Month: January 2011

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How to Learn More about Gen Y

Portrait of business woman sitting on chair

Best Gen Y Bloggers

As part of their ongoing efforts to attract their target market, including Gen Y, OnlineDegreePrograms.com maintains a value-packed blog, including the post: “50 Best Gen Y Bloggers”.

In this post, Gen Y professionals from a wide variety of fields share their views and preferences, advice and insights. By reading these blogs, your market research becomes much more than research. It becomes a window into the Gen Y consumers’ thoughts.

Topic categories include:

  • New Grads
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Business and Marketing
  • Finance
  • Life
  • Women
  • Politics and Society
  • Technology.

If that’s not enough, I quote the list below, posted by Rebecca Thorman on Modite.com. Thorman’s blog posts are well-respected sources for giving the ins and outs of Generation Y.

Favorite Gen Y Bloggers
”These people make me think or laugh. Sometimes both.” – Rebecca Thorman

Another Viewpoint: Gen Y and the Easter Bunny

According to Ian Watson, “Gen Y doesn’t exist – This is a list of interesting people with interesting views but Gen Y are as real as the Easter Bunny!”

In his own post, he offers the perspective; “There are records of Dutch priests in the 18th century that lament the lude and drunken behaviour of the young people in his parish. Have young people really changed? I think not – it is our perception that changes as we grow older.”

So, after processing some of these resources in your Gen Y market research, what do you think? Are they REALLY different? How do YOU use differences to capture their attention and engage them?

(Thanks to Online Degree Programs for the inspiration.)

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For more resources, see our Library topics Marketing and Social Networking.

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ABOUT Lisa M. Chapman:

Ms. Chapman’s new book, How to Make Money Online With Social Media: A Step-by-Step Guide for Entrepreneurs will be available very soon. With offices in Nashville Tennessee, but working virtually with international clients, Lisa M. Chapman serves her clients as a business and marketing coach, business planning consultant and social media consultant. As a Founder of iBrand Masters, a social media consulting firm, Lisa Chapman helps clients to establish and enhance their online brand, attract their target market, engage them in meaningful social media conversations, and convert online traffic into revenues. Email: Lisa @ LisaChapman.com

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Winter Feast for the Soul

A-young-woman-relaxed-and-meditating-in-her-room

What nine months does for the embryo
Forty early mornings
Will do for your growing awareness
— Jelaluddin Rumi

Starting on Jan. 15th people around the world will set their intention for personal and planetary peace. They will begin their mornings with 40 minutes of daily spiritual practice and continue this for 40 days. I invite you to join us as well in this “Winter Feast for the Soul”.

Winter Darkness

Perhaps you already start your day with some sort of meditation, prayer, journaling, or exercise. “Winter Feast for the Soul” invites you to go deeper during the dark winter months. Winter is a time of inner reflection, introspection, burrowing, and slower movement. This time is not an interlude between the fall and spring activity. It is a time that provides richness in the stillness. Time for quiet, inner reflection can be healing, holy, and transformative.

Setting the intention to add 40 minutes to your morning routine may not seem like a lot of fun. At least that’s how I felt when I first heard the idea two years ago. Yet I found that those extra minutes in the dark and quiet really did set my day with a better tone. By the time I got to work, I felt more grounded, calmer, open, and receptive.

Spiritual Practice

Your early morning practice can include anything that will help you clear your mind, find greater inner peace, expand your focus, or achieve more clarity. You can listen to peaceful music, meditation tapes, nature sounds. You can exercise if it’s meditative or introspective for you such as yoga, stretching, jogging, or walking. You can start a dream journal, draw, knit, watch the birds in your yard. The intention is to engage in some sort of introspection or spiritually oriented activity that will draw you closer to your Higher Power, the Source of your being.

From this place of inner peace and stillness, you’ll be able to carry that mindset and mood into your work. Imagine how much calmer, quieter, more deliberate you’ll be from this place of inner stillness. Things that upset you will not seem to jar you as much. Situations that seem like obstacles may reveal new possibility. You may see the path more clearly for decisions that have eluded you. As you find your own inner peace, you can then bring that peace to others at work.

Group Experience

You can gather to do a meditation or prayer with a friend who also is participating. I’ve found that I have enjoyed a group to do some sort of meditation once a week or every other week as a shared experience. Afterwards we provided time to reflect on the experience of our daily practice, to share what changes we’ve seen happen, to discuss what may be stirring over the 40 days.

There may even be a group in your community doing this. Go to the website to learn more:

The Mission of A Winter Feast for the Soul is to support individuals around the world in making a commitment to daily spiritual practice. A life grounded in daily practice is one that knows inner peace. It is that peace which will translate into peace throughout our lives and ultimately, to peace and healing for our planet.

We know that it only takes a few committed individuals to change the world. We are here to do that, and hope you will join us in this endeavor.

If you decide to do this practice, write here to let us know how you are experiencing it. If you have any tips or reflections on the benefits for you, please let us know.

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For more resources, see our Library topic Spirituality in the Workplace.

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Linda is an author, speaker, coach, and consultant. Go to her website www.lindajferguson.com to read more about her work, view video clips of her talks, and find out more about her book “Path for Greatness: Spirituality at Work” available on Amazon.

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Reality of Communication

ways of getting an effective communication

One bad quote can send you scrambling for crisis management

Boy, was last week a tough one for New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. With his city stung by a 20-inch blizzard, its sixth-worst on record, and massive delays in cleaning up the mess, “Mayor Mike” managed to put his foot in his mouth for what will likely not be the last time in his political career.

Saying Monday that #snowloko (Editor’s note: the Twitter shorthand for a huge snowstorm) was “inconvenient,” while urging New Yorkers to see a Broadway show (seemingly oblivious to the fact that millions of outer-borough residents were literally trapped in their homes — and would be for several days — because of his administration’s mismanagement and bungling of the cleanup effort) Bloomberg perfectly exemplified a new reality that is starting to emerge in crisis management in the digital age: words, much like images, can make or break you

This quote, taken from a PR Breakfast Club blog post by Keith Trivitt, is a fine example of the reality described – the amazing damage potential of a thoughtless comment. I would argue, though, that this new reality is not just starting to emerge, but has been blossoming for quite some time and is at an all-time high due to the rapid and easy mass communication opportunities provided by social media and mobile devices with unparalleled levels of Internet access.

With masses of E-reporters, both amateur and professional, constantly searching for the next attention-grabbing headline, a poor choice of words by your sleepy CEO on his way out the door could easily be broadcast and re-broadcast, circulated throughout the Web, and end up in eyeshot of a sizable number of your stakeholders before the next morning.

Doesn’t sound fun? The only way to prevent this type of incident is to make sure every member of your organization is aware of the impact that even seemingly insignificant statements can have, and take the time to set up regular media training sessions to hone the skills of your communicators and leadership.

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For more resources, see the Free Management Library topic: Crisis Management
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[Jonathan Bernstein is president of Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc. , an international crisis management consultancy, and author of Keeping the Wolves at Bay – Media Training.]

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A Strong Career Brand: Do You Have One?

Laptop displaying brand on the screen

brandingBranding is not only a marketing term to promote products. It can promote your career.

A strong career brand conveys your identity and distinctiveness as a professional or leader. It communicates the value you offer. If you have a weak or wrong brand, you will have a much harder time achieving your career goals and having the impact you want.

So how do you build a strong career brand?

1. Answer two important questions:

  • What do you want to be known for?
    Start with a large list of adjectives that describe your skills and personality traits. Then narrow it down to 3 to 5 words or phrases.
  • What results do you want to achieve in the next 12 months?
    Look ahead to the beginning of 2012, where do you want to be and what do you want to be doing?

2. Create your career brand.
Take the answers to the above two questions and put them into the following statement:”I want to be known for ______ so that I can ______”.

Here are two examples:
“I want to be known for my analytical ability to simplify complex information so that I can guide senior leadership in making the right decisions.”

“I want to be known for my leadership ability so that I can mobilize and coach my staff to exceed high performance standards.”

3. Determine if your career brand will work.

  • Does this brand identity best represent who I am and what I do?
  • Will it create value in the eyes of others (my boss, my clients, etc.?
  • What possible risks and opportunities are there in exhibiting this brand?
  • Do I need to change it or refine it to promote my career more effectively?

Are you on brand or off brand?

Now that you have a career brand, you must have the day-to-day discipline to make it real. Check with those around you to see if they perceive you as you wish to be seen? For example, if you say you’re flexible and approachable, do others find you so? Remember, a strong career brand takes time and effort to make it stick.

Do you want to develop Career Smarts?

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Capital Campaigns #14: Recognizing Your Leaders & Donors

A-capital-campaign-leader-and-a-donor

As noted earlier, the first official announcement of the campaign is about the person who has volunteered to Chair the Campaign and who has made a significant (pace-setting) commitment. That is one way in which the Chair is recognized.

The Chair, who is often (one of) the largest donor(s) to the campaign, is recognized initially by being asked to be the Chair. And, most/many other pieces of campaign and post-campaign publicity will include his/her name and how s/he has made a difference. The same, at appropriate levels, goes for all of the Division Leaders, Co-Chairs and Vice-Chairs

In addition, those leaders, who are likely major donors, get to decide what other formal recognition they’d like !! Yep, in a way, it’s their decision.

Recognition is not just a matter of putting up plaques or publishing lists, recognition must satisfy the needs of the leader/donor. Remember, in the Planning Study that was done to determine how a campaign would succeed, potential leaders and donors were also asked about the kind of recognition they thought would be appropriate.

So pay attention to the information you got from the Study. Listen to people !!

Recognition can be as simple as a handshake from the right person. It can be an inexpensive, unique gift (like a signed book or something made by someone served by the nonprofit, it can be a name on a brick, it can be almost anything … as long as it’s meaningful to the person being recognized.

Some folks do like to see their names on buildings, walls, equipment, the backs of seats at the opera, accomodations for the homeless animals, and in published lists of donors, etc., etc. You can name programs or parts of programs after major donors … or after someone they’d like to honor/remember. A creative person can come up with an extensive list of “naming opportunities.” Some folks don’t like that stuff !!

Even many anonymous donors want/need to be recognized – maybe not publicly, but in some fashion. Consider the (really anonymous) donor whose gift comes through a law firm – a narrative, of how that donor’s gift made a real impact, can be sent to the contact at the law firm for forwarding to the donor.

Although it’s highly unlikely, an effective recognition program may have as many ways of honoring/recognizing its leaders and major donors, as it has leaders and major donors!!

In essence, “Recognition” is a matter of satisfying people’s needs. The more people you can “recognize,” the more people will want to work with you and/or give to you in the future.

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Have a comment or a question about starting or expanding your fundraising program? Email me at AskHank@Major-Capital-Giving.com. With over 30 years of counseling in major gifts, capital campaigns, bequest programs and the planning studies to precede these three, we’ll likely be able to answer your questions.

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ONE Step to GREAT Listening

Young curious girl listening

How important is listening to your ability to be a better leader? A better team member? A better friend, sibling, sister-in-law, parent….well, you get the picture. Listening is one of our most important communication skills, something we do every day, and yet fewer than 5% of us ever take any training in it.

You might think we are already so good at listening we don’t need training, yet according to Inscape Publishing, publishers of the Personal Listening Profile®, people filter out or change the intended meaning of what they hear in 70% of all communication! Just think of what this is costing us all in time, money and trust in our relationships.

So what can you do to become a better listener? Try this ONE simple but oh-so-difficult step and see if it doesn’t make a huge difference in your ability to be a great listener. I am willing to bet it will.

Here it is: challenge yourself to avoid all distractions when you listen. Whether you are listening in a conversation, listening to a web cast training session, or having a live conversation with a friend or business colleague, you may find yourself distracted by your computer, your workspace, other conversations going on, even your own thoughts. And heaven help you if you are listening and driving. These distractions mean you are listening with only part of your brain, and you may find it difficult later to recall details or even the emotional context of your conversations.

It may be OK to watch the news while folding your laundry, but humans really aren’t wired to do multiple complex tasks at once. Ask John Medina, author of Brain Rules. He says:

“The brain is a sequential processor, unable to pay attention to two things at the same time. Businesses and schools praise multitasking, but research clearly shows that it reduces productivity and increases mistakes. Try creating an interruption-free zone during the day–turn off your email, phone, IM program, or Facebook–and see whether you get more done.”

Multi-tasking gets lots of good press these days, but it is just not a good idea for tasks as complex as listening. It is embarrassing to admit this, but I recently became aware of how poor my listening habits had become. I caught myself checking email while speaking on the phone, looking through papers or putting away dishes while chatting with loved ones. I didn’t mean to be rude, I was just busy. But it was rude. It wasn’t good listening. I decided I could do better.

So I made a deliberate decision to stop multi-tasking and really focus when listening to someone, whether on the phone or in person. It was more difficult than I had ever imagined! The urge to stand up, go get a drink of water, straighten some papers, or just check something on my computer was nearly overwhelming. The very first time I tried to have a conversation without doing something else was torture. I thought of at least 10 things to do, but stifled the urge to do most of them. (I might have gotten that glass of water.) The second conversation was worse; my husband called me on it; I was putting away dishes. Caught! The third time was enlightening: I was in a room with a land line and a corded telephone. It felt like a ball and chain, but I did stay put through the conversation. Slowly I have gotten better at focusing when I listen, and I continue working to build this new habit.

Like I said, it is oh-so-simple. But good listening requires you to focus. Yes, it is harder than it sounds. Try it, and let me know what you think. How do you eliminate distractions when you are listening?

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What’s Your Focus for 2011?

Young lady thinking-standing-focused on a thoughtful-pose

Over the past several weeks, I have been reading a lot about predictions and strategies for 2011. The predictions and strategies have a great deal of overlap and many focus on new legislation and an increased awareness of how the legal landscape and a new focus on enforcement of laws by the Department of Labor and the EEOC will impact your business. While this is very good advice and I would always encourage that you do a “legal check” from time to time, focusing solely on this in 2011 will continue to drive failures in your talent management. Please don’t misunderstand my message; I haven’t forgotten HR’s role in mitigating legal risk and the need to keep informed and updated on legislative changes. While this is critical in our role, focus on it shouldn’t be a tactic we employ because the government is stepping up its enforcement. Following the law should be everyday business.
Focusing on your talent management strategy should also be everyday business. For 2011, the one statistic I can’t get out of my head came from an article on CNN.com. The article cited a survey conducted by Manpower that found that 84% of employees will look for a new position in 2011. Take a moment. Let that sink in. Think of your talent. Your top talent is marketable. If 84% of them seek another position, it is likely at least 20% will find a position. So here’s how it might turn out for you. The talented folks find other employment and you are left with a staff of meets expectations. OR you do a great job with you talented folks, so your meets expectations folks leave because they are ignored. Either way, who stays? That’s right, the needs improvement crowd who you’ve ignored or have been too afraid or too busy to coach.

My advice for 2011, get busy with your talent and your legal issues if you have them. Don’t let anything go one more day without attention. Be the hero and get started.

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For more resources, See the Human Resources library.

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Sheri Mazurek is training and human resource professional with over 16 years of management experience, and is skilled in all areas of employee management and human resource functions, with a specialty in learning and development. She is available to help you with your Human Resources and Training needs on a contract basis. For more information send an email to smazurek0615@gmail.com or visit www.sherimazurek.com. Follow me on twitter @Sherimaz.

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Coaching Tip – 5 Sure Fire Ways to Ramp-Up Your Listening

Young curious girl listening

Listening is the primary tool in the coach’s toolbox. It is the foundation for developing rapport and producing an effective coaching session that yields results.

Here are 5 tips that will ramp-up your listening skills and enhance your communication:

1. Focus like a cat – notice how a cat has laser focus on their interests. They are keenly aware of what they hear and what they see. They are fully concentrating on their target.

2. Listen for key words – pay attention to the significant/important words you are hearing from the speaker – these are the doorways for understanding what is being said.

3. Repeat what you hear in your mind – when listening silently repeat each word that is said in order to stay connected to the message. When you notice your mind wonder, do it again.

4. Beware of assumptions – ask for clarification when you do not understand what is being said. Making an assumption can lead to misunderstandings.

5. Be authentic – others can tell if you are genuinely interested in what they have to say. They are able to tell if you are “really listening” or “faking listening”. When you “fake it” trust erodes and rapport diminishes.

What listening tips work well for you?

For more resources, see the Library topic Personal and Professional Coaching.

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Pam Solberg-Tapper MHSA, PCC – I spark entrepreneurial business leaders to set strategy, take action, and get results. How can I help you? Contact me at CoachPam@cpinternet.com ~ Linkedin ~ 218-340-3330

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Who Does What?

Crisis on a black background

Good crisis management means being prepared for the worst

Being well prepared beforehand is probably the number one way to minimize the impact of crises on your organization. While this may seem obvious, most are at a loss as to what steps to take to ensure this preparedness. In a recent post on the Preparis.com blog, Cassie Harman gave a good list of steps that should get anyone started thinking on the right path, including this one:

Who does what?

Decide who is going to be your primary company spokesperson (usually the CEO in a major crisis) as well as two backups, and provide them with crisis media training to help them communicate effectively and deal with the kind of challenging questions that they would be asked in a real crisis situation. Clearly define the role of other key executives, such as the president of the company, in both external and internal communications. Identify subject matter experts within your organization that may need to be called upon to provide specialized information relating to a particular topic, and ensure that your legal and PR departments or agencies are on board with your plan and are prepared to support the spokespeople during a crisis situation.

Especially with the speed at which information is expected to move these days, there is no time to make these decisions mid-crisis. By having every role assigned, you can react smoothly and decisively to the twists and turns that are bound to arise.

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For more resources, see the Free Management Library topic: Crisis Management
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[Jonathan Bernstein is president of Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc. , an international crisis management consultancy, and author of Keeping the Wolves at Bay – Media Training.]

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How to work like a team of superheroes

Businessman-dressed-like-superhero

What separates the greatest teams from the rest is their mix of talents and, crucially their understanding of one anothers’ strengths.

The Thunerdbird Charatcters
Fortunately Brains knew that flying wasn’t his greatest strength

When team building there are a number of questionnaires (or psychometrics) that can be used to help teams identify their strengths and preferences. When this information is used to assign roles and tasks true teams are formed.

All teams need a blend of the following: Continue reading “How to work like a team of superheroes”