Worknow_Aotearoa_NZ

I read an interesting post by Lance Wiggs yesterday called the Grandmother effect is starting for facebook. For which, as I understood it, the basic premise was in reference to an earlier prediction of his:-

It’s very hard to predict what and when social networks will succeed and fail, but there is probably a simple test to determine the point of failure—and it’s almost certainly related to the date that your mother joins the network.

This lead to some interesting comments and conversations and attempts to stereotype to which I responded:-

However you label us, those of us that have been on FB more than three years are pretty much “over it”.

My mum joined early 2010, in fact I signed her up & while I won’t be leaving, I now use FB primarily for social marketing purposes (work) rather than social (play).

“…more and more young people will begin to leave because the choice has become between having your information on Facebook or getting hired for a job…”

Integrity. [This is the point I shall return to]

While I understand the sentiment, that its either one or the other, I think it fails to recognise that FB has set the standard for a future in which (I predict) [online] networking will increasingly support Gen Y in their search for meaningful work – be it paid and/or unpaid.

Gazing into my crystal ball I see [online] networking will become more “we” less “me”. The future is one for connecting, sharing & collaborating for greater collective and social purpose.

Now apparently my lack of clarity about networking, from my very “online” perspective required  a lengthy response about: what networking is and what tools are available online and raised several points to which I have agreed to disagree.  That said,  I wanted to return to the issue of integrity.

Integrity, Credibility & Talent Profiles

Integrity is a founding personal and company value. In efforts to keep it simple we state that we value  INTEGRITY: “We keep our promises, treat people fairly and value open and honest communication.”

The only real danger we face in being on Facebook while looking for work is that it allows us to be judged in the act of being less than “professional”  which can impact our personal and professional credibility.

Being human, we have multiple sides to our personality.  Sometimes the personality caught on camera and shared online can be generally unflattering, misconstrued or taken out of context.  Unfortunately, the truth remains that first impressions or the wrong impressions can be difficult to overcome.

Here at Worknow, we provide tools to allow people to create online networking profiles on the basis of their talents, skills and work experience.  A testament to who you are,  in the work sense.

Without say, that unflattering photo -  me “on it” in the playground across the road to celebrate the arrival of a good friend from London – messing with our professional credibility.

To build a world class business that helps people and effects change.

“People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it. And what you do serves as the proof of what you believe,”

HOW Worknow

On the basis of our shared values; recognising each others talents and working together in a spirit of trust and collaboration.

1. EXCELLENCE : We aim to be number one in our field and constantly strive to improve.
2. SERVICE : Helping people is our passion, exceeding expectations our reward.
3. INTEGRITY : We keep our promises, treat people fairly and value open and honest communication.
4. COLLABORATION : talented people, working together for the benefit of each other
5. BALANCE : work / life – future / present
6. GRATITUDE : We are thankful for our blessings and embrace both rewarding and challenging circumstances with open hearts.

WHAT Worknow

Work Now is a community marketplace to help people find volunteer and paid work opportunities. Join our talent community and create your talent profile to connect with people and work opportunities.

Our Values; what is important to us in life and in business

A wise person once told me about the importance of establishing shared values. His advice, when given, was in regards to a personal relationship but being the most inspiring entrepreneurial leader I’ve had the privilege of working with (so far, I expect there will be many more) I naturally applied his advice to working relationships too.

Discovering Shared Values

On the basis of said advice perhaps the most important thing we did in establishing Worknow was to take the time to discuss our values.

Way back right at the beginning, seven months ago, when Jamie and I first began to look at working together we sat down and discussed the values that are important to us. The values that defined who we are, what we do and why we make certain decisions.

This not only helped us recognise that we were highly compatible as business partners it also established our shared set of beliefs with which to guide our venture moving forward. Initially, we listed and expanded upon:

1. Leadership
2. Helping People
3. Community
4. Business Excellence
5. Communication
6. Integrity
7. Gratitude
8. Lifestyle

Of One Accord; Refining Our Values

In discussing with Josh whether he would work with us our values were again one of the first things we discussed.And being the gifted young man that he is, Josh helped us to refine our company values even further and so eight became six;

• Leadership, Business Excellence and Innovation combined under our value of Excellence
• Helping People and Community both focused on the value of Service to Others
• Communication and Integrity spoke of one accord
• Plus we added Collaboration because it is fundamental to everything we strive to achieve

Our founding company values

It is on the basis of these shared values – recognising each others talents and working together in a spirit of trust and collaboration – that we move our company forward.

1. EXCELLENCE: We aim to be number one in our field and constantly strive to improve.
2. SERVICE: Helping people is our passion, exceeding expectations our reward.
3. INTEGRITY: We keep our promises, treat people fairly and value open and honest communication.
4. COLLABORATION: talented people, working together for the benefit of each other
5. BALANCE: work / life – future / present
6. GRATITUDE: We are thankful for our blessings and embrace both rewarding and challenging circumstances with open hearts.

Our team is our greatest strength

I am so thankful to have Jamie and Josh to work with and I have immense faith in our ability to honour the values we have set or ourselves. With our Beta so close, I thought it timely to reflect on why we are doing this. The hard work is about to begin. I can’t wait! xo

Integrity of Communication

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.