I recently completed a fascinating book by Ron Alsop
”The Trophy Kids Grow Up” 
http://www.thetrophykids.com
”The first wave of the Millennial Generation, born between 1980 and 2001, is entering the work force, and employers are facing some of the biggest management challenges they’ve ever encountered. They are trying to integrate the most demanding and most coddled generation in history into a workplace shaped by the driven baby-boom generation. Like them or not, the millennials are America’s future work force. They are actually a larger group than the boomers-92 million vs. 78 million”. Ron Alsop
Ron focuses on how the millennial generation is shaking up the workplace. His research reveals some interesting data concerning millennial attributes and values such as flexibility, independence, feedback, coaching, community, working as a member of a team and social awareness. I would encourage you to read Ron’s book to gain insight and perspective on how millennials view themselves, work, other generations and the world.
As I read the book I could not help but wonder if the majority of leaders within organizations understand these generational differences and if they are improving and expanding their leadership skills so that they are in a position to gain the trust and respect of this new workforce. Leaders will need to be aware that this generation has distinct expectations from their leaders and organizations. The millennials communicate and expect communication in very different forms than baby boomers. They multi-task and use social and web technologies as part of their daily personal workflow and expect that workflow will be present inside the business enterprise. They depend on coaching and real time feedback. They also want to know what the payoff is for their performance. Leaders will need to develop a communication, coaching, feedback, appraisal, development and performance program that is built around how to motivate, engage and communicate with this new generation of workers.
Leaders and organizations must also begin the process of how to grow a leadership pipeline from this new workforce. What programs, solutions, technologies and strategies are you putting in place now to address the need to develop your bench strength for the future
I would be interested in your comments on this issue. What do you think?
I was fortunate to serve in the Army for over twenty years and the skills I developed as a result of my service have been instrumental to my success. I also had the privilege to work with some of the most talented and dedicated professionals within any industry.
I believe that the military has a talent pool that most industries could tap for experienced and passionate leaders.
Dan Cualfield has started a nonprofit networking site for transitioning military personnel. www.hireahero.org This site and service is designed to allow military personnel to connect with private sector business for employment opportunities. I would encourage you to review the site and the great talent that could add tremendous value to your organization. Here is a short overview of Hire a Hero.
Hire A Hero is a non-profit initiative founded by the Armed Forces Support Foundation. The Armed Forces Support Foundation helps to keep the promise that military service has value and that those who serve our country deserve more than just a “thank you” for serving our country.
Hire A Hero brings together military job seekers and military friendly employers by utilizing web 2.0 networking features. Our technology facilitates service members re-introduction into the civilian world. Hire A Hero is a community for people who want to do more for the troops than put a yellow ribbon on their car. It allows people with a variety of backgrounds to participate in helping those with military experience find meaningful employment.
To date Hire A Hero has come in contact with over 190,000 service members and helped them transition back into the civilian world. 3 out of 10 service members (and their families) who are active in our community find meaningful employment through our services.
To learn more about our program and our mission please watch the following videos:
CBS Evening News:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/08/07/eveningnews/main3142085.shtml
Eye to Eye with Katie Couric:
http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=3144290n
Most folks I have spoken with lately have moved some of their portfolio to more conservative investment vehicles given the recent decline in the stock market. I have other friends and colleagues that have approached this downturn as an opportunity to invest.
How do the events in the market relate to your business or your personal development? I believe that this is a time to invest in your talent. This is an opportunity to review your current internal talent pool , recruit talent that is in transition, and invest in development strategies that could pay huge dividends! Organizations and individuals that use this opportunity to invest will position themselves for both short and long term success.
Talent in transition- Many industries are undergoing consolidation and change. The mortgage and banking industries are recent examples. The financial industry is undergoing massive consolidation. What’s happening with the the talent within that industry? They are looking for new opportunities! They are either looking for employment, starting a business or evaluating their options. This is an opportunity to seize a competitive advantage in the recruiting process.
Organizations-Let’s talk about your business and your internal talent. This is a time of uncertainty. Your workforce is evaluating your organization. They most likely are making decisions based upon how they are valued and what opportunities exist within your organization now and in the future. Now is the time when you need to ask yourself some important questions. Are you engaged with your talent? Are you communicating with your talent? Do they know that you value their development, growth and success? Is your workforce a critical resource for your future success?
My opinion is that this is the time to invest. Investments in talent development at this juncture are strategic not tactical. It promotes confidence within the workforce and demonstrates strategic leadership. Organizations that recognize this opportunity and execute will reduce employee churn, maintain operational fluidity, and position themselves for growth. Organizations that become reactive and slash funding for training and talent development send a very clear and dangerous signal to their workforce: “you have no value to us right now”.
Individual Talent-I would now like to speak to the individual. The highly professional talent that drives our economy and makes our organizations function. This is your time! This is an opportunity for you to evaluate your skill set, improve your knowledge and abilities, sharpen your tool set. This is the time to ensure that your personal and professional brand reflect the talent that you have worked long and hard to develop. Use this as an opportunity to establish your strategic goals and execute a self development plan that will result in your growth and success. I believe that this is the time to invest! Don’t Sell Yourself Short! Be All You Can Be!
Welcome to “Don’t Sell Yourself Short” the official blog of Lee Dubois Technologies. We are excited about getting to know you! We are working hard to finish this site and will provide updates as we make progress to go live. Stay Tuned!
