During the months of June, July and August, we surveyed 320 Generation Y careerists, ranging in age from 21-27 years of age. In the survey, we asked a few questions about leadership and what Gen Ys are looking for in a leader.

Question Number 6 was this:

If you stay with a company, what factors cause you to want to stay?

Top Answer: Number 1: Great work environment (positive, upbeat, fun, attractive, high tech, energetic and supportive)

2: Great people (great boss, great manager, great co-workers, great friends at work)

3: Opportunity for career development, growth and ongoing training

4: Money (most clarified this by saying they wanted pay to be in line with their talents and skills)

5: Opportunities for promotion/advancement in the company

6: Happiness at work (loving my job and being happy with it)

7: To know that I am doing work that is meaningful and is making an impact on the greater world

8: Job security

9: Great benefits (vacation, health insurance)

10: Strong leadership (vision, integrity, trust and inspiration at the top of the company)

I want to thank Generation Y business leader Greg Rollett for this thoughtful and inspiring post.

Why Gen-Y Needs Leadership by Greg Rollett

I am a Millennial. I need leadership. I need help in taking me from here to there, wherever there might be. And I need you to help me get there.

In the last few months I have been working with Lee Cockerell, a recently retired Disney Exec VP of Operations. Lee and I met when he was looking to learn more about Social Media and Gen-Y and apply it to the marketing of his book, Creating Magic. Being that high up in an organization like Disney takes not only patience, but a person who displays the ability to lead not just one department or team, but teams of teams, initiate new procedures and take a business further into development.

Lee has shown me time and time again that leadership starts with your core values. Caring for those around you, making sure that everyone matters and noting that everyone on your team is an extension of your brand are fundamentals of his teachings. Taking this into a leadership role is crucial for Gen-Y’s to learn as they enter the workforce and climb ladders in Corporate America, in small organization or in their own businesses.

Personally, this advice has been echoed throughout my start-up marketing agency in the past few weeks. Being a young leader itself is not an easy feat, and without guidance or leadership from someone who has “been there before,” makes is even more difficult. Leaning back on Lee’s advice and the advice in his book has helped us in hiring decisions, event appearances, employee purpose and company direction.

Finding a leader who can share their knowledge, experiences and stories with you may be one of the greatest factors in your personal development as a young leader. Humans generally like to lead by example. Even as times and technology change, we still function as we did hundreds of years ago. Learning from past mistakes, miscues, tragedies and triumphs will help us avoid pitfalls and recreate magic for our clients, customers, employers, fans and family.

Find a leader and let them share their story with you. I am a Millennial and I need leadership to help me lead.

(This guest post was written by Greg Rollett, a Social Media and Gen-Y Marketer from Orlando, FL. Read more from Greg at his personal blog or email him at greg.rollett@endagon.com. The Gen-Y promotion site by Greg and Lee is Creating Gen-Y Magic)

Regarding the post from earlier today on the topic of What Generation Y is Looking for in a Leader.

If you are a corporate or business leader, and if you have Generation Y careerists in your organization (which I do hope is the case for you,) the survey results that we will be posting over the next week are simply a starting point for you. If you are serious about addressing Gen Y’s needs (and the needs of all employees in your company,) one of the best ways to start meeting those needs is to conduct a survey inside your organization using some very basic questions. The questions we addressed in this survey include:

1. What leadership traits are you most looking for in the leaders in your workplace? (one or two word response only)

2. What are the biggest turn-offs for you in the leaders in your workplace? (one or two word response only)

3. When you leave a company, what one thing causes you to leave? (one or two word response only)

4. If you stay with a company, what factors cause you to want to stay? (one or two word response only)

5. How can our organization best help you develop your leadership skills? (one or two word response only)

With the responses from earlier today, while these responses are certainly leadership traits that most people want in their leaders, our purpose was to actually go and ask a group of Gen Y careerists what their thoughts were about the topic. If you look at this list and dismiss it as cliche, you may be missing something very important about the leadership in your organization.

I would also encourage you to take the survey responses we are going to be providing you and actually use them in your organization. Use them in a 360 Degree Feedback Survey for your leaders (and get your Gen Y’s in as raters on the surveys,) or use these traits as a starting point for conversation with your young careerists. The best way to begin to lead from a much stronger place is not to assume you know everything about leadership or about what your followers really want…you have to ask them if you really want to know.

And…as I always say…if you are a leader, your followers’ perceptions are your reality. While you may disagree with their perceptions, your followers will determine if you are a great leader and will give you feedback about how you are showing up, but only if you ask them, and only if you really want to hear it.  Without the willingness to hear the feedback and actually address it, the process will not be worth the time or effort.

If you need assistance with this process, please send me an e-mail to bea@millennialleaders.com.

During the months of June, July and August, we surveyed 320 Generation Y careerists, ranging in age from 21-27 years of age. In the survey, we asked a few questions about leadership and what Gen Ys are looking for in a leader. Here is a synopsis of the results of the first 3 questions: ( As we finish the compiling the survey responses, we will make sure to post all results in individual posts and in one full report.)

1. How important is your own leadership development as a determining factor when choosing to stay with a company?

Very Important: 60.58%
Important: 28.85%
Somewhat Important: 9.62%
Not Important: 0.96%

2. How important is your own leadership development when choosing to work for a company?

Very Important: 54.46%
Important: 35.15%
Somewhat Important: 10.40%
Not Important: 0.00%

3. What leadership traits are you most looking for in the leaders in your workplace?

The top ten most common responses are (in order of the top answer down to the 10th most common answer:)

Top Answer: Number 1: Honesty

2: The ability to inspire

3: Integrity

4: Competence

5: Humility

6: Fairness

7: Respect

8: Visionary

9: Concern and care for employees

10: The ability to truly listen

“A global study, The State of Employee Engagement 2008 (http://www.blessingwhite.com/research), finds that Generation Y employees are the least engaged in the workplace on four continents. The new report was issued by Princeton consultants BlessingWhite (http://www.BlessingWhite.com).”

The press release on the report can be found here, and the one finding that I believe is most important is this:

“Conversely, disengaged employees often feel underutilized, are the most disconnected from the organization’s strategy, and may indulge in contagious negativity, warned Rice. “Left to themselves disengaged workers are likely to look for their next job, or worse collect a paycheck while complaining and not producing. If they can’t be coached or encouraged to higher levels of engagement, their exit benefits everyone, including themselves.”

As I am going around the country, I am hearing from Millennials that they feel they are bored and disconnected from their companies, because their employers don’t believe they are capable of taking on challenging, big projects.  This is a serious mistake, as our Gen Y’s are so very talented and capable, and their skill sets are beyond anything we can imagine for ourselves.  It is almost a form of projection from senior leaders.

When working in the direction of getting your Gen Y’s more engaged at work, I encourage all senior leaders to ask these 5 questions:

1) What type of work would most challenge you here for our company?

2) What do you find most meaningful in life, and how can we help you get that sense of meaning here, on this team?

3) If you could take all of the available resources from our company and use them to come up with a new product or service that would have a positive impact on the world, what would you create?

4) What are the hidden talents and skills you have not used in the past that you would like to use here (this could be a creative art, skill of public speaking, brainstorming, etc.)

5) What type of career do you most want to develop out over the next few years, and how can we help you achieve that?

Once you have the answers to those questions, take as many steps as you can to implement what your Gen Y’s most want, and I believe you will find them much more engaged at work.  The tools we used in the past to keep employees engaged (perks, pats on the back) work short-term, but in the long run, your Millennials need to come to work knowing that they are using everything they’ve got to help make a difference in your company, community and greater world.

Interesting article in the Nevada Business Journal for August on Bridging the Gap.

The article mentioned that Boomers and Gen X don’t want to be coached.  That is not universal.  I see a lot of folks from both generations who raise their hand and WANT coaching.  Gen Y as a whole seems to be more open to the idea, but Boomers and Xers also respond in a positive way to coaching.

I honestly believe the key here is to look at shifting the way “training” is delivered.  Gen Y is not a generation who enjoys sitting for 8 hours a day in a classroom (none of us want it…Gen Y is just the first to step up and say they don’t want it!)  I believe that what can help managing across generations is for companies to start developing true learning organizations…cultures which provide the psychological safety and coaching throughout the environment so that learning is a part of doing the job.

Many kids grow up wanting to play for the Red Sox or shooting hoops and making millions for the NBA. In the movie “21″ Ben Campbell (played by Jim Sturgess) grew up wanting to go to Harvard Medical School. But…there was just one tiny problem…he didn’t have the $300,000.00 it was going to take to make it happen.

So, Campbell, the most talented student at MIT, uses his mathematical skills (yes…he’s good with numbers), a few fake ID’s and creative disguises to join his brilliant stats professor (played by Kevin Spacey) and five friends in a plot of counting cards to break the Vegas casinos. And…he almost gets by with it.

As it usually goes in the movies, the mastermind plot begins to unravel, and young Ben Campbell has to decide which direction to turn…and in the end, he does the right thing.

I have to say, however, that Ben used some amazing leadership skills during the plot that we can all learn from. No…I don’t condone counting cards (although I have heard that card counting is actually legal unless you are using an outside device…but maybe some of you who are Blackjack players can set me straight.)  However,  I am a BIG believer in these leadership skills that Ben uses to win at the game:

Vision: Ben can see, taste and smell that Harvard Medical School ride. He keeps this vision front and center through both the highs and the lows.

Hard Work and Drive: Ben studies, reads and pours himself into the game of counting cards. He does not want to just learn the skill…he wants to be the best!

When you make the rules, you change the game: Ben and his teammates made the rules, so they change the game of Blackjack. In leadership, you have the opportunity to change the rules (legally of course) so that you get the results you want. If you are leading your organization by worn out rules, there is a good chance you are probably getting the pants beat off you by your competition.

Team Work: The game of counting cards is a team sport, and Ben plays the team according to the rules spelled out by the team. He watches his teams’ signals (Folded arms = Table’s Hot) listens to their language (the word sweet means the count’s at 16) and follows the system to build team chemistry.

Risk: Ben does something that most people don’t. He takes risk after risk by accounting for variable change. Brilliant!

Calm and Composure: Even when the pressure’s on, Ben stays as cool as a cucumber…quiet, calm and quite composed.

Playing a System: In the movie “21″, Professor Micky Rosa (played by Spacey) makes it very clear to the team that they are not “gambling” but that they are counting cards…a methodical system that works over and over again.

LESSONS LEARNED:

As the plot begins to unravel, young Ben Campbell does the right thing (you’ll need to watch the movie to find out what that is,), and he learns these important leadership lessons:

1. Quick fixes almost always don’t’ last. The quick solutions almost always end in disaster.

2. Don’t justify your actions when you know they’re crossing a line! Be very careful about saying “I’m only going to do this negative action one time or until x happens.” Before you know it…you’re hooked!

3. Pay attention to your gut. Ben knew early on in the process that something was not sitting well about this whole scheme, but as with all humans, he gets lured in by the thought of wealth, fame, the hot girl and the thrill.

4. When you create rules that you know are not on the up and up, watch out! The system’ll get you every time!

5. When you become so engrossed in your work that you ignore what’s going on in the periphery of your life, there will be a cost to pay. Ben loses a lifetime opportunity in his quest for money, AND he almost loses his closest friends.

6. Let integrity guide your decision making. In the end, living in integrity and doing the right thing can bring you the greatest rewards in life.

I highly recommend this movie! I watched it two times in 24 hours, and I rarely watch movies two times:

Living in the Hot Zone: Seven Edge Strategies for Modern Day Teams with Tom Heck of Teach Me Teamwork

Date: One Wednesday, July 23, 2008 from 1:00-2:00 p.m. Eastern

Led by Bea Fields and Tom Heck, Founder of Teach Me Teamwork

We are living in one of the most radical times in the history of business, and radical times call for radical leadership. Teams are now living in the “hot zone”, that place in business where risk, fear, doubt, pressure, uncertainty and change can get the best of the most savvy leaders. During this teleclass, Bea Fields talks with Tom Heck of Teach Me Teamwork about the seven critical strategies teams of today need in order to not just survive but thrive in the business world.

Register for the call here.

And…for those of you who do come to the call, Tom will be giving each of you access to the audio TeleSeminar entitled “Unleash Your Ears — Listening to discern what’s really going on with a team .”

The audio includes 8 key things to listen for when working with groups (or individuals). They are subtle and yet powerful. When you listen for them you will begin to be a much more effective leader and facilitator of teams. Here’s the first 2 things to listen for when working with teams:

Number 1: Genuineness and Accuracy

A Teamwork Coach listens for tone, word phrases and timing.

Does the team (or team member) mean what they are saying? Who is really talking? The past? Needs? Fear?

Number 2: Desires and True Wants

A Teamwork Coach listens for what the person (team) is focused on and ready for.

Do they know what they really want? Are they ready to receive what they really want?

So…join us on Wednesday, July 23 from 1-2 p.m. for this fabulous hour with Tom Heck.

 

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 Angela Marino has a great post from yesterday on Brazen Careerist, offering some great advice to Gen Y.  Marino is a Gen Y-Gen X tweener.

I also believe that Gen X has a great deal to offer Gen Y.  I am noticing a bit of sibling rivalry in the workplace between these two generations…many Gen Xers are saying that Gen Y is jumping over them to get what they want.  In the first place, this is a broad generalization.  I am meeting a lot of Gen Y’s who are not jumping over Gen X and who are listening to their Gen X bosses and managers.  However, if you are the leader of a company, I encourage you to sit down with your Gen X leaders and ask them to step up and provide some sound mentoring and advice to Gen Y on strategies like these by Marino on how they can improve their career.  Gen X is going to start moving into more Senior leadership positions in the next 3-5 years as Boomers retire, and it’s time to start getting everyone to play nice! (As nice as possible.)

I have a hidden desire…to be Simon Cowell.

You see, I am someone who can spot leadership talent (I am wondering as I write if I could get paid to do this.) Hmmm…American Leader? Nah…too corny.

So, I am here today to declare that Ryan Paugh is going to be a huge leader. I have only talked to him one time, but I read his blog posts, and he is the real thing. He sees life for what it is and then names it. He steps up to the plate with a great deal of hutzpah and honesty. He has others following him, quoting him and admiring him. And, from talking with him one time and exchanging e-mails a few times, he is so humble about it all (unlike a few folks who think they’re the s—.)

I am just now catching up on my reading (I was away last week,) and I just read Ryan’s post Forget About Generation Y: We’re All to Blame for Workplace Woes. His post is thoughtful and really has me thinking about my own expectations of others and my whining. And, as I was reading it, I was on the phone with someone who was whining and making excuses (another lesson…don’t hang around huge whiners, but if you are, then it’s your fault that they are hanging around…so, it’s my fault that I invited this whiner into my life.)

I read a great deal (mostly to see what’s out there and what I need to do to keep up), and I need a 12-step program for Amazon, and I usually don’t have something hit me like this post. It takes a lot of leadership to have this perspective and to write so honestly and to make me laugh in the process. Leadership is about perspective, speaking and writing candidly and using humor in a way that strikes resonance with others (Ryan does that!)

So, just keep following Ryan Paugh. I’ll say it again…he’s the real deal and is going to be a top biz leader.