presidents – others are known primarily to the residents of the local communities.

Nevertheless, communities name buildings after people for some reason.  It usually has something to do with the legacy of the person so honored.  This tradition has been around a long time.

From time to time, I ask myself why “that person” has a building (or airport) named after them and actually resist calling that facility by the “famous” person’s name. (Washington, DC’s airport will always be “Washington National” to me.)

I’m interested in hearing from everyone – but particularly members of Gen X and Gen Y. What do you think will be reasons for decision-makers to name something after members of your generation? Or do you even think that this practice will continue or die?

I have been on Twitter for six months. During that time I have connected with a community of some pretty amazing people and participated in the online public discourse that those I follow and who follow me encourage. There is a reasonable chance that I may have met some of these people eventually in this life or in my next reincarnation. However, Twitter accelerated that process. And yes, I have been spammed a number of times as well, but the latest version of Twitter makes it easier to report those rascals.

One of the people that I have had the privilege of meeting in the Twitterverse is a 24 year old named Matt Cheuvront (Twitter name @mattChevy).  As I have written in other posts, I see great hope in the Millennial or Gen Y generation and want to do what I can to help them make a difference. One of the questions that I often ask  is what will the leaders who emerge from this generation look like. I don’t know what Matt will be doing twenty years from now. However, he has already given us some clues about what leadership might mean to his generation.

Here is a brief autobiography taken from his blog Life Without Pants:

Twenty-three years old [he just turned 24 on 10/31/09], newly engaged, and in my new home of Chicago, Illinois.  I’m passionate about relationship marketing and social entrepreneurship, forging connections and encouraging interactivity amongst people in every way possible. Striving for the added bottom line of giving back to others. We’re put on this earth to ask questions, to challenge one another, to inspire one other to be great. That’s where I come in. I’m an agent who inspires greatness – living life by the moments, without really knowing what tomorrow may bring.

In my work with successful leaders from all walks of life and generations, one of the key characteristics seems be that they have a sense of their personal power that comes not from the position that they hold, but instead from their credibility, competence, likeability, and networks.

Let’s look at these sources of personal power in reverse order. Not only does @mattChevy have a huge online network, he nurtures it, invests in it, and values it. Whenever someone comments on his blog, he acknowledges it. ( I don’t think this guy ever sleeps! Come to think of it, neither did I at 24!) Likeability is present when we find ourselves saying, “I really would like to work with this person”. I get the impression that there are many who would rate Matt high on likeability. When it comes to social media marketing and how to enage others in the public discourse about important issues, he knows his stuff.  What enhances his competence though, is that he is always asking others for their insights and continues to learn. Finally, credibility is about doing-what-you-say-you-will-do.  In his bio, Matt writes:

I’m passionate about relationship marketing and social entrepreneurship, forging connections and encouraging interactivity amongst people in every way possible. Striving for the added bottom line of giving back to others. We’re put on this earth to ask questions, to challenge one another, to inspire one other to be great.

If you spend some time reading his blog and following his tweets, @mattChevy does exactly what he says he will do.  As an example, yesterday he posted an article on his blog titled Why I Won’t be Moving to Maine Anytime Soon. This post is his personal reflection about Maine voting down a same sex marriage law.  What is noteworthy about this example is that he speaks from the heart with great courage and encourages a dialogue by specifically wanting to hear alternative points of view. At the time of this writing he has received 92 comments – and counting. If you take time to read the thread you will see an amazing sense of community and commentary.

In the spirit of full disclosure, @mattChevy did not ask me to write this, and in fact, may be surprised to see it. I hope it is OK with him.  I wrote it for two reasons.  First, I think Matt is a real mensch – a great Yiddish word meaning someone to admire and emulate. Second, in too many contexts, the conversations about members of Gen Y is – well – not very flattering.  In every generation, there are people that we need to forget and those that we need to recognize and appreciate. My intent is to bring to light other emerging Gen Y leaders in this blog.  Matt Cheuvront is just the first.

One of the frequent laments from those who comment on generational issues in the workplace is the absence of real data.  Many insights about the different generations – particularly about Gen Y – seem to come from anecdotal observations. While those viewpoints are a kind of data, having more objective information is always helpful.  So when Michelle Pinchev’s post entitled, “Finally! The Facts About Gen Y At Work” appeared on Brazen Careerist, I thought it would be worth reviewing.

Michelle, who is an e-Marketing Specialist for Career Edge Organization, describes the study this way:

…Career Edge Organization commissioned a survey with Angus-Reid Strategies. From September 2 to September 10, 2009 they surveyed 1000 Canadians who are Angus Reid Forum panelists, ages 18 to 29, online. The sample was designed to ensure an over-sample of visible minority groups within the Canadian population (made up of approximately 54% of all respondents), as well as Canadians with at least some experience with post-secondary education (made up of approximately 95% of all respondents).

The objectives were to better understand the aspirations and expectations of Gen Y, and to better understand what Gen Y can offer in the workplace.

Pinchev cites three major findings of the study:

1. Gen Y values merit over tenure.
2. Gen Y employees are loyal rather than job-hoppers.
3. Work-Life Balance is the top long-term Gen Y goal.

Let’s look at this study and the key findings in more detail.

First, the study used a sample of 1000 Canadian Gen Y employees. I have worked extensively with both Canadian and US business organizations in my career. While there are similarities between organizational environments in each country, there are also differences. For example, there are differences in employment law as well as health care systems in each country. Therefore, generalizing the findings of this study needs to be done with great care.

Second, the major findings actually confirm the aspirations and expectations of Gen Y rather than provide either new or definitive insights for this group.

In valuing merit over tenure, the respondents are simply confirming that just “paying one’s dues” for a period of time is not acceptable. That Gen Y wants to be rewarded for performance rather than the amount of time they have been in a position is not new information and yet it remains one of the major deterrents to retaining this group of employees in organizations that fail to grasp this concept.

The finding that Gen Y rates work-life balance as a top goal also confirms the prevailing view of this generation. The value-added insight would be what work-life balance looks like to Gen Y as opposed to the Baby Boomers who still set most of the policies at major companies. For example, I remember when “business casual” became the prevailing dress code in US corporations.  One senior executive interpreted it to mean that he could now wear a bow-tie to work with his three piece suit while many others viewed it differently.

Finally, Pinchev claims that the finding that Gen Y is more loyal to employers is new data. If you read her explanation, it is really not. She states, “When treated loyally, Gen Y reciprocates”.  That’s the caveat that cannot be underestimated. When Gen Y employees are not valued, not rewarded, and do not have a chance to learn and grow, they will leave. A number have reported to me that they would rather leave and live with their parents rather than work for a bad employer. And there are many employers and bosses who fail to understand this dynamic.

All in all, I think this study adds value in confirming what is already known about Gen Y. Given that Gen Y is the pipeline for new leaders in organization, getting an understanding of how this generation views leadership and the how they will play that role in the future is an important next question.

DrJohnDrozdal

Let me be clear.  I am not a celebrity. If I am famous – which is not for me to say – I am unaware of that fact. From time to time, I have received kind notes of gratitude for my work and that feedback is always great to get. However, I have always led a very public life.  Not because I purposely sought to do that; it just seemed to turn out that way.

In the village where I grew up in NJ, I participated in a lot of activities that kept that public side in view including baseball, theater, music, public speaking, and elected office in school. So people knew who I was even though I did not know them. In my current life, I have been working with one client for pretty much my entire freelancing career.  During that time I have met well over a thousand people in just this one company. A very common occurrence is that someone will say, “Oh, I saw you at the grocery store or in the hall or at such and such a play last week.” When I hear comments like that it makes me realize two things: Others are observing me without my seeing them; and I better pay attention to my behavior because others are!

Last week I was in the left-hand turn lane waiting for the oncoming traffic to pass so I could enter the parking lot of my favorite coffee shop for a caffeine fix before my next meeting. There was a driver behind me honking to seemingly get me to turn into the traffic.  I am wondering “who is this person?” as I looked in my rear view mirror.  Fortunately, I remained calm. I turned into the parking lot, and noticed the other vehicle following me. We both parked and out pops a client with who I am currently working, who was just excited to see we went to the same coffee shop and was only trying to greet me! Had my behavior been different, I could have really blown it.

The point of this blog entry is this.  I have learned a lot of lessons in my life. Some of the learning has even been painful; fortunately, most has not.  I wanted to share this lesson especially with Millennials.  More and more people – particularly Gen Y – have a more public persona online than ever before .  Between blogs, Twitter, FaceBook, and LinkedIn  we are all more “public” than we know.  And I am stunned by how much some people reveal about themselves.  As an example, one of my favorite blogs, http://www.askamanager.com had a post about a resume that listed that person’s personal blog on a behavior best left to the privacy of ones own home. Now most of you who know me well recall that I make it a point to be as nonjudgmental as possible in all of my interactions with others. So what people choose to reveal about themselves – particularly online – is up to them.  I would just encourage everyone to think about the future consequences of revealing that personal tidbit.  People – some of whom you will never know – will notice.

Last week’s favorite posts on Brazen Careerist were “Generation Y is Annoying to Manage, But That’s a Good Thing” and “Why Generational Stereotypes are Important”. Regardless of your generational affliation, if you take time to read the posts and the comments, I think you will get a feel for the range of viewpoints that each engendered as well as a deeper insight into what’s important to Millennial generation employees.

I’d like to offer a few comments about each one.

First, in “Generation Y is Annoying to Manage…”, Ryan Healy’s main point is that Gen Y direct reports “are basically begging and pleading to be managed closely” and are seeking   managers who wants to manage.  The reality is that for many organizations,  managers learned how to manage by emulating previous managers they’ve had in their career. If they had a great manager, then they learned good management practices. If they had a bad manager… well, you know the story. And  managers tend to manage the way they want to be managed and use that approach as their primary style. Since your typical Boomer or Gen X employee didn’t want to be micro-managed, they are not likely to be comfortable with that style – and that is what they believe Gen Y seems to want. Let’s look at this situation a little more deeply.

All direct reports – regardless of generation or organizational level – want to know four things:

1.    What’s expected of me? (Goals, Behaviors)
2.    How am I doing? (Feedback)
3.    How are you going to provide me with work direction, in other words manage me?
4.    How will you help me develop?

Many managers will assume  the answer to those four questions for their employees is the same one as they would give.  The biggest challenge for these managers is to actually talk to their direct reports to find out what matters to them and that is the job of a manager – to get work done through others. So attention all managers; Ryan is giving you good data here.  However, let’s not assume that all Millennials would answer these four questions the same way.

And that brings me to the second post of note: “Why Generational  Stereotypes are Important”. In this post, author Desiree Kane offers a response to the comments from her previous post, Managing Generations Past. In that post she shares her insights as a Millennial manager of members of the Boomer and Gen X generations.  As the comments show, that post pushed a lot of hot buttons as did the follow-up one.

Students of generational differences come to appreciate that the major events and societal trends that occur during the formative years of members of a generation can  influence the central worldview of that generation quite deeply. For example, the invention of TV, the emergence of suburban living, and the Vietnam War are examples that impacted the lives of Boomers.  However, I think there is a difference between generalizations about members of a generation and its tendencies.  When we make generalizations about a generation we are painting that entire generation with a broad brush and assuming that every member of that generation acts a certain way.  When we speak in terms of tendencies it leaves open the possibility that not every member of that generation is exactly alike.  So I would rephrase the title of the second post to “Understanding Differences and Similarities Among Generations is Important.”

I also encourage everyone to check out Brazen Careerist.  To post on this blog, authors must be between the ages of 18-35.  So if you want to get first hand insights into the thoughts of that age group, check it out.

Last Saturday I took time out to see Every Little Step.  As noted on Yahoo:

“Explores the journey of A Chorus Line from its initial idea to its current Broadway revival and goes behind the scenes with exclusive interviews and footage of the revival’s audition process, revealing the dramatic journey of the performers.”

First of all, run don’t walk to a theater near you to see this documentary.  The film has a lot to say about the creative process. However, what I want to address here is the competitive nature of the audition process.

In thinking about this post I came across a blog titled, Gen Y Driven by Affirmation.  Alyssa Carter talks about everyone getting a trophy or an award.  Contrast that reality with the audition process for the current remake of A Chorus Line.  According to the documentary, there were over 3000 people auditioning for thirteen primary roles in this production.  In contrast the typical Ivy League School gets about 20,000 applications and makes about 2000 admission offers.

So how does the Millennial prepare himself or herself for such an audition process when the conventional view of this generation is one of entitlement and neediness?

Here is my hypothesis.  For the Millennials who show up for an audition like the one for the casting of A Chorus Line, it is not their first rodeo.  These twenty-somethings are a product of schools like Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music, Art & Performing Arts (formerly The NYC School for Performing Arts made famous in the movie Fame). Getting into such places is an audition.  So when most Millennials show up for an audition for a Broadway Show, they know that most will not get the “trophy”.

I learned about this Christian Science Monitor article “Do You Get The Millennial Generation” from Carol Phillips on Twitter.com.  (BTW – Check out Carol’s blog – MillennialMarketing!)  The premise of the article is that the Baby Boomer, Gen X, and Millennial generations each have a coming of age movie that is emblematic of the characteristics/values of each generation.  For the Baby Boomers, it was The Graduate. For Gen X, it was Risky Business. And for the Millennials, the authors offer The Devil Wears Prada as the leading candidate.  Amidst a busy travel/work schedule, I never got around to seeing The Devil when it made its theater run.  So I found a copy of the DVD for $8.99, stuck it in my MacBook and settled in with a glass of iced tea in hand.  In the spirit of full disclosure, I’ve always been a Meryl Streep fan and she did not disappoint.

Here is the relevant summary from the Christian Science Monitor article by Morley Winograd and Michael D. Hais:

“Millennials are the American generation least bound by gender role expectations, so it isn’t surprising that the protagonist is a young woman with an androgynous name, Andy (Sachs). Because Millennials are also the most tolerant American generation, it’s not surprising that Andy’s best friends are an African-American woman, a gay man, and her sensitive boyfriend who aspires to be a chef. In true Millennial fashion, Andy constantly relies on her friends and parents, whom she adores, for love, advice, and support.

Andy is temporarily attracted by the glitter of the world of high fashion. However, like others of this generation who are driven by a desire to solve society’s problems, she realizes her true calling is far different.

She breaks with her boss, Miranda Priestly, at the fashion magazine where she works, so that she can take a job writing for a liberal newspaper. But, as a polite and conventional Millennial, the break is not harsh. In fact, her old boss, the devil herself, provides the crucial reference for Andy’s new job.

Everyone in politics and pop culture should learn the lesson MTV belatedly has. To really understand the preferences of young people, take a look at their generation and not simply their age. That will tell you everything you need to know”

Of course this a view of the Millennials.  I am curious if Millennials see The Devil Wears Prada as their coming of age movie.

In researching media coverage of the Millennial Generation, I just came across this CBS News video that aired on November 21, 2008. Titled “Gen Y Social Misfits?”, I am still trying to figure out the point of the story.  Is that Gen Y is the most techno-savvy generation?  Is it that twenty-somethings spend so much time online that they have lost the ability to communicate face-to-face.  Or is it that the Millennials spending so much time online has altered their brain wave patterns?

In general, I found the title of the piece to be inflammatory, the overall tone of the video to be negative, the focus unclear, and the net result to be one that perpetuates the “we (all of us well-adjusted people) vs. they (the Millennial Generation that needs to be fixed)” diversity tension.

Here is what I see as relevant:

1.    The fact that twenty-somethings are “native” technology speakers is a good thing. That is their gift.
2.    When a Millennial texts his or her friends, they are engaging in their version of “face-to-face” conversations.
3.    Yes, by the year 2011, Gen Y will make up between 50 and 60 percent of the workforce.  Ernst & Young is a company ahead of the curve in recognizing this demographic fact.
4.    Why not make training in generational differences and face-to-face communication required for EVERYONE? Finally, visit any organization today and I think you will agree that it is not only the Millennial Generation that could benefit from a refresher course on face-to-face communication