Millennials Scare You Because You're A Weak Leader

Enough is enough.

You are embarrassing yourself and your organization. You are proving to everyone that you don't deserve to lead because you sound like you are still wondering why Pickett's Charge failed.

Is this really the first time in your career you've had different generations of employees working for you?

Stop whining about millennials.

Forever.

You Are Not A Contemporary Leader
It seems I can no longer get through one day without hearing "leaders" lamenting about millennials and how to manage them in the workplace. Are you kidding me? There have been multiple generations in the workforce since the first row of corn was planted thousands of years ago. 

The problem has nothing to do with the birth date of the employees we are all hiring. The problem is 100% the responsibility of leaders who use Gen Y as an excuse to avoid their own failings.

It is 2016. Have you kept as current with new communication / branding / and social tools as you do with your "monthly professional journals?" Good Lord, I hope you aren't actually waiting a month to stay "current!"

If you are afraid to jump into the 21st century that is not the problem of your younger employees. Admit you are afraid...that you have no idea what is going on...and start learning! 

Haven't you all proclaimed that you lead a "learning organization?" How about you start backing up your empty jargon-filled-HR-speak and catch up to the rest of society?

The Secret to Every Generation
Here are a few insider tips to help you get started on your new journey:

1. New generations bring energy, fresh perspectives and new ideas to the workplace.
2. Every generation wants a good job, a good boss, decent pay, and a chance to have a life outside the cube.
3. These haven't changed since the dawn of time.

Unfortunately you're still trying to position yourself as leader by describing the challenges of millennials, instead of just leading. It's as if they are a protected class all of a sudden.

How About You
Am I being too harsh? Don't care.

Should I stay quiet and follow the classic leadership approach of always being positive about others in leadership?

No. Freaking. Way.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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It's A Kingdom Thing

"Perspective is the most important issue in the world of work today." 
- Me

There, I said it. I know everyone is a genius (including me sometimes); but the reality is that unless we recognize and appreciate the fact that every employee has their own perspective on the workplace, we'll never make any progress.

Who's Agenda Is It
Are you developing (read here --> pushing) your view of what your organization's culture should be on the employees? When you hold focus groups, team meetings, or group discussions does it feel more like you're trying to convince the staff of something instead of getting their input and changing what your original vision was in to something better...and...maybe more realistic too?

When new policies are implemented across the company do you invest the time to really understand how the changes will impact employees; or, is it easier to justify why the change is necessary and assume the "fallout will be minimal, I'm sure." 

The danger of having a strategically oriented global view of the workplace is that we no longer "see" the details of the work being done on the front line. We miss these details not because we don't care, we simply have jobs that are no longer focused on the fine details of daily operations. It's not wrong, it's just the reality of serving in a different role.

You're Afraid, Just Admit It

Why is it that leaders really don't want input into their decisions? Is there something wrong with truly engaging the team of people around you to develop a shared vision going forward? Is that a sign of weakness, or inability to lead, or incompetence?

I submit to you an emphatic no! Quite honestly, the leaders that choose to open themselves up and allow their team members to fully participate in how the work gets done are going to be much more effective in the long run. 

Why? It's those same team members that will execute that plan and make it successful.

That means the leader is successful too. Are you with me?

How About You
Do you value the perspective of your employees? Really? When was the last time you proved it? Or, maybe your definition of "proving it" is that you held a staff meeting and announced what you decided was best. I'm not sure that's the perspective I've been talking about. We're all part of the same workplace kingdom...maybe we should start leading with that in mind.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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The Power Position

It's funny how we try to minimize the role of power in the workplace. Sometimes we use terms like "associates" or "team members" instead of employees. We try flattening our organizations, or downplaying job titles to help put people at ease. 

Yet in the end, everyone is keenly aware of who has the authority to make decisions, and who does not. We haven't fooled anyone; nor is anyone racing to join our companies because we've mastered the employment semantics game.

Perceptions of Power
I'm convinced that even for those that abuse power, they still do not fully realize their impact. Even the most subtle comments or nonverbal cues are discussed and analyzed behind-the-scenes. 

Do leaders know this is happening? Maybe. Do they take the time to think through how they might take advantage (in a good way!) of this analysis and grapevine chatter? Rarely. 

Leaders today often get so caught up in "their world" that they simply can no longer effectively engage with other members of the organization outside of the leadership circle.

Perception Is Reality 
One of the most effective ways leaders can use their power is when they reverse the power position. Allowing employees to teach, or offer their expertise not only sends a message that you're human (imagine that?!), but it also lets the employee know that they have value.

Leaders like to feel valued, right? Guess what? Your employees/associates/team members want to feel valued too. Making it a priority to elevate the self-esteem of your staff will not only connect them to the organization, but will help build your internal reputation as a good leader. 


How About You
Who has the power in your organization? Is it ever shared with the employees? If not, you may want to consider switching the power position once in a while. It might surprise you how effective a strategy it can be.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.




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Symphony of Destruction

The following rant is brought to you by...well...me.

Time for a moment of self-disclosure: I love all things iPhone, iPad and using e-tools to get my work done. Integrating multiple email accounts and calendars along with note-taking apps to eliminate the almighty pen and paper make me absolutely giddy.

Sad, I know.

Alarm Clocks In Meetings
Although I love my tech toys, you will never, ever, ever hear them in the workplace. Why? Because I'm at work! However, it seems that many (read here -> all of humanity) believes that setting an alarm for every little task, meeting and incoming and outgoing email is somehow respectful.

Really? Are you kidding me?

"If I bring my alarm clock to a meeting and have it go off 15 minutes before my next meeting would that be okay?"

How About You

Are you so excited about your new fangled gadget that you just love the little sounds it makes? Do you also get annoyed when people talk during meetings off to the side because that is disruptive and rude? Really? Time for a reality check folks.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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Turns Out...It's Not About Me

I have the privilege of experiencing a bunch of cool things in my work. Sometimes they're frustrating, and sometimes they're wonderful success stories; but mostly I get to work with a great group of dedicated HR professionals who are pushing hard to make a difference each day. That's pretty awesome.

And sometimes I actually think all of this awesomeness is because of me. Pffft.

Get A Clue

There's nothing like a few minutes of reflection on how work really gets done to make the "Jay-Complex" quickly disappear. I too often find myself getting fired up about this new idea or that new approach and don't take the time to slow down and consider the impact of my actions on those around me. Sure, I come up with a reasonably decent idea every now and then, but...

But sometimes I actually think all of progress we've made is because of me. Pffft.

How About You

So it turns out I can fall into the trap of thinking my success is mostly about me. I am fortunate to have such a patient and understanding team that sees through my weakness, pleasantly smiles, and then waits for me to come back down to earth. Do you appreciate your team, or do you spend a lot of time - like I do - making that damned Pffft sound?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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What The Hell Was That?

Have you ever been caught off guard? I don't mean a little surprise, I'm talking holy moly type of caught off guard. We all have a list of examples from our personal lives: trips to the Emergency Room, slips and falls, fender bender accidents, etc. Those can be a little scary....sometimes they can be a lot scary.

But what happens when you're caught off guard at work?

Is Preparation Possible?
We all like to believe we can stay calm, cool and collected in times of crisis. In fact, sometimes bigger issues are easier to deal with than those small annoyances that seem to never get resolved. But is it possible to prepare for those unexpected events that leave us somewhat speechless? I don't believe the concept of appropriate preparation is the right question because no matter how well we believe we've prepared for the unexpected; by definition if we're truly caught off guard we've failed in our planning.

Reaction v. Preparation

I have long believed that our employees are constantly watching us as leaders. Our behavior, dress, language, demeanor, and work ethic are all fair game for discussion, criticism and hopefully support. In those moments when we are truly surprised, even shocked, it is our initial reaction that is most important.

Once we've had an opportunity to pull our resources together and formulate a plan we usually feel confident that we're doing the right things. But when the proverbial bomb is dropped into the middle of the organization its the most effective leaders that will manage in a way that supports every customer group, particularly the employees.

How About You
How do you react when shocking news hits your organization? Do you run and hide...drop an f-bomb...or connect with your team to let them know it's okay? We have plenty of options; which ones do you like best?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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There's a Laboratory in Your Workplace

Amazing things happen in laboratories. Specimens are analyzed to discover the truth behind illnesses, theories are tested and become life-saving medicines, innovative thinking pushes the limits of what is "normal"...and silos are broken down allowing crazy ideas to turn in to realities in the workplace.

Wait...uh...what was that last one?

Where Are You Gene Wilder
You remember that famous innovator, Young Frankenstein, don't you? The great parody of the horror classic focuses on a scientist obsessed with making a dramatic breakthrough only to have his work go a bit haywire. A classic movie, but also a fun reminder that sometimes we need to push the limits of our work if we're going to make a meaningful difference. When was the last time you tried something that had never been done before at your company? Was it in recruiting, employee relations, recognition,  benefits design....anything at all?

Best Practices Aren't Your Practices
If you couldn't give one example of something you've tried that's completely new then you may be using too many best practices. It's not that trying other proven approaches to solve problems is a bad idea. It's just that those are someone else's best practices, not yours. You need to modify, test, fail, revise, and try again to develop your own version. Name one innovator who never tested their own theories? I can't either.

How About You
Is your workplace a laboratory? Are you excited about the mistakes you're going to make today? Does the thought of trying something risky and new get you fired up? Who knows, you may just see your idea come to life.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.