Worknow_Aotearoa_NZ

I am a fan of the solution orientation of think small as a way to address national issues and this morning, reviewing the ever popular issue of  “The Recession” I came across the following solution which necessitated a supportive yet alternative response, except I ran out of room there to comment so decided to share my thoughts here…

The Solution

Students fresh from tertiary study addressing “The Recession”

Some graduates may have found lately that in their respective field they cannot get a job. As the economy is as it is, companies are more reluctant to hire even experienced staff as they do not feel they can afford it, which unfortunately means it’s very difficult for an inexperienced university graduate to get a job. To this end, it may be wise if you are in this situation to consider going back to university and doing a post graduate degree, not only will it give you something to do to fill your time, but it will also give you that advantage over other candidates when the economy settles down and companies are looking to hire again.

My Comment

“We are already the most highly educated generation in the workforce (+) yet the study work transition dilemma still exists. Further education doesn’t solve the problem for graduates it merely postpones it. Wait to be hired!? Guys, we need to think Entrepreneur vs. Employee. Why wait in line to be employees when we can determine our own future?

While education is undeniably an advantage the issue which compelled me to comment is simply that the problem as stated “it’s very difficult for an inexperienced university graduate to get a job” is not solved by telling them to continue on the same path, further education.

We need education applied in combination with our natural strengths our entrepreneurial spirit and tech know how.

As a combination we then have:

1. With education – the knowledge to create and transform ideas;
2. With entrepreneurship – the ability to risk and achieve and;
3. With technology – the tools to find connect and work together in new collaborative ways

Why be dependent on traditional “employment” when we can determine our own future in the workforce by becoming the next generation of talented entrepreneurs vs. employees? With the right team and a good idea building a company need not be as risky as it has been made to look. Begin by finding and connecting with talented others, somewhere like a talent community

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.

Redefining the Value of Work

One of the most valuable life lessons learned while building this company is that “…money does not define the limits of what is possible…”

I would not be here today if I’d let a complete lack of funds prevent me from pursuing our vision of this new venture. Or if I feared the stigma of being “unemployed”. By choosing to build my future using the only resources that are truly mine – my time and talents – in collaboration with others, I’ve discovered the freedom to follow my dreams and trust my intuitions. While I may be poor in terms of money I’m undeniably blessed and rich in the things that money can not buy; love, happiness, hope…

Our company, Jamie Josh and I, are living proof of what can be accomplished when people are willing to invest time and talent in lieu of earnings. We hope time trade and the use of time credits will help us all to redefine the value of work to include some of the values that define us as humans; our capacity to love and care for other people, animals and our environment. To share knowledge, collaborate and stand up for the things we believe in.

Every time we reward an act of helping with a time credit, we are declaring that the monetary economy does not have the power to define what real work is, that market price is not the only measure of value and that money does not define the limits of what is possible. Edgar Khan in The Time of Our Lives

I’m inspired by thought leaders like Edgar Cahn because here at Worknow we break from the definition of work as either “employed or unemployed” choosing instead the role of aspiring, social entrepreneur and incorporating the idea of time trade – into a company built to help people find and connect with work – so as to give equal value to both volunteer and paid work opportunities.

We hope that our intention will become more evident when we launch the beta site because Jamie’s created some funky elements, in the navigation and site design, to allow people to easily switch and identify between time trade and paid work options. They are after all two sides of the same coin because as my father used to say “…there’s more than one way to skin a rabbit…”

A Generations Project Orientation

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.

There’s no such thing as Gen Y

I had an interesting conversation with an intelligent gentleman, yesterday afternoon, who held the belief that Gen Y does not exist. We are, he said, “the same as any generation”.

Now I don’t like to be stereotyped on the basis of my age but I would sooner be Gen Y than merely the “same” as the old. Yet  there’s always the option to perpetuate a more accurate describer – Gen We.

Y Generation We, not X or B.

That we are different is what we, Gen X & Boomers have in common. Each “generation” has in some way or form changed the status quo on those that came before, it will happen to us too. So this “generational” issue and blame game is more about people’s inability to adapt and accept differences than it is age.

Yes, ideally, people shouldn’t be stereotyped by age. Yet we are simply not that same, and somewhere a line has to be drawn to help us build a clearer understanding of our differences, so that we can all work together.

We have different attitudes and workplace expectations to the other generations.

• That I don’t want a 9 – 5 employee role does not mean that I’m lazy. I just know that my most productive work hours are from 10am – 3:00pm and 7pm – 1am but I’m happy to work 10+ hours to suit my lifestyle.
• That I constantly seek new challenges and ongoing feedback around expectations and performance, I know seems demanding and needy to some. But I grew up in a world that has taught me to be performance orientated and continuously improving.
• & sure, I’ve had more than 5 jobs in five years because I know what I want and if my plans can’t be achieved or my values respected then there’s no mutual benefit and it’s time to move on. I’m instinctive, goal orientated and I adapt quickly to change.

Same Planet, Worlds Apart

Back to yesterdays conversation. I can be a bit of the antagonist, when given cause to express my own beliefs. It’s the same characteristic that made becoming a lawyer the only career option I was ever advised to follow.

I wish I’d had access to more advice before pursuing that education path but oh well, live and learn. Thankfully, I’m not a lawyer and I’ve learnt lessons in tact so I simply asked:-

“OK. Do you use LinkedIn?”

“Yes,” he answered.

To which I replied, “I don’t”.

Point proven. We are not the same.

Worknow Community

If networking involves building connections amongst peers, then clearly LinkedIn has much more to offer the over 30 demographic. With millions of members LinkedIn is indeed a brilliant concept. Yet it is time to tailor the idea for a more entrepreneurial and lifestyle orientated generation.

Here at Worknow, we are gathering a community of talented people that seek new more collaborative and flexible ways to work together. Why? because we believe networking technology can help foster and harness the collective potential of existing communities and distributed groups but we simply don’t connect with LinkedIn

Finding my place

I have aspired to building a startup company since the day I realised that I could positively help people by creating new jobs. Thank you, Arthur Jordan (FiL) for broadening my view of the world to include enterprise development and inspiring me to purse what is now a passion for new ventures

Connecting with others

Since then I have orientated towards other successful entrepreneurs and outstanding leaders who have also taught and inspired me:-

1. Uncle Eddy & Aunty Tangee
2. Diane Blackmore
3. Richard Prout

Work Together

This includes the two talented young men with whom I have the privilege of working:

* Jamie Mac Donald
* Joshua Vial

Not Y but We – Generation Change Agents

I am inspired and excited to have met many rising stars of late and I looking forward to meeting and working along side many more of you in the future.

We do not need research or statistics to know that we, the youngest generation in the workforce, are the future of new business creation in Aotearoa.

The more we work together the stronger we are. I hope to find others that share this belief and connect us so that we can help each other.

About the Author

I was blessed with a family that taught me the importance of love and faith, adventure and trust. I am eternally grateful for the people that I love. I can never thank you all enough but I love you and I trust that love is enough.

Renee Maria Lee

It seems that deriding Gen Y has become a marketing tool in itself. Repeat something negative about Gen Y and you’ve instantly attracted an audience.

Some readers will flock in order to have their personal points of view validated. But how many more will read because we’ve learned the importance of “…know thy enemy…”

Everyday we learn more about why the entrenched workforce fears us but more importantly the negativity provides us a challenge to rise to.

It seems, my entire generation now has a point to prove and the best way I can see to do that is to overcome the negativity, choose life and community over career, step around the square box and do exactly what we are disliked for.

Be different, challenge the status quo and find better new ways to get work done.

Although people continue to highlight our flaws a growing number of people are beginning to realise that these traits which appear as weaknesses may indeed be indicators of our strengths.

As one onlooker notes:-

“It is quite likely that some sizable percentage of these [Gen Y] workers will never work in a steady job on the payroll of a single employer. And an equally large segment may never know a career different from that of a ‘permanent part-timer,’ contractor, or consultant.”

Gen Y’s fierce independence will accelerate the nation’s evolution from a corporate economy of worker bees to an entrepreneurial one of innovative thinkers and rapid change, one where a majority of the Gen Y workforce is self-employed or even part of an ever-widening proprietary class.

The Gen Y group will be fiercely start-up oriented, and “by 2013, perhaps two- thirds of all adult Americans will be classified as entrepreneurial.” Source

Gen Y Entrepreneurs

So while this article talks of our US counterparts perhaps we should take note. More than any previous generation Gen Y has a more flexible and entrepreneurial approach to work.

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.

The traditional dependency on employment has begun to weaken as more and more of us recognise the potential we have to connect with others in order to create our own forms of work.

While our entrepreneurial and flexible approach to work demands of us greater self-reliance in return we capture the ability to shape our own future rather than “comply” or “conform” to the expectations of a workforce that often fails to utilise our talent or understand our work ethic.

Worknow

At Worknow we support a more entrepreneurial work ethic and are developing tools to help people find, connect and work together in new ways

Disadvantaged Gen Y

The recession is not the only disadvantage facing Gen Y as we enter and carve out our niche in the jobs’ market. The transition from study to work is a challenging event, made more difficult by:-

• entrenched negative stereotypes within the media and the boardroom.

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.

• An education system tailored to create solid employees rather than job creators.

As Sam Morgan notes “…We seem to have focused wrongly on building CVs rather than building businesses…” and as a result we have a wealth of talented people preparing themselves to be employed rather than cultivating talents which could drive economic growth through the creation of new business and new jobs.

Learn to be an Entrepreneur vs Employee

In America, in answer to the recession, educators like Babson College, are promoting education and up skilling but not in the traditional forms. For example if you are considering business then they suggest nowdays you need to choose a school where you will learn how to:

Be the Company. Rethink any degree that will prepare you to work for somebody else. Consider a program that trains you to work for yourself.

Volunteer Work Experience & Mentoring

Whether you prefer entrepreneur or employee there is still the catch 22 of “work experience”. Even in the best of times the transition from study to work is a difficult one but at Worknow we’ve identified two ways to support the study work transition for Gen Y students and recent graduates.

1. We encourage Volunteer Work Experience as a means to build confidence and valuable work skills before moving into the paid workforce. We also facilitate Time Trading (a.k.a Time Banking) to encourage, recognise and reward volunteer contributions.

2. A Peer Mentoring Community connecting Graduates with recent Alumni who can share with students of the same / similar discipline their experience of the study / work transition and highlight the real life opportunities available in the marketplace. Where to look, who to talk to, which skills are important etc.

Worknow

We are an online community and marketplace for kiwis’ to buy sell and trade their talent and services

Developing Entrepreneurs vs Employees

Entrepreneurship is not yet considered a viable alternative to the professions because, as Sam Morgan noted November 2008,  New Zealander’s tend to view entrepreneurship as a niche, high risk, slightly crazy alternative  to employment.

This sentiment permeates New Zealand’s culture as was confirmed when I spoke to students attending the Otago University Career fair about news of a trend in New Zealand towards private contracting instead of employment.

When asked whether they would consider private contracting as an alternative to employment some did not consider it a viable option while those that did support the alternative noted that it’s often seen as too risky.

Our education system undermines the development of a more entrepreneurial culture by encouraging our smartest people towards  “safe, secure professions” such as lawyers, accountants, and doctors.

“We seem to have focused wrongly on building CVs rather than building businesses” Sam Morgan

As a result we have a wealth of talented people preparing themselves to be “employees” rather than cultivating talents which could drive economic growth through the creation of new business and new jobs.

Aotearoa NZ, Past Achievements.

We  would do well to remember more often that our small pacific nation has lead some of the best innovations  and achievements of the last century.

Rutherford split the atom, Hamilton built the first jet engine.  We were the first to allow women the right to vote and our spirit of adventure inspired Sir Ed to summit the tallest peak on earth.

More recently, Sam Morgan and Trademe introduced us to a new world of buying and selling online and Stephen Tindall and the Warehouse forced us to reconsider our need for plastic bags. History proves, we are an innovative nation.

Present, Our Entrepreneurial Nation

Entrepreneurship is one of our economic strengths. In 2008 Auckland was voted the most entrepreneurial city of the OECD. The same research in 2006 identified Maori as the third most entrepreneurial people in the OECD yet we still promote the fallacy that entrepreneurship is too “high risk” without qualifying or highlighting any of the benefits of risk vs reward.

Future of Entrepreneurship

Gen Y demographic research shows that more than any previous generation Gen Y has a more flexible and entrepreneurial approach to work.  The traditional dependency on employers has begun to weaken as more and more young people recognise the potential we have to connect with others in order to create our own forms of work.

While our entrepreneurial and flexible approach to work demands of us greater self-reliance in return we reap the ability to shape our own future rather than “comply” or “conform” to the expectations of a workforce that often fails to utilise our talent or understand our work ethic.

Inspire Encourage & Support Change

Rather than bemoaning the generational differences we suggest it is time to inspire and encourage a more entrepreneurial culture to support the development and growth of talented “business owners & teams” rather than just “employees” .

1. Educate and promote the economic, lifestyle and personal benefits of a more entrepreneurial culture
2. Encourage and support entrepreneurship as a viable alternative to the traditional “professions”
3. Celebrate the  success’ of our talent people

Worknow, Aotearoa NZ

• 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 culture for Aotearoa NZ.

Better Work Options

Fact is, recession leads us to change the way we accomplish, commit to and think about work. Options being considered here in New Zealand include, a nine day fortnight, reduced hours, and an increased interest in contract work.

At the moment, these strategies are a way to deal with the reality that there’s simply not enough work to keep people in “full-time employment” but more importantly the change leads us to question our traditional forms of work organisation.

“…The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them…” Albert Einstein

To question long standing assumptions about the way we work; 40 hours, 9 – 5, five days a week at a set location. Most importantly it sets the stage to move towards a more entrepreneurial and flexible way of working that will be better suited to workers in our knowledge economy.

The future of entrepreneurial and flexible work

Our mission is to inspire, encourage and support a more entrepreneurial work ethic by helping people connect with each other to create solutions and new knowledge, intiatives and work opportunities.