As I mentioned the other day on a recent post on Working With Twenty Somethings, I spent last weekend at The Fourth Annual Solstice Film Festival in Minneapolis MN. While I was underwhelmed by many of the offerings, another documentary that I thought was incredibly well-done was the award-winningBicycle Dreams.
Bicycle Dreams, directed by Steve Auerbach, is the story of the 2005 Race Across America – a 3000 mile bicycle race from San Diego, CA to Atlantic City, NJ. The synopsis from the official website reads:
They are seekers, madmen, and angels hell-bent on riding across America on a bicycle in less than ten days. But what begins as the adventure of a lifetime is transformed in an instant when tragedy strikes the race. These voyagers discover what is truly at stake as they pedal on, praying for the deliverance only the finish line can bring. By journey’s end, some are saved, others are lost, but all learn that the fuel that takes a soul toward its own true destiny is desire. … Top riders finish in under 10 days, riding over 300 miles per day and sleeping only a few hours per night. Amid the sleepless grind, riders must endure the searing heat of the Mojave Desert, the agonizing climbs and descents of the Rockies, the driving winds of the Great Plains, and the twisting switchbacks of the Appalachians before the final sprint to the finish line in Atlantic City. With little prize money at stake, the fundamental goal of the race is simply to finish, a challenge half of all riders fail to meet.
I have seen a lot of documentary films. This one is without question in my top 5 of all time. See it.
What I do want to address is the concept of individual contributor. In most organizations, this is the place where everyone starts. We have no direct reports. Our manager, who hopefully is competent, gives us assignments. And while we may work on a team, we deliver results by doing the work ourselves – alone. Bicycle Dreams and the Race Across America it documents is a story about individual contributors – those “seekers, madmen, and angels hell-bent on riding across America on a bicycle in less than ten days”. However, what becomes crystal clear is that while one individual is pedaling the high tech machine called a bicycle across deserts, mountain ranges and tall grass prairie, they are not alone. In each case, a sizable support team accompanies the racers in a large RV and provide medical, physical, mechanical, nutritional, and emotional support along the way. Each cyclist needs – no, is totally dependent on – his/her support team to succeed. And what is amazing is that the race is not necessarily won by the fastest racer, but by the fastest racer with the best support team.
So after seeing this movie, I began thinking about whether or not individual contributors in the workplace actually go it alone. Are the individuals who receive the highest performance ratings totally independent or – like the riders in the Race Across America – are they dependent on others for their success? Before I share my point of view, I’d invite comments from others. What do you think?
Comment on "Finally! The Facts About Gen Y At Work"
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:
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