Warning: Don’t try and consume the entire newsletter in one
sitting. Internalize just a little bit every day to insure better
digestion! Enjoy!!
THE LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
Leadership Newsletter . . . September, 2009
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Newsletter Content:
Leaders Succeed Through Others!
The August Sessions Were Great! Thanks!!
Coming up This Month . . .
Performance Reviews & Productive Environments
Leaders Achieve Improved Performance through Employee Growth!
We as Leaders Really Do Set The Pace!
Get in The Last Word . . . !
Tips on How to Run a Good Meeting!
Keys to Living a Successful Life!
Calculating the Cost of Turnover!
What Really Motivates Employees?
Turnover Can Be Controlled!
Leadership Test!
Quick Learning Tip!
Personal ‘On-Site’ Coaching!
How to Save a Troubled Manager!
Communicating Better at Work!
Leaders Ask Five Important Questions!
Motivating Generation X!
Motivating Generation Y!
Come Join Us!
Contact Information!
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Leaders Succeed Through Others!
Great leaders and managers remove obstacles and they make it easy for others to succeed individually and corporately. Delegation and the empowerment of others involve the art of getting things done through and with people in a formally structured environment. It includes the art of creating an environment in which people can perform as individuals and yet cooperate in an effort to attain the goals of the team and the organization as a whole. It also includes the art of removing the kinds of obstacles that can potentially block such performance to make it easy for people to succeed.”
Jim Abbondante
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August Sessions Were Great!
What a great time we had last month as we presented the monthly leadership sessions at home and around the country! We want to thank each one who attended for your enthusiastic participation as we focused on Motivation and also on how to plan for and structure a successful Meeting.
We appreciated the many positive responses we received at the conclusion of each of the sessions last month. Based on all the comments and emails we received, the main things that seemed to really hit home from the segment on Motivation was the fact that Motivation, to be really impacting and effective, has to be specific to the individual; in other words, it has to be customized and speak to who the person really is and to what’s going to be most valued by the individual, and that requires ‘relationship’. It kind of reminds me of what we have discussed in other sessions; that if we’re going to achieve genuine success in the ‘people business’, it’s going to be the result of the quality relationships that we have developed with each one of our valued team members, and our genuine commitment to their growth and success.
The comment we received the most regarding the segment on Meetings seemed to center around the practical application of the seven P’s and the importance of keeping it ’simple’ as we take a more structured approach to planning for and conducting a successful staff Meeting. I have included a few additional guidelines for you to follow to insure the success of your meetings. I will refer to them a little later in this edition of the monthly leadership newsletter.
Well, while we had a great time together last month, you’re really going to enjoy what we have in store for you this month!
We’re going to keep it going!!
But first . . .
What an honor it is to have the opportunity to work with leaders like you who are committed to achieving a greater degree of excellence in their life and career, and to making a genuine difference in the lives of their team members. What goes around really does come around.
I’ve seen it time and time again!
Remember . . .
“The ‘best’ leader will always bring out the very ‘best’ in those he or she has stewardship over.”
By the way . . .
The Application Projects that were completed and turned in last month reflected a lot of introspective thought on everyone’s part. You did a great job!
Remember, the Application Projects are designed to be the first step that’s taken toward getting the principles, concepts and processes out of the training room and into the real world where they really can make a difference.
Let me remind you again that if you have need of any assistance when it comes to taking that all important first step, all you have to do is email, or you can give us a call, and we will be happy to work with you on an individual basis to help you succeed with what you are learning in the sessions. It’s free!
As always . . . we remain committed to your success!
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Coming up this month . . .
We are really looking forward to seeing you in one of our many ‘on-site’ LEADERSHIP-THE BOTTOM LINE leadership sessions this month.
We have prepared two very interesting, enjoyable and practical segments for you this month that will focus our attention on two very important leadership functions . . . ‘Conducting Successful Performance Reviews’ and ‘How to Structure the Most Productive Environment Possible’ for your team.
(Each one of our ‘on-site’ groups will be going through the same sessions at each of their individual locations.)
Leaders Achieve Improved Performance through ‘On-Going’ Employee Growth!
In the first of our two segments this month, we’re going to take a close look at what is often times viewed as one of the most negative and mundane responsibilities of the typical manager . . . conducting those annual Performance Reviews.
It’s really amazing how many employees associate negative with the annual Performance Review when in fact, it should be looked forward to as being one of the most positive and beneficial meetings of the year on the part of both the manager and the employee.
What takes place in the annual Performance Review should become the foundation upon which the team member is able to build a very successful year with the organization.
But unfortunately . . .
One of the great secrets of corporate life is that managers, (those charged with doing the reviewing and with judging the performance of others), usually find the process as nerve-wracking and as unsatisfying as the employees do.
Have you ever wondered why?
Consider – what are some of the main reasons for conducting a successful annual review? Aren’t we looking for ways to improve performance, increase productivity and accomplish more through our team members with less effort and in less time?
In addition, aren’t we looking for ways to create a greater degree of commitment on the part of the team member to the company’s success, and a greater degree of loyalty on the part of the team member to the company and to their leader in particular?
How do you actually accomplish that in the context of an annual Performance Review? Well, believe it or not, all that and much more can be achieved when your perspective is right, you’re prepared and you approach it correctly.
As you begin to understand, develop and master the art of conducting a successful Performance Review, here are just a few of the many benefits you will enjoy:
Better Attitudes
Increased Cooperation
Improved Working Relationships
Increased Loyalty and Team Spirit
Faster and Better Quality Production
Transform your Team Members into Leaders
Develop a Reputation as a Great Place to Work
Weed out Destructive Employees
Retain your Best People
Increase Profitability
Decrease Stress
What are the secrets to accomplishing this – and more?
That’s exactly what our goal will be as we focus on the critically important task of conducting successful Performance Reviews in our first segment this month.
We’re going to take a look at what a successful Performance Review really is and isn’t, what its ultimate purpose is, what the actual mechanics are, how to create positive involvement on the part of the employee, and how to utilize the Performance Review to accomplish a greater degree of growth both in and through the members of your team.
Not only are you going to enjoy this month’s segment on how to prepare for and conduct a successful Performance Review, but you are really going to appreciate the very practical tools you’re going to be given in the process.
As you begin to apply the principles and the steps you will be given in the session, both you and your team members will begin to really look forward to and enjoy the Performance Reviews you conduct in your organization.
Leaders Really Do Set The Pace!
In our second segment this month we are going to be taking look at a very important part of our everyday work life, and that’s Creating a Productive Work Environment.
If you have attended any of our monthly leadership sessions then you have heard us reinforce on a number of occasions the fact that any organization will always be a direct reflection of the leadership it’s provided and of the ‘leader’ in particular.
As leaders, we do set the pace in so many important ways. For example, consider the following famous statement: “I’ve been to the mountaintop and I’ve seen the other side.” Those words of Dr. Martin Luther King ignited the passion of the entire civil rights movement. His passion, belief and attitude of expectancy caused thousands to follow him, no matter what the cost.
What was there about his leadership that made such an impacting impression on his followers?
First, he had a positive view of the future. People want to be able to view their future optimistically and to be a part of something that is positive and fulfilling. Dr. King believed that his dream of equality and justice would one day be realized.
Second, he believed that ‘right’ would win out. Dr. King stood for something important and noble. Even as the fires of hatred and oppression burned, Dr. King believed that an ultimate good would arise from their ashes. People want and need to be able to feel that their contribution counts and that it will make a lasting difference.
Third, he believed that his noble message would be accepted. In spite of immediate rejection, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. envisioned a day when his message of peace and harmony would be preached, taught, and practiced. He simply expected it to happen and so he was prepared to take all the steps necessary to see it come to pass. People need to be able to depend on their leaders to ’follow-through’ on their commitment to the future.
The task of a real and genuine leader is to show people the future. To present the possibilities in such a way that people can relate and identify with the success of the vision and in such a way that they want to become a part of making it become a reality.
Visionary leaders in all walks of life have been to the mountaintop. They have seen the other side and they are committed to taking their teams there.
In business, it’s equally important that we set a good example and that we earn the respect and loyalty of our employees. It’s also vitally important that we communicate our vision in such a way that our people want to be a part of it and play an important role in the realization of it.
They need us to communicate our expectations in such a way that they feel empowered to succeed and they also need to know that we expect them to succeed, and they need to know that they really are making a difference.
In our second segment this month, we’re going to take a close look at the most important steps a leader can take to create the kind of environment for his or her people that will be the most conducive to consistent productivity, growth and success.
You will need to come prepared to learn a lot more about succeeding through people and to have a lot of fun with us in the process.
Remember . . .
Leaders are genuinely enthusiastic about the future!
“Great leaders are never satisfied with current levels of performance. They are relentlessly driven by their belief in the possibilities, and by their belief in the potential achievements of their people individually and as an organization.”
See you in the session!
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Get in the last word . . . Apologize!
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Tips on How to Run a Good Meeting!
As a follow-up to our segment last month, here are some additional tips for you on how to run a successful staff meeting:
1. Don’t compete with group members. Give their ideas precedence over yours.
2. Listen to everyone. Paraphrase, but don’t judge.
3. Don’t put anyone on the defensive. Always assume that everyone’s ideas have value.
4. Control the dominant people without alienating them. Respond in a positive way using leading questions to move everyone back on to the subject.
5. Realize that your interest and alertness are contagious. You set the pace when it comes to the focus and energy of the meeting.
6. Keep all the participants informed about where you are in the discussion and what’s expected of them. Keep notes on a flip chart or on a marker board that everyone can see in order to remain focused and involved.
7. When a problem is raised, check with the person who owns the problem to find out if an idea is worth pursuing or if an already proposed solution is satisfactory.
8. Give others a turn at running the meeting. Those who learn to lead learn how to participate more effectively.
And again . . .
Remember that proper prior planning (and preparation) prevents pitiful poor performance when it comes to conducting effective staff meetings!
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Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day; teach that person to use the Internet and they won’t bother you for weeks.
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Keys to Living a Successful Life!
Here are a few things I have picked up along the way from those I have looked up to, respected and admired that have served me quite well over the years. I do hope they will prove to be an encouragement to you as well.
Be proud of who you are.
Learn what makes you happy.
Do things for other people each day.
Love and respect yourself and others.
Climb mountains that seem impossible.
Set goals and work hard to achieve them.
Learn to win and lose with grace and dignity.
Love and treat your whole family with respect.
Ask advice from teachers and other successful people.
Always remember that you only fail when you fail to try.
Don’t be afraid of failure, it can be a good thing if you learn something.
Don’t try to be better than others, simple choose to be the best you can be.
Consider . . .
Going far beyond the call of duty, doing more than others expect, this is truly what demonstrating a commitment to personal excellence is all about.
And it comes from striving to improve and grow, maintaining the highest possible standards, looking after the smallest detail, and going the extra mile.
Demonstrating a genuine commitment to personal excellence means doing your very best and then just a little more in everything and in every way.
It’s remembering that every part of your life is a reflection of who you really are, what you really stand for and what you really want in your life.
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“The person who fails to stand for something will ultimately fall for anything.”
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Calculating The Cost of Turnover!
You’ve certainly heard the old saying, “Good people are hard to find.” Well, how about . . “Good people are expensive to lose.” How much does ‘turnover’ cost the average organization? Consider the following formula for calculating what turnover could be costing your company.
To estimate the cost of turnover in your company, use the following formula:
Select a department or specific job function that has a lot of turnover. Write the number of people who have left the job or department during the past 12 months below on Line 4.
The average cost of turnover is 25 percent of an employee’s annual salary (Line 1) plus the cost of the benefits (Line 2). Typical benefits amount to about 30 percent of wages. The total cost per employee (Line 3) is the total of Line 1 and Line 2.
1. Annual Wage:____________________ X 25 = __________________
2. Annual Wage:____________________ X .30 = __________________ X .25 = _____________
3. Total Turnover Cost per employee (add Lines 1 and 2): ______________________________
4. Total number of employees who left: ____________________________
5. Total cost of turnover (multiply Lines 3 and 4): ___________________
Here’s an example:
1. Annual Wage: $35,000 x .25 = $8,750.00
2. Annual Wage: $35,000 x .30 = $10,500.00 x .25 = $2,625.00
3. Total turnover cost per employee: $8,750.00 + $2,625.00 = $11,375.00
4. Total number of employees who left: 10
5. Total cost of turnover: $11,375.00 x 10 = $113,750.00
Question:
When is the best time to solve this type of problem in your organization?
Before – during or after it occurs? How about all three!
Make sure you join us for the leadership session in October when we take a look at the various options that are available to us as leaders to minimize the cost of employee turnover in our organizations.
In the mean time, consider the following . . .
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What Really Motivates Employees?
I was on a flight recently from DFW to Los Angeles catching up on some important reading and while reviewing the findings of a recent survey, I learned that eighty-one percent of top-performing employees, (as identified by their employers), said that maintaining a good personal reputation is what motivates them to achieve peak performance.
The recent survey involved 600 of the country’s largest employers. Given our discussions in the various leadership sessions conducted around the country last month, I was pleased to learn that only 15 percent said that their expectation of financial reward had a very significant influence on the quality of their performance.
When you really think about it, in today’s market, competitive pay is the price of admission for employers who want to attract the very best people to their organization – however, it is not a key differentiator.
The research project showed that intangible factors such as personal satisfaction and recognition of contributions are much more effective in driving high performance.
The survey found the following responses for what typically motivates top employees:
*Desire to maintain good work reputation: 81%
*Importance of the work: 76%
*Appreciation of others: 66%
*Interesting work: 51%
*Personal desire to please supervisor: 20%
*Expectation of financial reward: 15%
It’s important to keep in mind that top-performing employees are typically well paid, so I’m not saying, (nor was the survey saying), that pay doesn’t matter. I think the message to employers is not to underrate the importance of ‘non-financial’ rewards in influencing consistent quality behavior.”
A leader’s success is largely determined by their ability to motivate others.
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There is much more in us than we know. If we can only be made to see it, then perhaps, for the rest of our lives, we will be unwilling to settle for less.
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Turn-over Can Be Controlled!
No matter how big or small a company is, employee turnover eats into profits. Replacement costs range from $7,000 to $10,000 per employee, and more for higher-level positions. These estimates include the loss in company productivity, expenses incurred in replacing a lost employee, (recruitment costs, training, unemployment taxes, and time needed to interview and to select a replacement).
And, others in the organization must pick up the slack of the vacancy and deal with the disruption to the normal work flow.
Guess what? Not all turn-over is bad!
New hires contribute fresh viewpoints and approaches that can energize an organization. Marginal employees who leave provide an opportunity to replace them with better-skilled people. Turnover can’t be eliminated entirely, but it should and can be controlled.
The first step is to determine why employees typically leave your company. Statistics should be gathered and broken down (minimally) by department, the type of positions, and length of service. For the smaller organization, large amounts of data may not be available, but a review of your former employees’ files may tell the story.
The most effective way to gather this information is through exit interviews conducted by a non-threatening manager or human resource professional. Periodic anonymous employee surveys will provide information needed to correct problems before any mass exodus takes place.
Turnover should be identified as either voluntary (resignations) or involuntary (terminations). Each category may reflect its own trends and point to different solutions. Below are some of the most common reasons for resignations:
1. Lack of Challenge or Advancement Opportunities.
Review your internal job posting system; expand breadth and depth of current jobs; provide skills development for future promotions or lateral moves. Consider training as an investment in the future.
2. Dissatisfaction with Pay
Determine your organization’s philosophy. Are you the pay leader or do you pay market wages, or do you pay below market with other incentives used to fill in the gap. Obtain industry pay data and compare.
Communicate fringe benefits if they are used to fill in the gap between actual and market pay. Pay bonuses in good years to fill in the gap if you’re concerned about the long-term cost of higher wages.
3. Personal Problems (family conflict, poor health, etc)
Review your leave policy; consider alternative work schedules, flextime, telecommuting, etc., at least on a temporary basis if necessary. Be creative.
4. Dissatisfaction with Supervision
Evaluate the supervisor’s management style. Provide training to improve skills; hold the supervisor accountable. Does he/she create a hostile environment? Is there pervasive favoritism? Involve them in our monthly leadership development series, (starting this month!).
5. Not Satisfied with Working Conditions
For example: rigid work schedules, lack of responsibility/autonomy, repetitive tasks, etc. Conduct employee meetings to obtain in-depth information. Re-design jobs or even the organizational chart if this is a pervasive complaint. There may be no solution for jobs with low-skill levels and short learning curves.
6. Conflict with Co-workers
Conduct employee surveys to get to the root of the problem. Train supervisors in managing people/teams and hold them accountable. Depending on the pervasiveness of the problem, maybe consider hiring a mediator to defuse any hostility that exists. Review your culture. Is your organization possibly a breeding ground for political game playing? If so, address it quickly.
7. Job is Not What Was Promised
Provide realistic job overviews and communicate clearly your expectations during the initial job interview. Intervene early in any cases where dissatisfaction is expressed.
8. Lack of Appreciation
This continues to be the top complaint, and probably the easiest to correct. Make a habit of celebrating successes and be sure to say “thank you” often. Money is not always enough, even if your pay scale is above market. Personal significance is a real motivator.
9. Being ‘In’ On Things
Communicate! Communicate! Communicate! Employees want to know about the company, how it’s doing, and how they affect the organization’s success. Employees want to take pride in being an important part of a successful venture. Let them know!
The combination of careful hiring and meeting the most reasonable needs of your employees will reward you with a competent and loyal staff and a surprisingly low turnover rate. Be sure and join us during the month of October for more on interviewing and retaining your top producers.
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Leadership Test!
To find out if you’re a true leader, see if you possess these qualities:
Leaders start projects by asking ”What has to be done?” instead of by asking ”What do I need or want?”
Leaders next ask “What do I have to do to make a real contribution?” The answer best suits the leader’s strengths and the needs of the project.
Leaders continually ask “What are my organization’s purposes and objectives?” – and – “What qualifies as acceptable performance and adds to the bottom line?”
Leaders don’t want clones of themselves as employees. They never ask . . “Do I like or dislike this employee?” . . But they won’t tolerate poor performance. Their commitment is to the development of each valuable member of their team.
Leaders aren’t threatened by others who have recognizable strengths that they lack.
The quality of the leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves and encourage in others.
My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether or not you are content with your failure. Abraham Lincoln
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Quick Learning Tip!
Real learning occurs at pivotal points in a person’s career. If you want to bring in a coach for one of your employees or serve as a coach yourself, don’t do it when he or she’s coasting comfortably.
Instead, do it right after he or she has experienced a success or failure; for example: losing a key account or winning a promotion.
Reason . . .
It’s during these intensely emotional times that real learning happens.
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Personal On-Site Coaching!
You are missing out if you are not taking full advantage of the opportunity for individual ‘on-site’ coaching as you progress through the twelve month leadership development process with us.
Let me remind you again that we are available to meet with you individually, at your location, on an ‘as-needed’ basis, between each one of your monthly sessions, to assist you with the completion of your application projects or to assist you in any areas that might pertain to your responsibilities as a leader and manager in your organization.
All you need to do is contact us via email or by phone and we’ll be happy to schedule a convenient time to get together with you at your location. Personal coaching always yields impressive results.
Remember . . .
Every aspect or component of the leadership series has been designed to work together in such a way as to enable you to achieve the maximum benefit possible from your participation in the twelve month process.
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How to Save a Troubled Manager!
If you have a manager or supervisor who is considered a valuable member of the team who is troubled or struggling with a particular problem, consider hiring an executive coach to help them get beyond their challenge/s and back on the road to success. This type of outside intervention is particularly valuable for managers who:
1. Are technically talented but have poor interpersonal skills;
2. Don’t communicate well with their people and/or have difficulty ‘empowering’ them;
3. Have 75% of what it takes to get to the next level and can attain the missing 25% with some outside ‘one-on-one’ coaching; (or)
4. Someone who you want to put on the fast-track to the next level.
For example – a senior manager has a significant deficit – he’s sometimes arrogant, he’s often overbearing – and the president, CEO or other senior company leader has delivered an ultimatum such as:
“We can’t tolerate that kind of behavior, it’s too disruptive and de-motivating. You’re going to have to get help, (we’ll pay for it), or you are going to have to move on. The choice is yours.”
Executive coaching, which has become very popular with those companies who are committed to investing in their people, pays off. It’s proven to be the shortest and most cost-effective approach to creating a ‘triple win’.
As your good manager shows significant improvement, things get better for the manager, his or her team members and for the company over-all.
For additional ideas, feel free to visit our website:
http://www.leadershipinstituteusa.com/Personal_Success_Coaching.shtml
There are two quick ways to disaster: taking nobody’s advice and taking everybody’s advice. It’s critical that you take advantage of the right advice.
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Communicating Better at Work!
In a lot of the workshops and coaching sessions I am involved in, employees often show concern about the quality and quantity of the communication that takes place in their working environment.
Some claim that management gives only lip service to open communication but does little to really communicate with them. Still others contend their organizations believe that posting notices on bulletin boards and sending out memos will provide adequate communication. Still others say they receive vague instructions that are difficult to follow.
Ineffective communication often results in poor cooperation and also in poor coordination, lower productivity, undercurrents of tension, gossip and rumors, all of which leads to increased turnover and absenteeism.
My experience has shown that there are many ways that managers can improve internal communication.
Here are some things for you to consider if you want to influence better communication:
1. Understand that communication is a two-way street.
It involves giving information and getting feedback from employees. It isn’t finished when information is given. There must be quality two-way communication that says we are working together.
2. Put more emphasis on face-to-face communication with employees.
Don’t rely mainly on bulletin boards, memos, emails and other written communication. We must remember that organizational success is the result of good working relationships being nurtured and developed at all levels in the organization, and also a sense of involvement.
3. Ask yourself, each time you give an instruction, if the message is clear.
Most vagueness is caused by failing to be specific. Example: Don’t just tell an employee to “show more interest” in his or her work. If an employee spends too much time chatting with others, be specific about it and involve them in a productive discussion regarding the benefits of becoming more involved in their work.
4. View information as ’service to’ employees and not ‘power over’ them.
Listen to employees; show respect for them when they speak. They’ll feel like part of the team and will tend to be more dedicated and much more productive. One effective way is to ask more questions to show your interest and to have them clarify the points they are wanting to make. Let them know that the information you are providing is intended to equip them to succeed.
5. Don’t just talk ‘open-door’ policy.
Practice it by walking around and talking to employees. Allow people to disagree and to come up with new ideas. By being open to input and stimulating the creative process on their part, they will feel more involved, take greater ownership and will produce higher quality work.
6. Conduct regular ’one-on-one’ meetings.
Schedule regular personal meetings with each one of your employees. Ask each employee to tell you how you can help them do a better job. Then how they can help you do a better job. Work together to win.
7. Prepare & distribute internal publications frequently.
Implement a company newsletter in your organization. Emphasize current issues that employees care about; don’t substitute quarterly “prettier” publications for substantive, up-to-date ones. Assign a committee to find out what employees want to see in the company newsletter and allow different team members to submit articles on those topics in each issue.
8. Concentrate on building credibility with employees.
Managers who lack credibility and fail to create a climate of trust and openness aren’t believed – no matter how hard they try to communicate.
Remember that your role is to be credible in your demonstration of what good looks like and to be perceived as your team member’s most valuable resource.
Why not give some of these ideas a try; You’ll be surprised at the responses you will get. Be sure and let us know how it goes!
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A single conversation with a wise man is definitely worth more than ten years of study.
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Leaders Ask Five Important Questions!
One of the leader’s most valuable assets is clarity of thought and the ability to recognize and focus the team’s energies on the organization’s most important priorities. Get in the habit of asking yourself these few questions on a regular basis:
1. What are we doing?
2. What should we be doing?
3. What should we be doing next?
4. What should we not be doing?
5. Why?
Remember . . .
Priority thinking is all about majoring on the ‘majors’ instead of majoring on the minors.
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“Happiness is not an end product in itself. It is a by-product of working, playing, loving and doing a whole lot of living.”
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Motivating Generation X!
Have you ever wondered what motivates younger workers?
More than 40 million American workers are in their twenties or early thirties. To stereotype these workers is dangerous, but managers need to understand what motivates younger employees.
Here are four ways managers can get through to Generation X employees for the purpose of motivating and helping them to work hard and succeed:
1. Help them “train for another job.”
It sounds ridiculous, but younger employees realize that the old employment contract is no more. They know they won’t stay with one company for their entire career. So, ironically, the way to keep them is to help them acquire skills that will make them more marketable later on. The more they can learn, the more they will want to stick around. They will want to stay longer if you can create opportunities to advance within your own organization.
2. Give them responsibility for projects.
Younger workers have more of an independent spirit than Baby Boomers or older workers. Rather than mistake this quality for a liability – e.g., a refusal to stick to procedures, treat it as an asset. Give them clearly defined goals, and the freedom to achieve them in their own way. Empowerment and the opportunity to take real ownership is a real motivating factor for this group of employees.
3. Offer constant informal feedback rather than just formal annual performance reviews.
Younger workers expect a lot of feedback from managers. Formal, sporadic performance reviews are not timely enough to keep up with the rapid pace younger employees work best at. Involvement on the part of their manager/leader is what they really want and need.
4. Offer them access to many different kinds of information.
Younger workers grew up in the computer age, and are quite adept at using different data and technology to bring together seemingly unrelated elements in order to solve a problem. Managers who hoard information are stifling one of the greatest resources these younger workers bring to the game.
The key to succeeding with this generation as with any other generation is to really know and understand who they really are, their perspective, their wants, needs and desires, and then find a way to accommodate those in the context of creating an environment that leads to mutual success.
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Motivating Generation Y!
Just as you’re getting used to dealing with Generation X, along comes the next demographic group. Generation Y, as some call it, is composed of those born after 1977.
What are they looking for from their employers?
Here’s how Generation Y college students answered one survey when asked what they wanted in their first jobs:
1. A fun work environment
2. Growth opportunities
3. Competitive salary
4. A wide range of projects to work on
5. Good benefits, including health care, profit sharing, and 401 (k)
6. Opportunities to learn and develop new skills, paid for by the company
7. Travel opportunities
8. Flexible work schedules
It’s important that we understanding and learn how to recruit Generation Y workers and how to make them want to stay and perform at their best while they are with us.
Welcome to the ‘people business’ in the 21st century!
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Are You Stressed Out?
The photo shown below has 2 almost identical dolphins in it.
It was recently used in a case study on stress levels with patients at St. Mary’s Hospital.
Look at both dolphins jumping out of the water. The dolphins are identical. A closely monitored, scientific study revealed that in spite of the fact that the dolphins are identical, a person under stress will find differences in the two dolphins.
If there are many differences found between the dolphins, it means that the person is experiencing a significant amount of stress. Look at the photograph. If you find more than one or two differences you may want to consider taking a vacation.
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Come join us in the September Leadership Development Session!
Once again, let me remind you that we are looking forward to seeing you again in one of the ’on-site’ leadership sessions that are being conducted at various client locations around the country. If you need any additional information or any additional assistance of any kind, please feel free to email or you can give any one of us a call at any of the numbers listed below.
Make it a great month!
