Podcast: The Customer Experience Show – Secrets of Successful Multi-Generational Work Cultures

Dean and myself were interviewed by Michelle Romanica on the Customer Experience Show on Blogtalk Radio. It was a great show, with some fascinating insights into multi-generational workplaces.

The blurb of the show says:

In their work, Graeme Codrington and Dean van Leeuwen have conducted extensive research, working to address the emerging issue of generational differences that can cause problems in the workplace today. Graeme and Dean have worked to bridge this gap in theory, implementing it in practice in many companies. Anna Elwood, Director of Operations, was one of ZocDoc’s early employees who helped shape this company. ZocDoc has seen a work model emerge naturally; one that focused on the uniqueness of generational needs rather than focusing on differences to “divide and conquer”. It works on principles that demonstrate Graeme and Dean are not talking about “pie in the sky”. Here is a company that is practicing what it takes to “bridge the gap” and succeed together.

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I want you in my office. Now. What’s really going on at Yahoo?

The biggest tech news so far this year has been an announcement by Yahoo that they want “all hands on deck” and that all work-from-home is being cancelled as from June. Irked Yahoo employees have leaked the memo that was sent by HR head Jackie Reses. Apparently the move comes from the very top, from CEO Marissa Mayer, and will be applied without exception to all remote workers, both those who do so full-time and any who have flexible work from home arrangements. Read the memo and some initial analysis here.

The key message is that Yahoo wants to become “the very best place to work”, and wants to do this using “communication and collaboration” and “working side-by-side”. But then, the real intent is clear: Yahoo wants to be “more productive, efficient and fun” and says that “speed and quality are often sacrificed when we work from home”.

The response from a world that is assuming that more remote working is the future has been loud and incredulous. Is this really the way forward? Has Marissa Mayer made a huge misstep here? Or does she know something we don’t?

What’s going on?

We know that Mayer is under pressure to produce profits at Yahoo, and does not have much more time to deliver a fairly radical turnaround. We also know that she has a fairly forceful leadership style. Business Insider resported a few months ago that an unnamed staffer told them of a team of Yahoo’s product designers who pitched a new product to Mayer. She approved the product on the condition that they get it to market months ahead of their own schedule. Then Mayer supposedly told them they had exactly one week to figure out how to get the product out by the end of the year, and that they would all be fired if they couldn’t get it done.

The stated reason behind the move by Mayer is that she had done an analysis of the VPN (virtual private network) data of remote workers, and Yahoo employees working from home were not logging into the system for enough hours during the day. Supporters of the move have largely pointed to two things: the fact that work from home people can slack off, and the need to have everyone in the office if you’re going to effect quick culture change.

The second reason may be right, but the first one seems spurious. Most remote workers are unlikely to be constantly on the VPN, especially if the system itself is not as user friendly or helpful as it could be. And if you’ve employed a bunch of slackers, you can bet that they’ll slack off in your office almost as well as they could slack off at home. The only difference is that you’ll have lost some productive hours due to traffic and commuting time.

Studies on telecommuting are conflicted right now, mainly because it’s a nuanced thing. It works well for some functions, but not others. It works well for some people, but not others. However, it seems that, in general, in increases productivity, wellness and motivation for most people.

So, why did she do it?

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‘Mind the Gap’ is now available in Kindle

My award winning and best selling book, “Mind the Gap” has just been released in electronic format and is now available in Kindle and other e-pub formats.

My publisher, Penguin, has finally completed a worldwide deal with Amazon to release all Penguin titles on Kindle and is also now releasing its full back catalogue in e-format. This has taken too long, but it’s brilliant news now that it’s finally happened. The process will probably take a few months to complete.

It’s great news for me, as my books are now available in 21st century formats.

‘Mind the Gap’ is my best selling book about understanding different generations. I completed a major update and revision in November 2011, and this is the book now available in Kindle. Penguin have also priced it very well at half the price of the paperback. You can now buy it from Amazon.co.uk.

My other books are also available.

‘Future-Proof Your Child’ is for parents of pre-teen children, to help them parent a wired generation of kids into a bright future. Buy it on Amazon.co.uk Kindle here.

‘Navigating Your Career’ is for anyone still working or about to start working, and presents five steps to building a career in a new world of work. Buy it at Amazon.co.uk Kindle here.

At last, I can feel part of the 21st century as an author.

If you’ve been waiting for the e-versions of my books, I hope you enjoy them. Looking forward to your feedback and comments.

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A question to leaders everywhere: What questions are you asking?

Most people collect something or other. For some it is stamps, for others it might be model cars or antiques or things that have little significance beyond the passion of the collector. I too have a collection, albeit an unusual one but one that I think every leader would do well to imitate. I know that may sound somewhat presumptuous but I really do believe that my collection can make a significant difference to those tasked with the heavy responsibility of leadership.

To be honest I’m not quite sure when it all started and it is not the kind of collection that one can display; nor is it one that could be sold as it really doesn’t have any intrinsic value in and of itself. Yes, it is an unusual collection but one I would like to share with you as you make your way in the journey we call ‘leadership’.

I collect questions.

Not just any questions but those kinds of questions that seem to have the ability to turn things inside-out, upside-down and sometimes, right-way up. The kind of questions that can serve as a companion for quite some time and that tend to stick with you whether you like it or not. The kind of questions that are hard to ignore and the type of questions that somehow invite new insights and fresh perspectives. The type of questions that act as gateways to paths previously thought unattainable.

But you know what I mean.

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Podcast: Introducing the generations and an Updated ‘Mind the Gap’

I have spent the last two weeks in South Africa, promoting my new book, ‘Navigating Your Career’ and the updated edition of my best selling book, “Mind the Gap” (see details and purchasing options here).

As part of this tour, I did a number of media interviews. One of them was a half hour with my original co-author of ‘Mind the Gap’, Sue Grant-Marshall, who now hosts a book show on Radio Today. This is now available as a podcast here.

You’ll hear an overview of the different generations, and a discussion on why understanding the value systems of those older and younger than yourself is so important in every aspect of your life.

Enjoy.

I’d love to hear your feedback here.

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What next for not-for-profits?

Not-for-Profits rely on trust. In an age when the reputation of the banking sector has been crushed and suspicion of corporates is high, customers are demanding ever-increasing transparency from organizations. Charities and social enterprises need to be above reproach in all aspects of their business. Recent bad press about the practice of ‘chugging’ has not helped a sector that can often be seen as old-fashioned and inflexible. It’s tough to fundraise during a recession, but tactics that can be seen as ‘strong arm’ can alienate as many potential customers as they attract.

The not-for-profit organizations that flourish in the next 5-10 years will be those that both engage Boomers (who are about to become the volunteers and direct-debiters that keep large charities afloat) as well as Generation Y who are very generous but hard to find and keep.  These young people put a very high value on trust and transparency. The better news for the sector is that they are hugely community-focused (that is the community they have chosen to support – not necessarily the town they live in), keen to ‘do good’ and supportive of causes they believe in.

They also have the benefit of, and instinct for, Social Media which lets them spread their support of a cause, or organization, within seconds. The gap between charities, particularly large ones, and their supporters can be very wide, and using Social Media as a tool to foster relationships and build trust will be a pre-requisite for not-for-profit success. But it has to translate into action – just clicking ‘like’ is not enough. The message needs to be clear (something that some big, established charities find surprisingly hard) and the call to action clearer still.  Movember is a great example of a charity that has utilized social media effectively to communicate a simple goal and activity to help it grow from just 450 participants in Australia in 2004 to over 854,000, raising £79m across 14 countries in 2011.  The fun factor undoubtedly helps as well – worthiness is not appealing  and certainly won’t impress Generations X and Y.

We’ve yet to touch the surface of what mobile technology will achieve.  However, not-for-profits, like other businesses, need to keep up with this radical change in consumer behaviour that has already been adopted by many- not just  the very young.  Apps such as Sparkwise allow charities to be transparent and engaging by using data visualisations to report key facts and individual stories, whilst also presenting users with a direct link to getting involved.

Yael Cohen is a 25-year old from Vancouver who set up F*** Cancer a not-f0r-profit that encourages and supports Generation Y to engage with their parents about early detection of cancer.  She has written How to convince Gen Y to believe in your cause and your company, which gives some great insights in how not-for-profits (and all businesses) can engage better with Gen Y.

But finally, charities should beware the Social Enterprise sector.  Gen Y may be moral and generous, but they are also highly entrepreneurial and don’t see ‘profit’ as a dirty word. Innovative and energetic start-ups will appeal and engage – and may leave traditional charities struggling to keep up….

We’d love to know your thoughts on where not-for-profits and social enterprises are headed, especially if you work in this very singular sector!

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Your Real Work as a Leader: A sense of vocation

“I love what I do!” I have come to realize that there are a lot of people who cannot say that- folk for whom their working life is something to get done so that they can carry on with what really matters to them.

I believe in the message that is at the heart of our company, TomorrowToday. “There is a better way of doing things.” To have the opportunity to be engaged at the very cutting edge of such thinking, across global borders and with all kinds of industries and sectors, is both an immense privilege and an awesome responsibility. It is a responsibility I accept with relish. It makes me want to learn more, see more, improve, grow and consistently bring my ‘A game’. Sometimes when the juices are flowing, I also want to talk more but have come to understand that maybe I need to talk less!

I get to visit interesting places and meet wonderful people- many of whom are the unsung heroes that sacrifice willingly and make a difference daily. I get invited in to watch, ask, participate and learn. And then, to top it all, I get to share that which I have been given through such encounters. What a privilege! If I receive any applause or compliments, the reality is, there is an army behind me more deserving of such feedback and recognition. An army of teachers, mentors and others who, through their thinking, acting, example and wisdom have been the ones that have ‘coloured my picture’.

All this got me thinking about the difference between avocation and vocation. The insightful words of poet Robert Frost bring a degree of clarity in bringing the two – avocation and vocation, together:

‘But yield who will to their separation,
My object in living is to unite
My avocation and my vocation
As my two eyes make one in sight.’

Avocation can be understood as ‘that which one does’ whilst vocation is something to which one feels called. Vocation sits at an altogether deeper level and when tapped into, provides a source of direction and motivation. For some their vocation is all too apparent whilst for others it is the result of deep exploration and self-awareness. The tragedy is that many go through life preoccupied with a sense of avocation that serves to keep them from their vocation. How often have you heard someone say, “I really wanted to be a teacher (or artist or whatever) but I was compelled to become an accountant”? It speaks of a life lived down a path poorly chosen and is usually filled with regret and sometimes resentment.

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Visualising the retirement age crisis around the world

Most countries in the world are in the process of gradually pushing up their retirement age. France’s new President is doing the opposite right now, but that won’t last and the French will soon have to increase retirement age once again. There is no country in the world that is setting retirement age high enough, quickly enough.

Currently, most of us are living one day longer every week we’re alive. Life expectancy is not creeping up – it’s rushing upwards. And, the expectation of how productive people in the upper age ranges will be is also increasing dramatically. Most medical professionals working on longevity realistically predict that the first person to live to 150 years is already alive. More than half of all the people who have ever turned 80 are currently still alive (about 105 million right now, but expected to grow exponentially to as many as a billion people by 2050).

Today, The Economist released this summary of the OECD’s recent report on retirement. This shows the changes in planned and actual (effective) retirement ages, while also showing life expectancy. The comparison between current reality and that of the 1970s shows the extent of problem, as well as  the futility of government’s using up political capital to shift retirement by just two or three years. Really, this is a HUGE issue, and there is not one country in the world dealing with this looming crisis adequately:

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Living Up To Expectations: Understanding Generational Expectations in the Workplace

Not only are expectations subject to personal nuances, they can be further understood by looking at broad generational values that underpin behaviour.

Generational Theory as originally promoted by Howe and Strauss, two Yale and Harvard trained political economists, suggests that there are value bases to each generation that have been shaped during our formative years and influenced by local events with a global reach. Of course a great deal has since been written and debated when it comes to this theory and arguably TomorrowToday, having presented and taught Generational Theory is some 45 countries, has more experience in this area than any other consultancy or institution globally. The theory provides a helpful framework from which to explore and understand generational differences – and generational similarities.

When it comes to workplace expectations it is useful to understand that each of the Boomer, Gen X and Gen Y generations have distinct and at times contradicting expectations. Let me highlight just three dominant expectations for each of these generations.

Let’s start with a brief look at the Boomers (those born from around 1947 – 1969). Boomers are ‘in charge’ – a fact that needs to be acknowledged as one ramification of this reality is that it is Boomers who set the policies, determine the rules and create the management blueprint.  When you step into a work environment the chances are you will be stepping into a Boomer environment. Being prepared for this will help you adjust!

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How well do you really know your Gen Y employees?

As Gen Y employees continue to enter the workplace with their own approach and new expectations of what the world of work should be like, research continues to provide valuable insights for employers. Two recent reports were particularly interesting.

In the first, reported on in the Huffington Post on 2 Feb 2012, Dan Schawbel, Managing Partner of Millennial Branding LLC, partnered with Identified.com (a data and analytics company) to research how Generation Y (defined by them as current 18-to-29-year-olds) is using Facebook to define their personal lives while often disregarding their professional identity. The research provides insights into social media usage, but also offers broader comment on how Gen Y want to work.

Some of the highlights include:

• Gen Y may seem cavalier to some with their social media obsession and their desire to have more control over their time, activities, and work culture – even as rookies. We need to not begrudge them this so-called “perk”, but rather learn from multi-generational wisdom and meet them half way in their use of technology.
• Work/life integration is something employers are finally addressing, since burn out, stress related illness and toxic work environments continue to cause serious problems in the workforce. Gen Y’s requests for this “balance” up front could generate a paradigm shift and help to restructure the workforce since balanced, healthy people perform better on the job.
• Gen Y must still strengthen their professional competencies in written and verbal communication, active listening, empathy, resilience, and self awareness. The Huffington Post author, Caroline Dowd-Higgins (author of the book “This Is Not the Career I Ordered”) says, “Whether you are an entrepreneur, working in a Fortune 500 company, or a non-profit organization — these skills are a deal breaker and imperative for professional success.”

The second piece of research comes from one of my favourite researchers on generational issues, Jennifer Deal of the Center for Creative Leadership. She has spent most of the past decade working hard to dispel generational theory myths and prick the “pop psychology” bubbles that exist around this topic. She needs to be listened to. She has written an excellent article for Booz and Co’s Strategy + Business blog. You can read it here, or an extended extract below.

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Too Big to Fail: The Need for Leaders to Remember

Imagine a workforce that takes initiative, accepts responsibility for their work, their learning and their company. Imagine an environment where there is energy, goodwill and a shared camaraderie. Image!

Anybody who thinks that this isn’t desirable, who thinks this impossible, let me make a recommendation: go see a movie. Not just any movie but one in particular. One I have just watched whilst flying to London on business. It was one that was someone fortuitously picked out of an impressive in-flight entertainment menu, one that somehow simply had to be viewed and is now one that I am suggesting every CEO watch. The movie in question? ‘Too Big to Fail‘ – the story of the 2008 Wall Street meltdown that came within a dollar of bringing down the entire American dream and with it, much of the global economy.

It is a gripping account of what happened as the investment banks in the US were bailed out by Government during the turmoil of that time. It is a roller-coaster ride that reveals the drama, the characters and the bargaining that went on unabated as egos, policy and principle collided as the markets bled out. Only a select few will know for certain to what extent Hollywood has coloured the picture within the lines of what actually happened, but regardless of any artistic license taken, it unfurls events in a manner that make comprehension for the layman possible. Certainly the few books I have read on the crisis reveal a complexity that makes any telling of the tale a challenge.

So why do leaders need to watch this movie? There would be many leadership lessons embedded in the economic ruins that this period represents but ‘Too Big to Fail’ highlights one in particular that should challenge every leader every day. It is the lesson of remembering: the remembering of the greater good that underpins why it is that you are in business. Losing this perspective is to open the door to greed, ego and selfishness; it is the invitation to a self-serving motive that ultimately undermines everything in ever expanding concentric circles – much like the ripples made by a stone thrown into a pond.

It is a remembering that whilst profit is important, it is not ‘all important’. Naive? Yes, perhaps. This ‘remembering’ is more accustomed to mere lip-service than having any real substance in the corridors of power and in the plush boardrooms where matters of profitability and shareholder value hold sway. Perhaps, in the system we have, it always will be somewhat naive until someone stands up and has the courage to say, “enough”.

‘Too Big to Fail’ is the story of runaway greed and leadership egos blindsided by their own distorted image. It is the story of a systems failure that if anything is to be learnt, demands that we have to think and behave differently. I’m not an economist but when you strip away the economic complexity of this story, it reveals some fundamental human attitudes and behaviours that need changing. Ultimately it is not an economic story; rather it is a story about leadership. Leaders need to be the ones to stand-up and say “enough”. It is the role and responsibility of the Leader to act in what is the best interests of the whole – the whole person, the whole company, the whole community, the whole society. If the Leader fails in this responsibility the system will eventually collapse. This is true of economic, political, social and biological systems. It places a massive responsibility on leadership to stay in touch with what really matters; to see the bigger picture; to be selfless, bold, authentic and humble. You lead out of who you are and ultimately there is no escaping this reality. In short, ‘To Big to Fail’ is a stark reminder to all leaders that, what goes around, comes around!

It can be easy for leaders to ‘lose their way’ once the trappings of power become familiar. So often the accountability structures in which leaders lead are prone to distortion and manipulation allowing for the type of personal and corporate failure we so often see happen. The cords of executive accountability need to be strengthened. It may be argued that this has been one of the outcomes from this particular crisis but there will still be the need for vigilance. Leadership development programmes and processes should pay as much attention to the development of character as they do to the functional requirements of leadership. Current leaders will need to get to grip with a world of engagement, collaboration and importantly, transparency. The social agenda that is made up of ‘social media’ (an external focus) and ‘social business’ (an internal focus) demands a mind-shift for many leaders. This is the terrain that makes up the new world of work and this new reality means that leaders need to understand that everything has now shifted.

Go and see the movie. Take a notepad with you and then and block off some time after you are done in order to reflect and think about why you are in leadership. You won’t be sorry you did.

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Note to Leaders: You are not alone

How often have you heard those in leadership positions utter the mantra, ‘It’s lonely at the top’? They usually serve it up in a sort of self-congratulatory and somewhat condescending manner that expects no one but themselves to really understand. It is almost as if the mantra is the coded password to an exclusive club that only the members themselves fully comprehend.

hat ‘the top’ should always be a lonely place is an illusion. As a parent, I think I can prove it.

Parties are no problem when the kids are knee-high. In fact I think that often the extravagant early parties are more about the parents than the kids. A kind of ‘if Samantha next door had a jumping castle, let’s go with helicopter rides’ mentality. Talk about pressure! Anyway the point is that throwing parties at this stage of the journey is really to sweat the small stuff.

It is when kids grow up that parties become a challenge. As parents you seldom get to witness them because any self-respecting teenager will see to it that the main event takes place at a time and place where you are not. However, there is good reason to ensure that you occasionally thwart such plans and report for duty when these events take place.

The main purpose in being present at your kid’s party is to remind yourself that there are others like your own. For some parents it might even help to see that it is entirely possible that there are some even worse than your own. To discover that you are not alone as you navigate the times of feeling that your offspring are the result of some mutant genetic bungling, is a very reassuring discovery for most parents. It serves instantly to dispel the myth that the issues you are facing as the parent of a teenager are unique. In fact, experience has taught me to be suspicious of any household with teenagers who appear calm, orderly and ‘normal’. Either they have done masterful jobs of deception and disguise or have somehow put a tourniquet around the inevitable.

Turbulence, challenge and discomfort are part of the parent-teenage terrain, and don’t let anyone tell you they are not. However it is in this environment that new and better ways can be forged, where growth takes place and, above all, you discover that your issues and challenges are not unique. Such a discovery opens the way to learning from others and sharing some of the joys and frustrations that mark the journey of parenthood.

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