Hello Everyone!

Two colleagues, Carol Graser and Beth Bloomfield, and I are entering a research project on leadership for Generation Y, and we need your assistance.

We have launched a very quick survey, and we would like to ask if you would be willing to take the survey. It is only seven questions and takes less than five minutes to take.

To take the survey:

Go to:

http://www.advancedsurvey.com

Scroll to the right and enter in the numbers 61951.

The survey is completely anonymous. If you are someone who is interested in being interviewed for the project, send an e-mail to beafields@beafields.com, and we will give you a call.

That’s it!

We would so appreciate this, as it is going to help us work with leaders on how to meet the leadership needs for Generation Y in companies, communities, organizations and educational systems around the globe.

Also, if you know of some Gen Y’s who would be willing to take the assessment, we invite you to pass this along to them.

Thank-you again!

Warmly,

Bea

Chuck Westbrook has a great post on Employee Evolution back from August 6 (but is still relevant) on how Gen Y’s can get respect in the workplace, despite their youth.

I had an interview last month with Jacci Schiff, and we were talking about this very point. We discussed how many Gen Y’s just simply may not know about these career skills. As a Baby Boomer, I believe it’s important for us to talk to our kids and students about doube checking our typos, showing up on time, how to listen, how to ask great questions and how to be a leader.

Another skill that many Gen Y’s are saying is missing is face to face time, especially face to face networking. Human connection happens through dialogue, through a smile and through telling stories which build common ground. Let’s all take the time to work on these skills that Chuck mentions. We can all use a refresher course.

Great post Chuck!

Inspiring true champions is the essence of Veronica Karaman’s life and the reason why she has become a successful life coach, speaker, teacher, motivator, and author.

At the age of five, Veronica began her golf career and her quest to become a champion. At this early age, as her father placed a putter in her hand, she knew that golf would become her closest friend. She found out later in life that golf would also become her worst enemy when she failed.

Success in golf, achieving all A’s in academics, and striving for perfection, were all things that she worked diligently at accomplishing. She graduated as the valedictorian of her high school and graduate school classes, and won many golf tournaments. However, all the trophies and triumphs were not enough to fill the void and the loneliness in her heart. Her father’s death when she was fifteen only fueled Veronica’s determined pursuit to become a champion.

At the height of her college career as a scholarship athlete at Duke University, she realized that being a champion is not a trophy you achieve, but an identity you realize based on who you are. She also discovered the foundational tools of a true champion are unconditional love, acceptance, dignity of soul, an authentic heart and a warrior spirit.

This discovery over time helped set her free from 17 years of chronic fatigue and the deep emotional damage that occurred when she substituted her need for nurture with a relentless drive for achievement when her father died. The captive freed, the true champion in her came forth. After five years of quitting golf, Veronica experienced her career highlight in golf. After winning the qualifying tournament, Veronica went on to play in the 1989 Women’s U.S. Open.

In addition to being a professional tour player and instructor, for the last 20 years Veronica has mentored and coached students of all ages and abilities to become academic champions, freed to excel with joy.

In 2004, she became a certified life coach through Transformational Leadership Coaching, Inc. Through True Champion Coaching, Veronica combines her background in peak performance and coach training, life experiences, and the revelation of true championship to help other captives become true champions themselves, on the course, in the classroom, and in life.

For more information, visit Veronica Karaman Ministries.

Listen in as we talk about Veronica’s groundbreaking program God’s Way to an A.  

 

 Veronica Karaman: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Monica O’Brien has a great post today on BrazenCareerist on what Gen Y is actually creating in our world, and here is my comment back:

As a Baby Boomer, I have watched my parents (Veterans) work their fingers to the bone, and I have now watched as Gen X went through the Dot Com Boom and Bust. I am the parent of 3 Gen Y’s, and here is what I think.

I believe that Gen Y is here to show us that the complexity we have been so wound up in over the last 20 years is ridiculous. We create death in careers through endless meetings, we stifle creativity, and we have this belief that was worn out ages ago that says “Thou must work your fingers to the bone in order to get ahead.” That is ridiculous, and it’s killing us.

Gen Y knows how to get the job done and get it done efficiently and effectively so that we have time to do what we all want to do…have free time to play and as my son says “chill.” So, let’s start looking at the lessons we can learn from this. There’s a time to work (and yes, this does mean sweating at times), and there’s a time to play…and remember…play time is productive time. We can’t do great work if our brains are fried.  So, from my perspective, Gen Y is showing us a much healthier perspective on how to work, when to work and what’s important in life…which is living!

Great post on Harvard Business Review by Bronwyn Fryer.  Why do we so often dismiss or underutilize our younger employees?   Is it because we think we know it all, or do we think these young men and women are our kids, so of course, they can’t possibly bring value to the table?

Over the past two years, I have learned more by spending time with hundreds of Gen Ys than I have learned in a long time.  These young men and women are bright, tech savvy, worldly, civic minded and quite resourceful.  They have hutzpah!  Before you decide to dismiss a twenty-something point of view or their talent, think twice.  Get to know them, and you may just find that you will learn something quite valuable…that age means nothing when it comes to wisdom.

A little Gen Y history…[/youtube]

It’s that time of year. College seniors from around the world are graduating, and they are hitting the career world looking for a job. And the interesting thing is that most are not doing it alone. Many parents are by their Gen Y’s side and not just for support and to be a sounding board. If you are a helicopter parent who is hovering over your adult child’s job hunt and interview process, you may be hurting your child’s professional development and their chances to land the job.

Helicopter parents have not only been bombarding college campuses, they are now flying way too close to the workplace. Parents are now involved in the hiring and interview process and calling HR departments to negotiate terms for their children or to berate them for not giving their sons or daughters an offer. Parents believe they are doing their child a favor, but this behavior can actually stunt a child’s adult development and hamper their ability to think and survive on their own. The hovering is also hurting the young adult’s chances to land the job, as employers roll their eyes and pull their hair out over the barage of phone calls from parents making demands, negotiating salaries and grilling them about benefits.

Don’t get me wrong…I do believe that parents have their place in the interview process, but this hovering and coddling has to stop, and most Gen Y’s are begging for their independence.

If you are a parent, here are a few ways you can help:

1) Become an outside advisor to your child to help him or her understand the total compensation package.  Talk needs, values and future goals and discuss the package in relationship to those desires.

2) Practice interviews with your child. Allow your adult child to role play both the interview candidate and the interviewer. Ask tough questions and give feedback to help strengthen your child’s interview skills.

3) Resist the urge to contact your child’s potential employer (this can actually hurt his or her chances of landing the job.) Let your adult child be the one to follow up with the recruiter and the hiring leader. This will help him or her develop the independence and confidence needed to navigate the business world.

4) Serve as a sounding board only during the interview process. Allow your child to talk, ask questions and “vent” if needed.

5) Take your young adult on a shopping day to advise on an interview wardrobe. Your adult child will have questions about what to wear for the interview (I am going through this right now with my 20-year old twins.)

If you are an employer who is being challenged by helicopter parents:

1) The helicopter parent is here. If you try to fight it, you may encounter more difficulties along the way.

2) As an employer, you will need to decide if you are going to allow helicopter parents in the door.   If you decide that you do not want to engage with the helicopter parent, you will need to enforce privacy policies from the top to the bottom of the organization.

3) Develop a packet which includes company information and a letter which details out your interview process.   During the interview, ask the young adult if they want company information sent to anyone. 

4) Host a conference call during the hiring process with the parents (if wanted only). Make this known upfront (that this is the one time that parents are allowed into the hiring process and discourage other contact in a professional way such as saying “We offer a conference call for parents before the second interview. Due to the large volume of interviews, we would like to request that you use this time to ask all questions regarding your child’s future employment.”)

5) Create a specific website just for parents which includes company information, information about interviews, dress code and a list of FAQs.  Outline in detail the hiring, review and firing process for parents. Be specific. This will prevent misunderstandings later.

David Cook has been my favorite Idol for the last 6 weeks or so. He started out with a touch of arrogance and through this process, he was humbled and grew so much. While both Davids were great, I am so happy for this talented Gen Y man. He has shown true leadership, so a shout out to him tonight to David Cook! Congratulations, and best of luck to you in the future.  Watch below as he hears the news and then sings the winning song Time of My Life (great song!)

Listen in to this special interview with Mr. Youth’s Managing Partner, Brandon Evans

Mr. Youth has been trumpeted by Inc. Magazine as being one of the fastest growing private businesses in the USA, and rightfully so. The company believes that marketing to a young audience should be fun, innovative and pursued with excellence. During this special Y-Talk interview, we will be talking with Mr. Youth’s Managing Partner, Brandon Evans about the new Consumer 2.0 study which explores The Five Rules To Engage a New Breed of Customer.

http://MrYouth.com
Listen to the show

 

 Interview with Mr. Youth [28:46m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download