Next Generation Next Destination

REINVENTION REQUIRES REVEALING....

What’s needed at this economically challenging time according to Jeffrey Swartz, president and CEO of the Timberland Company in the New York Times Sunday Business Corner Office column (Dec. 20, 2009)?

 

People need to bring their personal selves to work – (not meaning an invasion of privacy). In his words,”A willingness to be exposed, a willingness to acknowledge and value the personal dimension.”

 

Swartz said there’s no chance in these economic times that a company “is going to be able to reinvent itself, with the speed and ease that it needs to, unless we bring more than our intellects to the table”. In hiring, he said he’s got to find “people who are comfortable with fuzzy logic, who are comfortable being exposed, who are comfortable being wrong, who don’t value as the first notion, ‘I got the answer, Boss.’”

 

He sums up what he is looking for as: 1) comfort with ambiguity; 2) faith in a solution; and 3) a commitment to fight for a worthy outcome.

 

If you are a leader, are you looking for this make-up in your hires? Do you appreciate the mission-committed risk-takers? And allow them to be wrong sometimes without rebuke?

 

If you are aspiring to take on meaningful, game-changing work, are you willing to reveal what really matters to you and fight for it?

 

Phyllis Weiss Haserot          www.pdcounsel.com

TRIUMPH OF THE MULTI-GENERATIONAL TEAM

Among the many fascinating pieces in the New York Times magazine annual "Ideas" issue (December 13, 2009) is an item on a study finding that the stereotypical belief the older employee (age 45 and up) is deficient is a myth. (Data on various tests pitting Boomers and up against people under age 30 to follow in another post.)

Here's the conclusion I liked best of all, in sync with my *Cross-Generational Conversation* work, from the study by Gary Charness, a University of California at Santa Barbara economics professor, and Marie Claire Villeval, from the University of Lyon: In the cooperation test, Charness and Villeval found that groups with a mix of ages outperformed homogeneous groups. They say that it's best to have a range of ages in the office for an optimum work force.

The study found that the 45s and older were actually more cooperative than the younger people and contributed more to their group. That's a nice boost for the Boomers and encouragement for all the generations to find common ground and collaborate. If you'd like advice on how to make that happen, give me a shout.

Phyllis Weiss Haserot   www.pdcounsel.com

TRANSITIONING: A TALE OF MUTUAL MENTORING

For further evidence that many Boomers are not afraid to jump into the technology and new media world, we have the story of James R. Gaines, former top editor of Time and People magazines who joined FLYP in the summer of 2008 at age 61. FLYP is an online digital publication that combines text with Flash animation, motion graphics, streaming audio and video to do what he has always done - tell stories.

In his article in the New York Times "Preoccupations" column ( November 29, 2009), Jim Gaines talks about his mutual learning relationship with the staff of FLYP, several decades younger than he. Here are some of his thoughts about the age and experience gap.

*  Gaines figured the staff members, recently out of college, would be lucky to work with him and learn from his experience and achievements, but the opposite turned out to be true for him.

*  He feels lucky to be working with them, and they have been quite patient about helping him understand all the technology and software applications. "...I learn more than I teach most days, which is both humbling and thrilling," he wrote.

*  He is dealing with the paradox of wanting to be a colleague but knowing his role as boss: "to sustain, provide and sometimes to teach, but not necessarily be a friend." It's analogous to his role as parent at home. 

Gaines decided to ask his young staff members what they think of him and the distance between him and the staff. Some of the responses he got include:

*  "I don't ever think about Jim's age until someone in the office brings it up" (usually over some digital gaffe). 

*  "We're a small team where we can't get hung up on who is guiding who. New media isn't about who has the longest resume. It's about who has the best ideas and who can implement them the most creatively. That's something age can't really teach you."  [I comment here that this is at least partly true in many industries and fields.]

*  They are impressed with his enthusiasm, and it reinforces their excitement for what they are doing.

Gaines points out that his and their enthusiasms differ from each other. He remarks on how strongly the staff reacts to things - positively or negatively, what he sees as youthful extremes of emotion. But he is thrilled with the relationship. He concludes," The young people I work with now will be settlers of that [digital] frontier, and I can't think of anything I would rather do than help them get there."

This story illustrates an excellent example of mutual mentoring, where mentor and mentee roles shift back and forth as appropriate. It becomes a comfortable process that benefits both parties or a group.

It's one type of what I call "3rd Wave Mentoring." I will be presenting a webcast for the West LegalEdCenter on this new wave of mentoring (including mentoring circles and other networked approaches) on December 16th. Contact me at pwhaserot@pdcounsel.com for more information.

Phyllis Weiss Haserot      www.pdcounsel.com

BOOMER-GEN Y BUSINESS LINK: CLOSING THE DIVIDE FOR PROFIT

Despite the so-called Boomer-Gen Y gap, there is much evidence of natural similarities and synergies. This  belief is backed up by a recent survey by Knowledge Networks for the Center for Work-Life Policy. Laura Sherbin, an economist with the Center said the two generations work together well because they both want autonomy and flexibility.

As reported in "Finding a Guide for Online Networking" by Elizabeth Pope in the New York Times (October 15, 2009), the survey of 1,5 95 people indicated that 40% of older adults had asked their younger colleagues for help with text messaging, iTunes, and social networking. In fact, there is a distinct phenomenon developing for the web-savvy to help their elder colleagues or even strangers build second careers online. Since over 40% of Generation Y participates in online social media, according to the research, they sometimes pick up and refer job leads they come across online to their elders.

The Times article relates some examples of young people helping Boomers and Traditionalists start businesses online. One Boomer interviewed got help from people in their 20s and 30s that she met through her local Chamber of Commerce and BNI International. They even gave her advice on managing clients and setting fees.

What's great about this generosity of the Gen Yers is their eagerness to share information with not only their peers, but anyone who is interested in and appreciates their help. That's got to be an optimistic sign for the future of work. I love it! Let's all, as individuals and organizations, capitalize on this cross-generational collaboration, reverse and mutual mentoring.

Please share examples of this phenomenon whether personally experienced (other than with children) or observed in the workplace.

Phyllis Weiss Haserot   www.pdcounsel.com

TRANSITIONING OUT IN RECESSION TIMES

The severe recessionary economy has led to creation of a variety of working arrangements as people consider every opportunity to keep working. Some recently laid off people find project work with their former full-time employer, providing a source of income and a way to keep involved, while the employer benefits from the services without having to increase  full-time headcount.

For individuals on the older end of the spectrum it is not exactly phased retirement, but it shares some of the characteristics. The individual is no longer a partner or executive in a senior position, but in addition to performing services directly may be transferring knowledge that otherwise would have been lost to the next generation.

While this has the potential for a win-win, the transition can be tricky, especially for the individual assuming the new, usually reduced, status. Expectations need to be clarified. The working agreement probably should be reveiwed by an employment lawyer for protection and clarification. Emotional discomfort through a readjustment period can be expected. Relationships with former colleagues are likely to change and the office politics may appear different. Others may resent that they didn't get the work.

In this situation, expect to have to prove yourself and the value of your work, especially if the responsibilities are different from the former ones. You need to show you are a team player and put in extra effort. But be careful not to feel you are taken advantage of (or let that happen).

On the positive side, these phasing out or project work arrangements can provide desirable flexibility to individuals who have worked intensely for many years. They enable a person to stay gainfully employed, still engaged in work that may be challenging and personally meaningful and connected to colleagues.

Can you share experiences from your own organization?

Phyllis Weiss Haserot   www.pdcounsel.com

TRANSITIONING AND THE "CAREER BUCKET"

Periodically I like to post about surveys and other happenings from the Encore Careers blog of Civic Ventures. The latest newsletter and blog features the results of their latest survey on ageism and career opportunities for Boomers. It found some surprising things about what Boomers are and are not willing to do to make themselves attractive for new positions and some unsurprising results as well. Take a look.

Check out some other interesting items there on the psychology of midlife transitions (whatever "midlife" is), where the jobs are, and what interesting and legacy-building jobs and activities members of the Boomer generation are undertaking for reinvention, fulfillment and giving back.

Phyllis Weiss Haserot     www.pdcounsel.com

BOOMERS FUNDING REINVENTION

I have seen several articles and pitches for articles about people over age 50 opening 529 college savings plans - for themselves. It seems to be a hot topic, or at least a warming one.

Since the Boomers have shown themselves to be continual learners, perhaps this is a trend that will play out as they reinvent themselves for encore careers for both financial and fulfillment reasons. A niche market for financial planners? and for college communities?  The latter have already experienced growth as retirees and pre-retirees move to locations where they can be students and soak up the cultural atmosphere that institutions of higher education bring. Now they have a new way to fund their continuing education.

Phyllis Weiss Haserot    www.pdcounsel.com

CROSS-GENERATIONAL ALUMNI-STUDENT PUBLIC INTEREST ACTION

Since I put together and facilitate *cross-generational conversation* groups, primarily focusing on the workplace, I am always interested to see initiatives that encourage multi-generational collaboration.

Twenty years ago, the Princeton class of 1955 started "Princeton Project 55." According to the web site, "Princeton Project 55 (PP55) is an independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to providing opportunities for college alumni to improve our society. By bringing alumni together with students and recent graduates, Princeton Project 55 provides many opportunities for building the commitment, leadership, and mentoring needed to solve critical issues affecting the public interest."

"Princeton Project 55 believes that there is a vast untapped resource of energy and expertise among college alumni that is available for the public good. We accomplish our mission through a variety of approaches including matching recent graduates with year-long fellowships in public-service organizations, providing mentors and professional development; supporting alumni from other universities engaged in similar initiatives; and collaborating with on-campus programs to raise the profile of civic engagement among current undergraduates."

Spreading the model and enthusiasm, there are 40 colleges and universities for which the Princeton group has set the example. The name was chosen not just to recognize the class that started the initiative, but more significantly to signal the age they thought many people are able to commit to taking on civic activities.The organization has a board composed of four generations of alumni, including some very well known names. Of course it has a Facebook page.

Phyllis Weiss Haserot    www.pdcounsel.com

CROSS-GENERATIONAL APPEAL

President Barack Obama, in his commencement speech at Arizona State University on May 13th, made several significant points for Gen Y/Millennials students that translate also to Boomers thinking about their next career destination. (Below are quotes or paraphrases as I jotted them down.)

*  Success is not pursuing celebrity and material things or status, a title.. Relentless pursuit of superficial markers can lead to complacency rather than doing your best.

*  We need to continually adapt.

*  We need your daring and enthusiasm.

*  Commit to do what's meaningful to you. Follow your passions to change the world. You have no excuses not to change the world.

*  Be someone who cares.

*  Choices over a lifetime make a lasting legacy. Your body of work is never finished.

Interestingly, there was big applause when helping not-for-profits and teaching were mentioned; not much enthusiasm was exhibited when business was mentioned. It remains to be seen if that is just a sign of the times or an attitude that persists.

Much of this is not dramatically different from the typical commencement speech year after year. But it has a special resonance in these tumultuous times and severe economic downturn. People need to rethink their priorities, whether by choice or not. After long careers, many Boomers are looking to reconnect to their more youthful vision of changing the world and working for the public good. There is much to be done if people let go of a definition of success that starts with a dollar sign. Yes, we need to be productive  and self-sufficient, but that's only the beginning. As an eternal optimist, I believe in unforeseen opportunities and that good can and will come of it.

Phyllis Weiss Haserot     www.pdcounsel.com

BOOMERS LEADING: WHO'S ON THE NEW WEB?

Generation Y/Millennials may have "practically invented" social media as Ryan Healy said in his recent Employee Evolution blog with their use of the original versions of Facebook and My Space, but it's older people who are modifying and using the new web in droves. What is appealing to the older adopters is the hyper-connectivity, real-time updates, and even spending time online.

Statistics from Comscore reveal that:

*  The average age of a Linkedin user is 40. Since deep profiles are a great asset on Linkedin, and Gen Y has not had time to compile a great deal of experience, that site is not so appealing to them. Also, connecting with people in your own industry is not so compelling to Gen Yers who may not think in industry contact terms.

*   The majority of Twitter users are age 35 or more; the age 45-54 cohort is 36% more likely than average to visit Twitter.

*   The groups that are fueling the tremendous growth of Facebook are older: From October '08 to April '09  the 35-54 year old group grew at a 276% rate, and new Facebook members over age 55 grew more than 194%.

According to a recent Accenture survey, Baby Boomers (people over 45) are latching on to consumer technologies about 20 times faster than the younger generations. There has been a 67% increase of Boomers listening to podcasts and reading blogs.

What explains Gen Yers' reticence to embrace the new web technologies given that they are much more tech savvy than the older generations and consider their electronic gadgets to be an extension of themselves? Healy wonders if it's that they see too much connectivity and time online as unproductive and not getting them where they want to go. Or, he suggests, maybe they just don't view what comes from Silicon Valley as cool.

So my message for Boomers who have been holding out as adopters of the new web and are still thinking that web 2.0 and online social networking is for Gen Y/Millennials is that the numbers indicate otherwise. The business focus is clearly on the use of social networking sites for referrals, reputation building, recruiting and job search. And in tight economic times, online is by far the less expensive alternative. Now is the time to jump in if you haven't already.

Phyllis Weiss Haserot   www.pdcounsel.com