Our Southern Maori Business Network gathered last week for the annual Hui.
Four generations of people, Maori and non Maori, representing businesses from concept and start up to long established success stories, in fields as diverse as recycled glass art, spot factoring and farming to native perfume, tourism and accounting.
It was a great success and although all good things must come to an end I returned to Dunedin inspired by the talents, intelligence and collaborative strength of those that attended the Hui.
I am encouraged by the vision of our people, our capacity for sharing and the enduring nature of Maori community. There were many highlights: great company, beautiful surrounds, delicious food, ongoing opportunities to learn and share and connect with people…
I’d like to Thank
Karen, Viv and Trish for making this happen. Awesome work ladies
The crews from the University of Otago Te Taituara Maori Commerce Students Association and Wakatipu High for your participation
Ta Tipene O’Regan for challenging us to work for the collective good and find new ways to envision and create our future
Llyod McGinty, for insight into the future of our green economy and the simple tips (from an energy consultant) like join powershop
Phil Broughton, for making accounting “sexy” his words but we believe him and the students were swayed in favour due to his engaging styles and real life application of knowledge
David Kennedy, for being funny while also making the important distinction that business can create logos and positioning statements but that brand is how our other people perceive our business
Richard Kerr Bell, for highlight the importance of values such as communication and trust in business
Robbie Paul, for evidence that our education system can innovate with today’s skills based learning, training and qualifications providing people with improved pathways to work
Don Rhodes, for challenging the forms of organisation that I believe in and helping me to practice the skills of listening and remaining open minded
Supporting People in Business
I’m am forever thankful to have discovered KUMA at a time in my work life where I was being misled as to the importance of values.
I will never forget the manager that advised that sticking to personal values (honesty & personal integrity) could create barriers to getting work done.
I have never before been so disheartened and am thankful to have moved well beyond that place with a slew of lessons about “what NOT to do”. If it had not been for the wonderful support I received from KUMA – the Southern Maori Business Network I might not have stayed in Dunedin long enough to discover all the other great people and communities that I now know are here.
I’d like to especially thank Phil Broughton and Suzanne Spencer for your support and encouragement and for giving me the opportunity to be a part of this great network. It is an immense privilege to be a member of this board of trustees.
At that very first board meeting I discovered a true sense of caring and community (whanau) from a team of people proactively working to help others which confirmed that I could aspire to be in business to help people rather than on the basis of “what’s in it for us”. KUMA empowered me to believe in my values, aspirations and my motives and continues to help me be my most authentic self.
I found Sir Ken Robinson’s Ted talk immensely inspiring and encouraging but it leads me to wonder why did it take me so long (15yrs) to choose my passion and talent over my need for achievement?
…we make very poor use of our talents…I meet all kinds of people who don’t think they are really good at anything…who don’t enjoy what they do they, they simply go through their lives getting on with it, they get no great pleasure from what they do, they endure it rather than enjoy it… but I also meet people who LOVE what they do…it isn’t what they do, it is who they are…their most authentic self… Sir Ken Robinson”
My talents and aspirations didn’t align because I was self centered and vain. Now, I was blessed to be raised in a family that nurtured my talents, surrounded by people that assured me that I could do anything I wanted. The education system, with which I am now thoroughly disenchanted was – up until I was about 15 years old – an environment in which I thrived upon learning and the ongoing recognition of academic, sporting and cultural achievement.
Yet for a long time now I have not lived up to the potential, that others saw in me. Despite the fact that I studied, worked and strived to become a better person, I was so self centered and focused on my own goals and achievements that I could not see opportunities to do what I most aspired to – help people and effect change – passing me by.
Over the last year, working as an aspiring social entrepreneur, I’ve recognised that I had things round the wrong way. Even as lately as January 2009, I thought that if I could make myself “a better person” then I could help others. Yet it now seems so apparent that only by helping others first will I ever be the person I aspire to.
The How: Helping Others Employ Their Talents
Using social networking to create a community in which people can feel OK about promoting and sharing their talents
“…natural talents: human resources are like natural resources, they are often buried deep. You have to go looking for them, they’re not just lying around on the surface you have to create the circumstances where they show themselves…” Sir Ken Robinson
This is not going to be an easy cause to gather people to and therein lies the challenge: to effect the national mind set.
We kiwi’s are not known for our self promotion, why would we when tall poppy syndrome is so alive and well in this country, ready to cut back down to size those that are too confident, too successful or aspire to lofty goals. One way I have found to overcome this barrier of talking about talents and strengths is simply to ask:
what are your interests?
what do you like to do?
what are you passionate about?
what interests would you want to share with other people?
By creating a talent profile and sharing you passion, talents, interests and values with the world we can match you with opportunities to LOVE what you.
It’s great to see that our Gen Y entrepreneurial spirit is being noticed in industry and investment circles. Another positive to hear talk of increased funding for young entrepreneurs.
I support the belief that failure offers a wealth of positive learning outcomes. I believe in collaboration, building shared intelligence and I recognise that we will always have much to learn.
Indeed, I welcome support for environments that nurture entrepreneurship, that offer networking and growth opportunities and increase resourcing options for young entrepreneurs.
“The industry knows where the opportunities are, and these young guys have the capability and capacity. We need to go to a forum where we can bring these elements together and allow the market to decide where the solutions are and where the investments happen…If government doesn’t do it, if the software industry doesn’t do it, if the investment industry doesn’t do it, it’s going to happen generationally…within the next 20 years as these kids grow from college to business, they are naturally going to get entrepreneurial understanding and experience. We can either do nothing and wait for that to happen or we can interject and start to facilitate a sort of collaboration, ” Source CIO
20 years vs 2012
Fortunately, NZ will not have to wait 2 years let alone 20 to begin seeing the value contributed by it’s next generation of entrepreneurs.
I am a member of a brilliant web start up community called the Distiller. We thrive on collaboration and continually seek ways to connect with industry.
We would welcome government, business, community and industry investors to “interject” but – so you know – the collaboration you speak of facilitating, the forums for connecting that you suggest, we are working on this already, perhaps even ahead of you on this one. Investment welcome:-) watch this space….
Leading yourself; to see yourself as others see you
I attended the launch of the Otago University MBA Mentoring Programme last night and am well impressed with the caliber of talent they have drawn together. It’s an emergent and future focused initiative that will no doubt add immense value for students while allowing business people to give back.
In the official speech Mr Ian Flattery of the MBA, told the story of watching the Lion King and explaining to his youg son the meaning of the word “philosophy” as used in one of the songs.
“Son” he said, “philosophy is about what is important to you, the things that you value.”
“So then your philosophy is work and renovation!”
The charming and funny parable, which speaks of knowing how others see us, was an analogy for the inherent value of the mentoring programme, which creates an environment for the types of constructive feedback that will enhance the leadership styles of tomorrows leaders.
Leadership, the collective capacity to create things of value.
Networking, connecting and collaborating - whatever the purpose - talking and working with others is one of the best parts of my job. Last night I went to represent not just myself and Worknow but also an amazing community that I belong to called The Distiller.
The Distiller is a community of young web entrepreneurs based (primarily) out of the Centre For Innovation on the Otago University Campus. We support and encourage each other, offer feedback and share the highs and lows of the new venture journey, together. It is organic, collaborative business community at its best, one which provides a shining example of an environment
“…overwhelmingly governed by the trust/reputation/community approach…” Source
The Distiller also emphasises for me the collective nature of leadership; the realisation of collective potential, working with others in a concerted endeavour to create something of value to all involved. I am so thankful and immensely privileged to be part of such a great group of people. You guys Rock!
EMPLOYERS are refusing to hire Generation Y workers because they lack a work ethic and spend too much time talking to friends in work hours. Source
In my early twenties, I adopted a twin philosophy from a very good friend of mine “…it costs nothing to be nice…” and that “…if you can’t say anything nice, best say nothing at all…”
I have lived to discover the wisdom of this advice and in my personal experience I have seen and heard that the negative characteristics that people would attribute to others are most often a reflection of the person speaking. Quite simply; what you say about others says more about who you are, than who they are.
Hence the assertion of this blog is that those that bemoan Gen Y, probably just wish they were more like us. It’s opinionated and at times bias but it is an attempt to develop conversation around opposing thoughts; drawn from three of the many hundreds of comments that the Article Gen Y too lazy and unfocused to hire generated.
Work Life Balance
Pretty sick and tired of “he/she who is the centre of the universe” and “work” being “somewhere you go during the day”.
Just a little jealous? I reiterate my stance on work life balance fairly often. The reality for us is that, unlike earlier generations, work is NOT our life. Work is important to us but we’ve been taught that it is better, for our health, to work to live, rather than live to work.
In addition to work we may also be juggling study, friends, family, sport, other paid and unpaid work commitments. Hence the need for flexibility. There are people in every generation that would benefit from a more balanced approach to work and life.
Respect My Authoritah!
These brats have no respect for experienced people. You treat them well and they crap on you.
Experience alone does not qualify one for respect, being respectful toward others does. Respect, like Love, is something you give not get. May I suggest leadership:-
Our concept of leadership 2.0 involves asking questions, connecting and collaborating.
We seek leaders that inspire, support and encourage our personal growth and development.
We want to feel that we work to contribute to something meaningful.
We will find new and improved ways to increase effectiveness, efficiency and productivity in business.
Gen Y’s Great Expectations
The main issue with Gen Y’s (but not all) is their expectations are ridiculous. They come into the workplace and after one year they want a promotion and if they don’t get it, they throw a hissy fit…I think there is some resentment in some of our older people as we had to work our way up and earn respect in the workplace and pay would come later. These days they think and expect to be CEOs at 24.
We are entering the workforce the most highly educated generation, yet I can see that to those that did not have to pay for an education our pay expectations may seem disproportionate. Still, education has burdened our generation with billions of dollars worth of student debt. Is it unrealistic of us to seek an income that may see us debt free within the next 15 years?
And aspire to leadership, we shall because our entrepreneurial spirit makes us increasingly willing and able to take risks, our education has armed us with knowledge and insight and today’s technology allows us to connect, share and collaborate in new, more effective ways.
Gen Y Collaborators
Love us or hate us 10 years from now we will represent almost 40% of the New Zealand workforce. Maybe it’s time to accept that aspects of our work ethic and the workplace freedom that we aspire to are useful, perhaps even necessary, for the growth of a knowledge economy.
Companies and leaders in today’s knowledge economy are beginning to recognise that traditional command and control methods of leadership are no longer the most effective way to inspire the best from people. Instead there’s a growing recognition that networked collaboration is the way of the future.
Ok, I am bias because collaboration is one of our founding values and I have issues with 80’s management theory. Words like power and control, creep me out.
But no use complaining right, one must act hence our new venture - Worknow - where we connect talented people willing to trust and collaborate with each other and support flexible forms of work such as contract, project, freelance, and volunteer work.
Now, I noticed recently my tendency to sing about co-operation when contemplating ways to collaborate which raises two questions.
1. an act or instance of working or acting together for a common purpose or benefit; joint action.
2. more or less active assistance from a person, organization, etc.: We sought the cooperation of various civic leaders.
3. willingness to cooperate: to indicate cooperation.
4. Economics. the combination of persons for purposes of production, purchase, or distribution for their joint benefit: producers’ cooperation; consumers’ cooperation.
5. Sociology. activity shared for mutual benefit.
6. Ecology. mutually beneficial interaction among organisms living in a limited area.
VS
col⋅lab⋅o⋅ra⋅tion[kuh-lab-uh-rey-shuhn]
NOUN
1. the act or process of collaborating.
2. a product resulting from collaboration: This dictionary is a collaboration of many minds.
Yet, I always “assumed” an interdependence becasue by my understanding effective collaboration requires co-operation. But now to the next question, which speaks even greater volumes about my education…
Why this song? “Co-operation, makes it happen. Co operation, working together”
Clearly it was a song lyric from somewhere and when I goggled the lyrics I was not at all surprised to find that its actually one of the regular skits from an influential childhood programme…go on, take a guess. Here’s a clue. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12…
The Financial Times has labeled us as ‘every employer’s nightmare’; while Fortune magazine claims we are destined to be the most high-performing in history.
Although leading opinion appears polarised with debate begins the development of a more balanced point of view which in turn moves us towards finding the common ground.
Yet, the scales still tip in favour of identifying problems, so as a solutions focused, Gen Y entrepreneur I’d like to suggest there is promise, despite existing “problems”.
Workplace Culture & Innovation
PROBLEMS of Workplace Culture, will occur for anyone expecting us to conform to the old school culture. Hierarchies, no matter how you construct them, be they pyramid, open or flattened, are simply not flexible or open enough to facilitate the collaborative learning and the construct of shared knowledge.
It’s time we reinvented the way we construct our organisations. Here at Worknow we used interconnected circles vs. square tiered boxes to represent our organisation because I believe the PROMISE of workplace culture is that a collaborative and communicative culture inspires innovation.
Leadership & Potential
It’s true, we have high expectations, which some characterise as making us demanding and needy but let’s consider the education system from which we are not far removed.
It’s an environment where variety, challenge and change are the status quo. Where performance expectations are established at the outset and tested, measured and rewarded.
Is it unrealistic to expect that work might present a greater opportunity for such variety and challenge? or that work expectations be established at the beginning for us to work towards.
PROBLEM is while many of us Gen Y recognise in ourselves a wealth of promise – we’re talented, enthusiastic and educated, connected and informed – in many cases, we lack the planning, time management skills, discipline and experience to fully realise our potential.
Therefore PROMISE exists for those leaders who can inspire, support and encourage the growth and personal development of the Gen Y workforce and in this way provide guidance and reason for us to stick around.
Worknow, Aotearoa NZ
We are gathering a community of talented people that seek more collaborative and flexible ways to work together.
We believe networking technology can help foster and harness the collective potential of existing communities and distributed groups
We encourage and support a more flexible and entrepreneurial work ethic.
We work to connect all that share this philosophy so that together we can build a more entrepreneurial and innovative work culture for NZ.
I’m excited about the potential of “Aotearoa, World Leaders in Environmental Innovation” and I work towards this goal by supporting and connecting the talents of our nation.
When I spend anytime looking it seems obvious to me that we kiwis have the time, talent and resources to lead the world when it comes to reducing our carbon emissions. It simply will require change because as Albert Einstein points out:-
“…The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them…”
Yet, despite Einsteins wisdom, it seems the potential of our next generation of entrepreneurs – to innovate and create the solutions we need – is being overlooked, or is that ignored? in favour of preserving the status quo.
Let’s support kiwi entrepreneurs as they forge new industries by 2020 from the seeds we plant today.
Sustainable housing. Earth homes and straw houses are just the tip of the iceberg.
Green Education. Thanks to programmes like enviroschools we could potentiality add Enviro. to most of today’s existing job titles
Green energy. Wind Wave Solar Tidal…Check.
My point is simply if we can think of these today, what can we come up with tomorrow? Why limit our future potential by trying to peg it to the realities of today? Our collective potential might even exceed 40% by 2020.
10 years from now we will represent almost 40% of the workforce and slowly but surely people are beginning to accept that aspects of our Gen Y work ethic, our project orientation for instance, are more suited to work in a knowledge economy.
AUSTRALIA’S pre-eminent demographer, Bernard Salt, has stepped into the debate on whether Gen Y is work shy by declaring they’re not lazy but they have to adapt in the downturn.
“In fact they’re incredibly hard-working within the areas they are interested in. In fact they work quite assiduously when they are engaged by a particular project,” he said.
While always nice to see people portraying “Gen Y” (Gen We as I like to call us) in a rare but positive light it remains evident that Mr Salt still expects us to conform to the norms that he works by. Norms that perpetuate the myth that happy and worker are divergent states of being.
“With the global financial crisis the wheel is turning and it’s time for Gen Y to adapt,” he said.
“It’s important for Gen Y to realise that work is not a form of entertainment. You should not be jumping out of your skin for eight hours of work.” Source
Fair call, it’s not a party but what Mr Salt’s discussion fails to recognise is that there exists other options to remaining an unhappy, under challenged, albeit adaptable employee.
Gen We Entrepreneurs
Research indicates we have an entrepreneurial spirit that makes us increasingly willing and able to take risks. As the most highly educated generation we are armed with knowledge and insight and chomping at the bit to apply it to work life.
Those that expect us to be so desperate for employment, during this recession, that we will just adapt to be more like the old guard was at work, may be disappointed to find we are indeed well equipped to adapt but simply not as dependent on traditional “employment” as previous generations have been.
Today we recognise that we always have the option of working for ourselves. With the right team, building a company need not be as risky as it has been made to look. With today’s networking tools is it’s becoming second nature for us to find, connect and work with each other
Worknow, like Trademe, for services on a networking platform.
Six months ago I did not know either of my two co-founders. I met Jamie by applying for a house on Trademe. Josh and I connected through shared networking circles – Intersect Facebook and Twitter.
Today we are evidence of the collaborative teams and new ventures being established using networking technology to connect talented, passionate people.
We encourage and support a more entrepreneurial work ethic by providing tools to help other people connect with each other to create solutions, new knowledge and work opportunities.
Being Maori, I was raised with a cultural notion of collective and collaborative action.
As a child my mum and her brother and sisters would spend hours developing their collective world view. To onlookers it could have seemed that they simply talked and argued, often, about the same issues.
Yet, such a simplistic point of view belies the nuances of tribal etiquette that are integral to creating collective purpose. Simple rules that can and should be applied throughout society. For instance:-
When making a decision or deciding on a course of action that affects others, everyone is allowed the chance to voice their opinion.
Inevitably multiple opinions leads to conflict but it is important to recognise this as part of the process, rather than a problem. The discussion should continue for as long as takes for everyone to be heard.
It’s not about majority rule, tribal communities were never a democracy. Leaders must make decisions for others to follow.
Followers need not necessarily agree because in having their voice heard and in listening to others there now exists a shared understanding of why the decision is made.
Tribal etiquette can help build a shared sense of purpose and strengthen teams when we:-
Encourage and support collaborative process that openly allow people to offer their opinion or point of view.
Recognise that conflict is natural and inevitable, it can even be constructive. Note though, it has taken me many years to realise that many people do not share this understanding.
Don’t take conflict too personally, we all have the right to disagree.
Value constructive criticism, what better way to refine and craft ones thinking than to have it challenged.
Worknow is a community and marketplace to help people find, connect and work together
The greater our collective purpose the more shared intelligence we build together the stronger we become.
