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.
I studied business extramurally because, as far as I could see, the best way to learn business was simply to get involved. I planned to gain real life business experience while building and diversifying my skills in preparation for “one day” when the right opportunity came along for my own venture start-up.
I never exactly knew when that “one day” might be but I’d been pretty generous and given myself until 35 to discover it, on the basis that I would intuitively know the right opportunity when I saw it. And so in early March 2009 my one day arrived and I was ready.
Status Quo, Schmo
Jamie’s idea to develop an online contractors marketplace to help people find work, immediately struck a chord with me.The idea was, in essence, exactly what I needed and wanted for myself.
It was a means to encourage and support business creators, owners and collaborative teams. It was everything I wasn’t, but wanted to be and I immediately recognised his idea as a means to achieving my longest held work aspiration – to build a company that could truly help people.
We are quite happily, not in keeping with the status quo. Indeed as statistics bemoan rising unemployment I tend to see the job losses as inevitable because for social innovation and change to occur one must in some way destroy the old.
For all practical purposes this meant; if I was actually going to help people be their own boss; if I hoped to promote entrepreneurship and new business creation as a viable alternative to employment; if I was going to prove work existed but that the way we connect with it was changing; I simply could no longer work as a full-time employee
Making the Change
Mentally, in a recession leaving my only secure source of income was a pretty tough call to make. But in life we must take calculated risks. I was determined that money would not hinder my pursuit of the dream and in that decision alone I have learnt lessons for life, about the potential to get work done without the need for cash – ergo Time Trade.
Practically however, it is not at all hard to work your way out of a job. I’m not particularly proud of the way I left my last employee role but it was best for both parties. Indeed the hierarchy and their methods of control and authority, even their use of these words – when I aspire to collaboration and leadership – are driving factors in the development of Worknow.
Worknow
We are building this community and marketplace on the belief that 1) networking platforms can help us find connect and work together in new ways and that 2) there are other talented people here, that seek new more collaborative and flexible ways of working.
With this blog I intend to relate my experience as a business creator, owner and contractor, in hopes that my journey may encourage others along this path.
I came to odds once, with a baby boomer manager, who directed me to “spin” some benefits in a communication to potential clients that I had been working with.
“It’s marketing 101,” she insisted, when I defended my copy as being honest and direct. There were no benefits for the client that I could fathom and when I raised this point she urged that I had best “learn how to spin” marketing copy.
“So you want me to learn to lie,” I thought.
In response I told her that I valued open, honest communication and while I was happy for my draft to be altered, I would not put my name to a communication that I did not support or believe.
Now, we both cared about the project but that I did not “comply” with her direction was solely a values based decision. I did not want to comprise my being open and honest to learn how to “spin” invented benefits for our clients.
I perhaps naively thought such values would be respected but as time showed, she saw me as creating barriers to getting work done rather than being a person of integrity.
Baby Boomer vs Generation Y
In retrospect it is very clear that our generational differences, Baby Boomer vs Gen Y were at the root of our conflict:
[Gen Y are] are less afraid to confront and discuss issues with their peers and their superiors.
And how does this freedom and authenticity translate into the business world? It doesn’t.
It would crush the carefully constructed hierarchical structure to pieces. It’s a strange and obscure network of relationships that determines the real power in businesses.
If everything is said candidly and openly, this network loses its function. People lose their power. Read Source
Gen Y’s need for Authenticity
Because Gen Y want to feel that we work to contribute to something meaningful in this instance the idea of inventing the truth, a.k.a lying, was in stark contrast to my personal need for authenticity yet to my manager it was a learned and acceptable way to convey one’s point.
For me, voicing my personal values, was part of being true to myself but perhaps my manager considered it insubordinate and a threat to her authority.
For my generation (and other people) working together involves connecting and collaborating but many of the old school still adhere to the hierarchical methods of directing and controlling which were once the status quo.
Consequently, to challenge my managers perspective, and assumed authority to direct my “compliance” was to risk my position within the heirarchy.
However, what must be understood about Gen Y is that our need for authenticity is a much stronger driving force than the false sense of security promoted by “employment”.
We are a generation willing to take risks, for ourselves and the things we believe in, which is a symptom of our stronger entrepreneurial tendencies.
Gen Y Perspective
While I am not exactly objective about the scenario related here it is simply a means to discuss what I see as the generational mindset difference between “manager employee” relationships of the past and the more entrepreneurial, collaborative teams of our future.
To qualify my point of view, I recognise that in some industries “employment” will always remain the most effective form of getting work done, retail for instance.
But I believe it is time to recognise that many forms of work in our knowledge economy – web development, design and many creative tasks – need no longer operate as a manager employee relationship.
Indeed, contract outsourcing this type of work will increase productivity and save companies time and money by facilitating a more flexible, motivating work environment for people with specialised talent and skill.
It irks me that people and media feel justified in deriding our generation. Almost daily I read about how lazy, fickle, disloyal and demanding generation Y is yet so rarely is voice given to the truth that we Gen Y have different attitudes, and workplace expectations to the existing generations.
Gen Y are disloyal
If you lead, we may follow. But keep in mind our concept of leadership 2.0 involves asking questions, connecting and collaborating not the archaic methods of power and control that ruled 80’s management theory.
“…For leaders who have the privilege of ushering the new generation into the workforce recognise immediately that traditional approaches to leading, communicating and delegating are likely to be met with passive or active resistance by Gen Y.
As a leader it is time for you to adapt your style by offering ideas and inviting feedback instead of issuing commands. Emphasize group work and encourage brainstorming. Forget the ‘we’ve always done it this way’ approach and encourage individuals and teams to find new and improved ways to conduct the work of your business…” Source
We saw Silence of the Lambs. Quid pro quo. We understand that employers need us as much as we need them.We move on when there is little or no sense of mutual benefit or when it appears that our values and goals diverge.
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 are unrealistic about pay expectations
Yes, I can see that to those that did not have to pay for an education our pay expectations may seem disproportionate. Yet, education has burdened our generation with billions of dollars worth of student debt. Is it unrealistic of us to aspire to be debt free within the next 15 years?
Gen Y workers are demanding & always wanting something different.
Gen Y seek challenge and variety in the workplace. Why? well let’s consider the education system. Not only does it offer us a myriad of choices, 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. Or does our education system simply fail to prepare us for the realities of today’s working world?
Gen Y workers are self-focused and lazy
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. Remember: if there’s a clash in the work-life balance, life inevitably wins.
Gen Y Entrepreneurs
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, our ability to adapt quickly and easily to change for instance, are more suited to modern living.
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.
To those that expect us to be so desperate for employment, during this recession, that we will just come into line and act more like you, you may be disappointed to find we are indeed well equipped to adapt and 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. And anyway, what do we really have to lose at this point except, of course, our massive student debt.
Next Generation Work
At Worknow we encourage entrepreneurship, knowing it to an effective, efficient and productive work model with which to drive our knowledge economy. Create your talent profile today
