2009 August Archive at DrivenLeaders.com

Monthly Archive for August, 2009

Brazen Careerist: Career Management for Gen-Y

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on August 25, 2009

. 0 Comments

brazenlogo Brazen Careerist: Career Management for Gen Y Since March of 2008, Brazen Careerist has provided an environment for emerging professionals to interact, network, and contribute in a forum dedicated to career development. Powered by user generated content, Brazen emerged as the social network for career focused members of Gen-Y. Being an early contributor in their community, I’ve seen the site evolve and develop into a substantial resource for navigating the professional world, and it’s not slowing down…

Starting today, August 25th, the Brazen team has elevated the community to the next level, creating what is now being called a “career management tool for next-generation professionals.”

“We are calling Brazen Careerist the career management tool for next-generation professionals. In the online career space where experienced professionals win, we’ve created a network that will help young professionals level the playing field. Instead of just a traditional résumé, at the core of the new Brazen Careerist profile is an idea-based feed that showcases your knowledge, opinions and thoughts. In other words: Your potential.” – Penelope Trunk, CEO at Brazen Careerist

Thanks to co-founder Ryan Paugh, I had a chance to preview the enhancements of the new Brazen network last week and I must say I was impressed with the concept of the recent launch. In addition to creating a professional profile, the site now allows you to showcase your resume and more importantly your ideas - something employers can’t find on your resume. Where previous functionality only enabled the contribution of content, users now have the ability to establish a personal feed, encouraging your interaction with some of the most influential members of Gen-Y.

If you haven’t visited or experienced the new site, take a look and let me know your thoughts.

Employee Retention: Can You Afford to Ignore It?

Published

Anthony

on August 20, 2009

in Employee Engagement and Managing

. 0 Comments

employee retention Employee Retention: Can You Afford to Ignore It?

Turnover costs you a lot. And in today’s environment it‘s more important than ever to focus on developing a positive relationship with your employees. If your company has had layoffs or experienced a hiring freeze, the workforce that remains is probably working harder than ever as they absorb the work that former employees once did, in addition to their own jobs.

From the management perspective, we often approach this as “doing more with less,” however this sort of stress can cause employee morale to suffer terribly. And at some point, when the economy turns around, employees that believe they have been treated badly or feel unappreciated for their work during these lean times, will be the first quit. This leaves you without your most talented or knowledgeable employees’ right when you need them the most to start building and growing quickly.

The point being made here is that the time is now to make sure you are paying attention to your employees and what really makes them tick. To truly build and sustain strong teams, a leader must learn how to attract and keep good employees. New supervisors must be prepared to be collaborative, supportive, and nurturing of their people; flexing to meet the various needs of today’s diverse workforce.

While there is a clear need for attention in this area, it’s sometimes sad to see how many companies have glossed over their retention strategies amidst a challenging economy. Don’t fall into the trap! If your company is not devoting the time or money in this area, do it yourself!

To get started consider the free webinar coming up on Wednesday 26th by Manpower, a world leader in the employment services industry. Manpower offers a monthly webinar series on various topics, however I believe this one will be particularly interesting entitled, “Retention - When It Can’t Be About the Money.” Details for the webinar and registration link are below.

Free Webinar: Retention - When It Can’t Be About the Money

Wednesday, August 26 (12 - 1 p.m. EDT; 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. CDT)

The old saying “you get what you pay for” holds true and is always the case when it comes to your employees. The problem is that most employers think only in terms of dollars when, in your employees’ minds, “compensation” is about much more than money.

Human Resources surveys repeatedly show that people who love their jobs would not leave for a 10 percent pay increase. Only about four percent would consider an offer of 15 percent or more and the other 96 percent wouldn’t consider it at all unless the offer was at least 20 percent to 25 percent more.
So, if it isn’t about the money, what is it your people want from you? What are the intangibles that keep great people on-board and motivated?

During this webinar, you will learn:
• The four most important things employees of each generation want from their jobs
• The number one motivator that every manager has 100% control over
• The key ways to find out each employee’s drivers
• The largest mistake managers make that causes great employees to leave

*For HR Professionals - This program has been approved for 1 recertification credit hour toward PHR, SPHR and GPHR recertification through the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI).

How Much recognition Do Employees Need? (drivenleaders.com)
For Small Employers, Shedding Workers and Tears (nytimes.com)
Survey: economy causing big workloads (bizjournals.com)

The Best Ways to Communicate with Gen-Y

Published

Kyle Ryman

on August 13, 2009

in Communication and Guest Posts

. 0 Comments

Today’s guest post is from Kyle Ryman of ProfessionalLEADER.com.

Do you have Generation Y in your organization? You probably do, and that means that you will have to, at one point or another, have to get a hold of them at some point in time. But how will you do it? Look through these 4 different ways to find the best way of getting a hold of the tech savvy Generation Y.

1. Social Networking Sites

You will want to use social networking sites if you have a short to medium length message, that will be sent to one or a handful of people, and it will need to be read or responded to relatively quickly.

What is great about them:

They check these sites multiple times a day.
It is easy for them to access and respond to your message.

What sucks about them:

You can’t send attachments.
Lack of formatting options keeps your message length relatively short.
It is hard to easily communicate with more than a handful of people.
You not only have to be on the same social network, but you also have to be their “friend.

2. Text Messages

You will want to use text messages if you have a very short and direct message, that will be sent to one or a handful of people, and it needs to be read or responded to extremely quickly.

What is great about them:

Text messages are easy to respond to, even while in class…
Their phone will notify them as soon as they receive one.
You can be almost certain they will receive your message.

What sucks about them:

You can only use this for short, direct, messaging.
You are hard pressed to contact large groups.
It costs you money…

3. E-mails & List Servs

You will want to use e-mails and list servs if you have a medium to long message, which will be sent to any sized audience, and it needs to be read or responded to within the next few days.

What is great about them:

You can send longer, more detailed messages.
You can send attachments.
They normally check their personal e-mail at least once per day (more with a smart phone).
Emails and list servs make it easier for you to contact large groups.

What sucks about them:

They don’t check this as much as they do their social networking sites.
If you don’t send to their personal e-mail, then good luck.
There is a “slight” risk of their spam filter filtering you…

4. Phone Calls

You will want to use phone calls only if your message is too complex to be expressed any other way, i.e. you have got to talk to them.

What is great about them:

Phone calls are a very dynamic medium.
You actually know whether or not they got, and understood, your message.

What sucks about them:

You can only contact one person at a time.
They probably won’t pick up, for whatever reason…
They will not listen to any voice mails that you send. Or, at least not any time soon.

The Key for You…

…is matching medium to message. You have got to know what kind of message you are sending, what timeframe they need to respond in, and how many people you will be sending it to. If you take those three things into consideration and match them to the appropriate communication channel, then you will stand a much better chance at getting a hold of your Generation Yers.

My Question to You:

When you have to get a hold of Generation Y, how do you do it?

_________________________________________________________________________________

Kyle Ryman is a guest contributor and author of ProfessionalLEADER.com. He is a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army (infantry), and a recent graduate of Texas A&M University with a B.A. in History, Minor in Communications, and Certificate in Leadership Development and Study.

Are You a Manager or Leader?

Published

Anthony

on August 10, 2009

in Leadership, Managing and Thought Provoking

. 3 Comments

leader or manager Are You a Manager or Leader? Often people use the terms “leaders” and “managers” interchangeably, however, there are many distinct differences. While a good leader must be a good manager, it does not necessarily follow that a good manager is a good leader. Whereas both are essential for success, they each play different roles in getting there.

On which side do you fall?

leadersvsmanagers Are You a Manager or Leader?

The 3 Greatest Networking Myths

Published

Anthony

on August 4, 2009

in Advancement and Personal Development

. 0 Comments

“Leveraging the power of networking is essential for ongoing career and professional success.”

Yes, I know it sounds like a broken record, you’ve heard it before, but can you honestly say that you’ve mastered one of the simplest and most powerful forces that exist in business?

Unfortunately to this day, the term “networking” often conjures up many negative stereotypes and countless misconceptions as to what networking truly is. As a result, one of the most effective (and inexpensive) allies to your success routinely sits on the sidelines as “more important things” hold your attention. Networking continues to be an incredibly effective way to gain new clients, find strong employees, and overall move forward in your career. While there are many great resources on how to expand your network, the focus of this post is to help jumpstart your efforts and get past the false impressions and misconceptions that may be holding you back.

“Although the concept of networking has been tainted by misconceptions, wise leaders know how to prioritize relationships, recognizing them as the surest sources of prosperity and stability.” – John Maxwell

I came a cross a quick passage where leadership guru John Maxwell addresses some of the most widely held myths that hold us back from proactively networking.

Myth #1: Networking is for self-promoting schmoozers.

Networking isn’t solely the realm of desperate job seekers or overeager socializers. Nor do you have to hand out business cards like candy in order to network. Networking simply involves making mutual connections, and everyone benefits by forming them. By tapping into our connections, we can share ideas, pass along opportunities, and benefit from one another’s expertise.

Myth #2: Network is only for salespeople or outgoing personalities.

You may not be a salesperson and you may not be outgoing, but you can’t deny that business, at its core, is founded upon relationships. Regardless of your position or personality, you’d be wise to intentionalize your social interactions. If you neglect your network, you’ll be isolated when your life hits a rough patch. Conversely, if you cultivate your network, you’ll be buoyed by support whenever hard times come your way.

Myth #3: Networking, by nature, is uncomfortable, forced, and contrived.

We tend to imagine networking as speed dating awkwardly applied to the professional level. Nothing could be more inaccurate. The best networkers authentically share themselves (their talents, knowledge, resources) to benefit others. This can happen casually and genuinely, both at work and in informal atmospheres.

networkingcircle The 3 Greatest Networking Myths If you find yourself falling victim to these or any of the countless reasons that could hold you back, stop today! Challenge yourself to meet to people, make new contacts, and develop these associations into mutually beneficial relationships. You’ll be surprised where they might lead you.

Business Networking Tips (buzzoodle.com)
Networking Isn’t a Dirty Word (hardknoxlife.com)
Why LinkedIn Reccomendations are Valuable (personalbrandingblog.com)

Tips for Successfully Leading Teens

Published

Kyle Ryman

on August 2, 2009

in Gen-Y and Guest Posts

. 2 Comments

Today’s guest post is from Kyle Ryman of ProfessionalLeader.com.

Who Are “Teenagers?”

What Influences Them:

Most of the time when you are talking about leading teenagers, you are talking about leading people who are sophomores in high school to freshmen in college. For these “teens,” their schooling is the dominant factor in their life. One result of this is that you will have to be flexible in their scheduling. For instance, they can only work late afternoons or evenings during the school week. However, they are often available during the weekends. Further more, teens are normally able to work full time during breaks from school.

Also, some of the best teen workers are going to be highly involved in extracurricular activities. You, as a leader, must take this into account if you want to retain the best in teen labor. Additionally, friends and family are incredibly important to this age group and will exert incredible influence over them. As a leader, you must be prepared for this as well if you want to lead teens effectively.

Common Motivators:

Very rarely will you find a teenager who is working for a particular company because they see themselves building a career with that company, or they like that company’s retirement benefits, etc. What motivates teens is a paycheck. But the “why” behind that motivation is important, and it can be broken down into three broad categories:

They want disposable income:
Basically, a lot of teenagers want to be able to buy the latest and greatest iPhone, or pay for their texting habit, or buy that car that they always wanted. Or, in some cases, they work to finance their party habit. Apparently alcohol is expensive…
They want to save for college:
There are also a lot of teens who come from families that have a decent income level, but still not an income level that can afford to help pay for college. College is expensive, and whatever amount of money they will be short in financial aid they will have to generate themselves.
They want to help their family:
There are also a lot of families where teens are needed (or expected – especially in this economy) to help support the family. While they generally are not the primary provider of the family, a teen’s part time income can really help out a financially struggling family.

3 Tips for Leading Teenagers:

With all of the above in mind, here are three tips that you can use when leading teenagers in the workplace.

1. The threat of being fired only goes so far:

For most teens, being fired doesn’t hold the same sway as it does for an older worker. Why? Because, most teens’ primary motivator is to earn money that they don’t “need.” Even teens who work to help support the family don’t feel the same burden of responsibility as their parents. So, if you are a “leader” (or “tyrant,” you pick) who relies on this to motivate your people, then you and teens will probably not work out.

2. Encourage socialization at work:

As was mentioned before, friends and family are incredibly important to this age group. What that means for you, the leader, is that the more attached teens are to the people who make up your organization, the more incentive they have to work hard and to be professional. You can help accomplish this by encouraging socialization (at responsible levels) at work. Having friends at work is probably the most powerful motivator there is in getting teens to come in and work hard.

3. Really mentor them:

The reality is that, most of the time, you and your organization will be your teen workers’ “first rodeo.” Since they lack any significant experience with the work world, you are going to have to mentor them on things like professionalism and acceptable behavior at work. If you don’t, then they will get themselves (and possibly others) in trouble. If you do, then they can prove just as capable as any other worker you employ.

My Question to You:

What have you done, or seen done, that has been effective in leading teens in the workplace?

Kyle Ryman is a guest contributor and author of ProfessionalLeader.com. He is a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army (infantry), and a recent graduate of Texas A&M University with a B.A. in History, Minor in Communications, and Certificate in Leadership Development and Study.