Over the last ten days, I have been on the radio nine times…talking about the topic of Gen Y in the workplace, and I have had a lot to talk about and think about.

As I am going around the country, talking about Gen Y, people are now calling me a Gen Y Evangelist…spreading the good word about this great generation. And, as I am talking about Gen Y and their amazing skills and contributions, I seem to be met by Boomers and Gen Xers who seem to have not just a chip but a 200 pound boulder on their shoulders about Gen Y.

Here’s the deal. As we move through life, each generation becomes smarter, more tech savvy, more worldly and more evolved. It’s just the way life works. But for some reason, we sit and make up names, stories and stereotypes for each generation, because that’s what we do…we analyze and dissect every situation, person and opportunity to the point of being ridiculous.

I am a coach, and as a coach, I give a LOT of bad news…negative feedback to leaders about what they are doing that’s creating a hiccup in their leadership. It’s usually something like “Your communication style is coming across as abrupt” or “You are not keeping up with the times” or “You are judging people for negative behaviors you also portray each time we talk” or “You are playing favorites.”

I also give a LOT of positive feedback. I want my clients to know what I see in them and how they inspire ME. So, today’s post is dedicated to the Gen Y’s I have met, how they have inspired me and the leadership lessons I have learned by being in relationship with them.

1) Life is not all about work. Life is about being happy, giving back to others and having fun. The Gen Yers I have met are doing this! Many boomers say that this is ass backwards…that Gen Y needs to work harder, be more serious and stop asking for so much time off. Why? Are we really here to be work horses? Are we really here to give 60, 70 or 80 hours a week to the job that is stressing us out to the max? I don’t think so, and Gen Y knows this and gets it. If you are a leader, and you are focusing on life being all about work, then something isn’t right in your life. Something is terribly wrong if you are working 60 or 70 hours a week. Either your company is not working, or your home life is not working. Gen Yers have watched their parents work their fingers to the bone, and they don’t want any part of this. They know how to use their networks and technology to get a 60 hour a week job done in 30 (and I’m not exaggerating!) So, maybe it’s time to honestly look at why in the world it’s taking you so long to get the job done and your beliefs about what constitutes a good day’s work.

2) Keeping up with current trends and technology is a must for success. I bet I have said this 5,000 times, but so many senior leaders just don’t get it. I had a conversation last week with a leader who asked me why he and his company should be on Facebook? I then said “Why do you go to conferences, board meetings and networking events?” His response: “Well, to build relationships!” Relationship building is HUGE, and Gen Y knows this. Networking on Facebook, blogging, podcasting or sending tweets is just a smart move. If you want to be a leader, you have to be willing to use the most current tools and know how to use them to your advantage. If you are not keeping up with the current trends in technology, young leaders will see you as outdated and old school. If you don’t know how to use the technology, step up and be a leader and say “You know what…I don’t know a thing about this, and I want to know what to do!” Then ask a Gen Y to coach you and train you on how to use the technology they know so well to help you be a better leader. They will get you up to speed in about 30 minutes.

3) Diversity is King. I’m going to be honest, I despise the word diversity. I believe that diversity is a word that is reserved for people who are living a homogenous, white bread life. I am using it in this post, because it is still a buzzword for most Boomers. Listen, Gen Y’s network IS diverse, but they don’t see it as a diversity issue. They see their networks as unique, open and accepting of divergent thinking. My daughter, Katie, just transferred to UNC, and she has two roommates from different cultures and backgrounds, and she feels so at ease. If you are a Baby Boomer, get over the whole “diversity” issue (if you can…many more senior leaders just don’t seem to be able to get over the whole diversity issue…too bad in my opinion). Just start accepting people for who they are. Get beyond race, ethnicity, color and creed. When the day is over, we are all the same with the same human desires and emotions.

4) Getting and giving feedback are critical for development. I talk to top decision makers every day who are complaining about Gen Y’s constant need for feedback. I honestly don’t know what’s so wrong with this. Millennials have been given very high doses of feedback since age 4, and they need that feedback to know if they’re on the right or wrong track (I know I need this as well…I have to have feedback to know if I’m developing or stuck). If you have a problem with Gen Yers asking you for feedback, it’s probably because you have a hard time hearing feedback about your performance. Leaders don’t want to hear that they are a jerk or they don’t communicate effectively or that they are disorganized. On the other hand, Gen Yers want to know they are on the right path. They want to know how they can do their job better. They want to know they are moving in the right direction. One of my daughters was whining a few weeks ago about something, and I said “What do you most need from me right now?” She said “I just need to hear from you that I am on the right path.” I then said “You are on the right path. Every decision you make is moving you to your next opportunity, and you are on the right path, and I love you!” She was fine after that. This feedback took 30 seconds, so if you are a manager who is complaining about Gen Y’s needing feedback, get over it, and then look at this and just take the darn minute to give feedback.  What is this going to do other then help you and the Gen Ys you manage? Maybe it’s time for your entire organization to move to a coaching culture so that feedback is given every day.  Feedback feeds growth, so stop complaining about it and get with the program!

5) Building relationships is key to a leader’s success. One thing I have observed is that Gen Yers congregate in groups. They love their friends, and they do what they can to develop out those relationships. I see so many older leaders who are isolated…living time in an office behind closed doors and hiding information from their employees and executive team members. Gen Y can teach us a great deal here. Leadership is developed by being out and in the middle of people. Developing relationships with people takes time (getting to know people, asking about their lives, lending a supportive ear when needed), but the reward is so worth that effort. People follow leaders based on whether or not they like you. So, the question is “Do people like you?” If not, then maybe it’s time to consult with a Gen Y on how to build relationships and build them for a lifetime.

We encourage your comments on this post.

Article in the Herald Sun (Australia) about Gen Y’s spending.   The study reports that Gen Y is spending on five lifestyle pillars: entertainment, fashion. sport, travel and music.

I am sitting in the Raleigh-Durham airport waiting on a flight, and I have been pinging my observations.  Really so interesting.

If you want to read my tales, go to http://twitter.com and choose to follow me (Bea Fields). Real life is so much more interesting than anything you can read in a book.

Interesting article.

I had a great conversation today with Carol Dickson-Carr, Marla Bollak and Mary Charles Blakebrough on the topic of all the goings on with a few web applications.

Download the show below.

 

 Web 2.0 [29:06m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The more I am in business, the more I hate e-mail. I am just so tired of it, but I do my best to stay in touch with my e-mail list to let everyone know what’s going on. I tried going without last year, and I had people e-mailing me asking me if I was still alive. Yet each time I send out an e-mail, I have people unsubscribe to my list. It still stings when that happens, but you know what…I have a lesson to learn in sending out e-mail. I know I am sick of it, so why shouldn’t other people? We are all overwhelmed enough without more e-mail. Argh!

It is not uncommon for business owners to dismiss their clients’ complaints and actions. But is this a smart move? I don’t think so. I prescribe to the belief that every single action, complaint, question or concern that comes back to me from a client is an opportunity for me to improve my products and services.  On the subject of e-mail, I am honestly considering going to a quarterly e-mail.  If people want to find me, they can find me on my blogs or pick up the phone and call me (I can be reached at 910-692-6118 for anyone who wants to call me.  I love to yack!)

I was speaking just last week with a young biz owner…not a Gen Y but bordering on Gen X/Gen Y. He was complaining about the number of returns of an item he was selling and was blaming it all on the customers. “They don’t know how to use the darn thing” or “They did not call the company to get help” and so forth. I asked him if he had called those customers to find out what was going on, and he came back with a few excuses about this and that and why he could not do this or that, blah, blah.

After talking through this with him, he began to see a way to create a better product…something new that would enhance the current product. I then asked him if he would have come up with that idea without this conversation. He said “maybe…I don’t know.” I then asked him what value the customers’ returns had offered him in this conversation. He then got it. The light bulb went on.

So, the next time a customer ticks you off or sends something back or complains…thank them. You have just been handed a bit of research that you can’t pay people to offer you.

In your opinion, is the customer always right? Leave us your comments.

Great article on E-Commerce News today about telling a few white lies and getting caught online.

Times have really changed. I remember the day in high school when I skipped school. I had planned the whole thing out, and I went to the lake with a friend, and I thought I was being so sneaky. I don’t know to this day how my mom found out, but she did, and of course, I spent a LOT of time in my room for the next month.  I redecorated a wall in my room about seven times and got grounded again for knocking a hole in the wall when I changed out the mirror.

And now, here we are, in 2008, and a few Tweets and the boss finds out you’re not really sick, or those wild photos from the party on Saturday night show up on Facebook.

I just can’t help but wonder if all of this Web 2.0 stuff is Big Brother come to life. hmmm…interesting.

At any rate, check out the article. I did get a few laughs out loud as I recalled Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and the Seinfeld episode where George freaks out about his worlds colliding when his fiancee starts hanging out with his friends. I don’t care if they are outdated…I could watch them over and over again. As a matter of fact, I think I’ll pop in Seinfeld before turning out the lights…hmmm…I think I’ll watch the episode where Jerry dates the girl with man hands (hilarious!)

Great post today by Owyang about the workforce transition from Boomer to Y with many provocative questions which have also been on my mind lately:

My comment:

Great food for thought. As someone who works with corporate execs, I am also wondering if Gen Y will change the way our work week looks, the number of hours we work and the time of day we work. I don’t believe that the 9-15 (or 7-7 that many boomers work) is the most efficient way to work, so this will be interesting to watch.

Thanks to Tara Katchaturoff for passing this post to me.

Researchers with the Univesity of Minnesota are discussing the educational benefits of online social networking.

Read the full article here.

I must be asked this question several times a day. Even by some of the best marketers in the business. My answer is always the same ‘talk to Gen Y,’ they don’t bite. And remember the way you learned about products and services is not the way they learn about products and services. So, don’t ask me what is the right type of TV commercial to run? Or what the right direct mail campaign is? Direct mail? The young whipper snappers I work with don’t write checks, don’t receive bank statements. They ‘do it online.’ But don’t take my word for it. Just ask them. Don’t look at them or treat them like they are from another planet.When we wrote our book, we went right to the source and ask Gen Y how they like to be communicated with.  To be honest, I hate when I see blogs and online articles that say the best way to market to Gen Y is to have cool and hip products. Those were words I used in high school and I am an old guy. But then again, what do I know. I did a Google Search on ‘Cool and Gen Y’ and ended up with over 600,000 results. Note, however, when I ask a Gen  Yer what type of product they like the words ‘cool and hip’ never come up. So there seems to be a disconnect here, eh?