Making a Change

Many business people want to implement a new idea, new service, improve the company culture, create more wealth, learn how to prioritize their business and on and on.....When they get serious about doing this, hiring a good coach can make the process easier to digest. Here are some helpful steps I guide my clients to do when creating change :

       - Ask yourself "Why?" - you want to get really clear of what the purpose/vision is behind this new focus. What will the benefit be for creating this change? How will it impact my life and my business? How will it How will you know if it's successful? What will be different? What will this change look like in six month, one-year, five-years?

       - What needs to happen? This is the Strategy Step. Get really clear and understand what your plan is and how long it will take to get it done. What's this going to cost me? How much time do I need to devote to this? Who else is involved? What is the message I want to convey to my staff, the market, etc.?

       - How (Implementation) Drill down all the details that need to be put in place as I create change; What are your timelines? Who is supporting me on this and how do I allocate my time? Who is holding me accountable?  Prioritize where your time is spent wisely and efficiently.

When you view change through this lens, the process will be much clearer, easier to manage and successful.

"Hair"

I got to see the musical "Hair" yesterday. The last performance on the road as they now go on to Broadway. Watching brought back memories of 1967 when it first came out. I got to see a version in California. I lived in Santa Cruz, California in those my formative years, the hot bed for the hippie, flower child movement. It's interesting in that I was not a hippie (my half-sister was). My finance (and then husband) decided to go into the Army and become an Army officer after college so we were far removed from the Love/Peace movement. We were stationed outside of Washington DC in 1969 when the peace protests were in full swing. Bus loads of love children were descending on the city in mass to protest the war. We had to be very low-key as military people. But I loved the music, the colors, the free-spirit of the people but I also felt somewhat removed.  I really didn't learn to appreciate this segment of history for many years until I was older and wiser.

Since I do a lot of leadership work with generations, this period impacted the Generation X as it was filled with all sorts of controversy for the United States - Vietnam War, Racial Integration, assassinations of key people, etc. The kids born from 1965 to 1989 experienced the fall out and results of all this controversy and new ways of living in our country. Generation X is a small generation but one that looks at life with a little more hesitation, questioning, feeling squeezed in the middle of two giant generations - Baby Boomer parents and Millennials. They are now filling management and leadership positions and are tolerant of Baby Boomers but impatient with the Generation Y - Millennials. Great opportunity to help bridge the gap between them; to help them understand that factors occurring when we all were growing up helped form who we are today and we can get along and be better at communicating, collaborating and sharing with patience and tolerance.There is a spot for everyone, it's just getting people to agree that work needs to be done on improving how we get along and work together.

Leadership - Generational Differences

Men and Women in Leadership – More Generational Driven

After much research into leadership styles, gender traits and generational issues, we determined that while there are leadership differences between male and female leaders, they are more similar than different from the Baby Boomers to the younger generations.  However, one thing that did become much clearer is that the most noticeable differences in leadership are not gender but generational driven.

The Traditionalists is the oldest generation in the work place today. The most prevalent characteristic of this generation is that the men typically were the leaders and the traditional role of women was to stay home and be the nurturer or if they worked, they were nurses, teachers, majored in the Liberal Arts in college, worked in retail or were in administrative jobs.

Differences do exist between the men and women who are leaders today, primarily due to their life experiences and expectations.  This article will focus on the Baby Boomer, Generation X and Generation Y leaders.  The underlying value systems of the  Baby Boomer generation are the same and as a result they both lead from nearly identical perspectives. 

While these differences originally distinguished male and female leaders, we have seen a merging of these styles into a blend of the best. Many of the traits that were once considered reflective of male leaders are starting to be expressed in a uniquely female approach. Likewise, traits that were once considered strictly female are often seen now in their male counterparts.  A good example of this was Edmund Muskie’s presidential primary campaign which was derailed when vicious articles about his family brought him to tears and ended his opportunity to be elected.  Yet recently the new House Majority Leader openly wept on national TV when discussing some of his most passionate issues with only a few minor repercussions. Today it is not unusual to find male leadership described as “humble” and focused on strengthening their listening and communication skills as well as visibly supporting staff members.  Women are also learning how to rely on their own strengths and, while continuing to listen to all discussions, asking “what’s your point” or “what’s the bottom line”.  As more women move into the “C” level positions and men grasp the value of many female leadership traits, they are collectively coming closer together in what it means to lead from a Baby Boomer perspective.

The generation of managers that are just beginning to emerge as leaders have a very different view of what it means to lead a company.The Gen X members have a very different understanding and expectation of even the most fundamental issues of leadership.

Gen X leaders come from the global perspective of wanting to make lives better, find solutions and opportunities that make society better while also benefitting the organization. They have no bias as to gender and accept leaders whether male or female; leadership is based on the expressed “passion to lead” rather than on expectations or the justification of having earned it.  The legitimacy of their leadership approach is based more on actions that have been taken and the results that have been achieved.  They tend to see the hierarchy of the Baby Boomer command and control as a hindrance and will minimize corporate formalities including offices and titles.  Internally they tend to focus on their career path yet their leadership is focused on finding solutions that have a broader benefit to society while being beneficial to the company. 

Since this is the first generation that “grew-up” with technology, they embrace it as one of the primary solutions to problems and opportunities, as well as the primary means of communication.  The emotions associated with leadership are often expressed through the numerous acronyms and abbreviations used in their technology communications.

While members of the Gen Y generation are already displaying traits that will set them even further apart from the Baby Boomers and separate them from Gen X leaders this population is still too young to provide a comprehensive understanding of their leadership traits.  Their overall focus appears to be on what they can expect to get out of a corporate position and will demand “meaningful” work no matter what position they hold.  Leadership in their view is not given; it must be purposeful and earned and those that have emerged as leaders are passionate about ensuring a tolerance for diversity in any organization they are part of. 

These individuals have been labeled stimulus “junkies” because of the multiple technological programs that have always been part of their lives.  They also tend to be blunt and expressive in their emotions and communication styles, whether the communication is done verbally or through technical means.

Research, while providing concepts and ideas, can be misleading if not validated in the environment in which it was originated.  In order to determine if these findings truly reflected what is going on in the workplace, we questioned some leaders to see if what we had found was reflected in the workplace. 

Almost unanimously those we spoke to emphasize those differentiators between men and women that were once commonly found are disappearing.  Whether due to mentoring, experience or other factors, male and female leaders are addressing issues in a similar fashion.  There was also a consensus that gaining experience and understanding the organization and an industry were critical to leadership; a trait that is consistent with the Baby Boomer generation.  Baby Boomers bring experience and tenure.  When faced with a problem Baby Boomers want to know the root cause before they try to fix it.  It’s important to know what was wrong with how it was done before.  Baby Boomers want to dig in; to understand the problems. Both male and female leaders listen to staff and coworkers ideas, and frequently bring them into discussions about identifying problems and solutions.

 

The Gen X and Ys have passion for the environment and one of their focuses is to be socially responsible.  Gen X and Gen Y also have parents who instilled work ethics in them; the ideal of doing it right.  Their use of technology as a communication tool is as important to them as working in a team environment. 

We looked at web sites from companies that were led by Baby Boomers and Gen X members.  These sites reflected the leadership values seen in their respective generations.  The mission, as stated by the Baby Boomer lead company was focused on making the company better so that it could help make society better.  This, they stated, would be accomplished through a strong work ethic, daily improvement and self-discipline.  On the other site, that of the company lead by Gen X members,mission statements focused on making lives better, maintaining profitability and having fun.  Both of these sites clearly include what is expected of everyone on a daily and on-going basis.  Both are successful companies.  However, the focus from which they make their statement is vastly different

While we began this article with the assumption that a female leader’s style would be very different, what we found instead was that they would have been nearly identical to a male’s leadership style in the Baby Boomer generation.

The male and female Baby Boomers are becoming much more consistent in their leadership approach; how does their leadership style fit with the more open Gen X approach?  Gen X is more open to new ideas, value the use of technology and see their responsibility to advance the greater good. On the down side Gen X are not concerned with “paying their dues” nor do they see the value in maintaining loyalty to any particular company. Because they use technology as the primary means of communication, their ability to form and retain relationships is questionable which most considered a significant problem since building relationships is critical to success. Overall they approach leadership as not a making the right decisions, but more of what’s the best solution. 

In order to take advantage of the best of all leadership styles there must be a conscious effort to tackle the issues that can keep people apart.  One of the most critical things we need to do is open the lines of communication between all generations and listen to what each is saying.  More importantly we need to do so with an understanding that we are coming at the issues from a very different view point, than of the Baby Boomer and Traditionalist generations.  Generation X and Generation Y have to understand the value of older generation experiences. 

And speaking of communication, Baby Boomers need to appreciate and learn how technology can reshape the way we do business, not see it just as a tool to support existing processes.  Gen X and Gen Y need to learn how to develop relationships and understand the value of personal connections.  

Baby Boomers, Gen X and Gen Y need to understand how to manage and motivate people that are not of their generation since for the first time in history four different generations will be working in the same workplace. 

It is not an easy task to change decades-long programs, policies and processes.  If these diverse groups are to work together to lead us into a new business environment in the coming years, they must learn how to overcome these differences.  There is still a long way to go in embracing and building the acceptance of multiple leadership styles that are a critical part of moving companies forward. 

About the Authors (next page)

Barbara Perino, CPCC, ACC  An Executive Coach, I help companies bridge the gap between the generations . bjperino@coachbjp.com

Rebecca Walzak, CQM  A consultant in the area of operational risk management, she is a 30-year veteran in risk management, operations and mortgage servicing environments.  Becky@rjbwalzak.com.

Watching A House Being Taken Apart

Behind our condo building is a large home that is being dismantled. There are new owners (younger couple with children) who just purchased this house which sat on the market for over three years. I don't know whether they will move in or sell as an investor. The former owners where elderly and probably wanted to move into something smaller and more secure for their retirement years, who knows? The house was a bit dated - green shutters, faded awnings, white wrought iron doors, gravel driveway, etc. As the workers pull off the shutters, break down the balconies, pull old flooring and tile out of the house, I wonder how this house served the past owners. What joys and family celebrations rang in these walls. I used to see carloads of people stop by on the holidays over the years. I know there is a pool and a lovely private backyard that served as a play area for kids, barbecuing, family gatherings. If this house could talk, what would it say?

As the house is being updated and changed, new experiences will fill the house with different energy, different people with different styles, life experiences, etc. I am excited to see how it will look when it's complete and who shows up regularly.

High School Graduation 2011

We just got back from Pittsburgh, PA where we attended my granddaughter Rachel's graduation from high school. Lots of memorable moments this past weekend. First she got her bellybutton pierced as one of her gifts (done before we got there). Secondly, she was awarded a scholarship to play volleyball at a local college next year. Third, her class of 2011 was the first graduating class for Center Valley HS which is a school made up of two high schools who merged. New mascot, new school colors, new leaders. Fourth, she also got her driver's license on Saturday.

The whole experience made me think back on my graduation in the 60's in California. What a difference a few decades make!!!!!!  We got our driver's license the day we turned 16. Now the kids wait longer, no rush to get it. What's the same - wearing caps and gowns and the tassel ceremony. Pomp and Circumstance is still played as the seniors walk into the auditorium. Speeches made by leaders,Valedictorians (2) and Salutatorians (2). No longer is it required that the graduates attend the Baccalaureate ceremony the week before - now an option. We had to attend ours back in the day. Rachel attended a locked down party in the school that ran all night - sponsored by the parents. We just went out to dinner afterwards and then attended private parties. As far as piercings - very few people wore piercings other than in their ears in the 60s. I didn't get mine pierced until I was in my 20's.  One thing that really surprised me was that the yearbooks aren't handed out until the end of summer. We had such fun getting it the week before the school year ended so you could collect as many signatures as we could and get/write messages from our friends, the teachers, whoever. I took video and camera shots at Rachel's graduation using my smart phone and digital camera. At my graduation, we had the old Brownie Kodak camera which had to have the film developed at the local drugstore and you waited for a few days to get the pictures back. This weekend I simply uploaded the pictures and video to Facebook within minutes.

Memories like these are precious and since I work with multi-generations in the workplace, great stories to share and fond memories; helping people understand how things change as time goes on and how important it is to remember the simple things that stood out as we move from one chapter to the next in our lives.

Carrots, Eggs or Coffee Beans Movie

Carrots, Eggs or Coffee Beans Movie: "All of us at one time or another have experienced a difficult situation, had setbacks, or dealt with our share of disappointment. Most things that happen to us on a daily basis we can’t control and I can honestly say (with conviction) that it is not what happens to us that matters but rather, how we choose to respond."