The Millennials are Different Use Those Differences to Your Organization’s Benefit Chapter 7 of 7

“There are many things I wish someone would’ve told me before I started my career and emerged into adulthood. I wish someone who have told me that it’s impossible to separate your life from your career, no matter how much you try.” – Adunola Adeshola Contributor @ Forbes

 Remember what we have learned from the previous articles about the sociological and psychological make-ups of Millennials?

Primarily, this generation has certain behavioral traits and expectations that are well ingrained based on their parental and societal upbringing. Their definition of a “sense of satisfaction” can be defined in three specific ways:

• They seek to “make a difference” in the world, as many of us did. However, they will engage with anyone at any level who can or will help them accomplish this outcome. Their social, supervisory and management skills are influenced by their technology rather than day-to-day social interactions.  Therefore, they can be lacking in social and interpersonal skills and they can be hyperactive and always in a hurry to “git ‘er done!”
• They want to make a “real contribution” to an employer’s mission, vision, and strategies. But they need to believe in the organization’s mission, vision, and values.  To engage them appropriately, you (the manager, owner, executive) must clearly articulate and explain your expectations in a well-written and defined job description, explain how you will measure their accomplishments, and clearly state what is not allowed behaviorally;
• They want to be “innovators”, leading their organizations to do things smarter, faster and better than anyone else. And they believe that they are the only ones who can do it. They want it all, and they want it now!

As Boomers and Xers, “realistic and pragmatic survivors” of the real business world, we have become skeptics and cynics in many regards. We have survived many social, economic, and political situations that the Millennials can’t even conceive of.

Although 60% of the future workforce will be Millennials, there are still plenty of Boomers and Gen-Xers in management positions who will do the hiring. It is best for us all to figure out how to work together through a collaborative approach thus, the Collaborative Informed Consent process.

On the positive side, Millennials can be:

• True believers in organizations and businesses where they work, if they see opportunities to accomplish “their needs and meet their ambitions”. Ambition is good. The flip side of this is that they believe they know much more about their (and often your) field of expertise than you do and will continually search and research different approaches, consultants and “experts” on the Internet for you.
• Desirous of global work experience – they cherish such experience but remember that they will often need to be coached and counseled in diplomacy and process.
• Technology savvy. They embrace the available gigabytes of processing power and interconnectivity because it affords channels of technological collaboration.
• They have the energy to burn and are often hyperactive.

 As we learn to appreciate what the Millennials can offer, we need to understand that most Millennials will not last much longer than 3-5 years with any organization. They expect to change jobs many times, perhaps 5-10 times, in their lives.

Choosing to leave the company, or your family business for greater challenges and go “where they are appreciated and can fulfill their needs and ambitions” doesn’t mean that they are not valuable during their time with us.

Just don’t expect them to be there for the long haul.

The evolved Millennial sees each new job as an opportunity and learning experience in the building blocks of their resume and life.

Some of the insecurity and angst of Boomers and GenXers comes from the fact that many of the M-Generation would take our jobs tomorrow if offered because it simply looks like fun.

It doesn’t take them long to feel that they have learned all they need to learn in their current position. It’s nothing personal; it’s just the way they think.

Grunt work, teamwork, and collaboration with other generations are interesting to them only if they can do so technologically. So utilize this to the fullest degree.

We are not saying that it will be easy for us Boomers and GenXers to work with Millennials. Yet it can be accomplished with members of the M-Generation who are open to mentoring, coaching and counseling by the “old gray hairs.”

If we can tap into the fact that The Millennials truly want to “make a difference” by tackling big issues within our organizations such as poverty, environmental cleanup, best practices in management, or environmental sustainability, we can gain their respect and better utilize their talents.

Innovation, especially in the areas of digital communication and technology, is what they seek.  This is where they shine.  We need to acknowledge and appreciate this while also making sure that they allow us to guide them in understanding social and management style differences.

Getting along with each other and respecting our different generational styles can only help us all achieve what we want to achieve. Let them have free rein in innovating to a certain point, but make it very clear that “they” must respect (as “we” will) social and management style differences so that we can all just “get along” for the greater good.

They will need coaching and mentoring in face-to-face social skills and we owe it to them to help them develop in this area. They are “texters” and have issues with interpersonal relationships.

There are several things that we can do to satisfy the particular kind of meaning that Millennials wants to feel in their work.

First, Millennials want to be heard.

Like it or not, Millennials have ideas and opinions about the organization from day one.  They want their ideas about the mission, the work, and the way to get things done to be taken seriously.

The traditional response in many organizations, “This is just the way it is done around here” simply opens the door to them to give you their alternatives, opinions, ideas, and suggestions in an unproductive way.

I recommend you be prepared to capture their ideas and suggestions because you might just learn something from their insight that benefits everyone and improves your project.

The need to be heard is not unique to just this generation.

Everyone wants to be heard and taken seriously. What makes Millennials different from other generations is that they want to be heard from day one before they have earned the privilege in the eyes of their older colleagues.

We waited… until we had gained experience, or understood the project, or had the gravitas to deal with the political, community, management or organizational implications of the situation…before we expected to be heard.

The good news is that research shows they are less concerned about whether their ideas are accepted or not. They simply want the opportunity to speak.

We recommend that you make it a consistent behavior to ask your M-Generation new hire what she thinks about an idea or an issue under discussion. Remember you are under no obligation to act on her ideas or comments.

However, listen enough and closely, and you actually may hear something insightful and valuable and worthy of integration.

The new hire will feel fully engaged simply because you asked for her input. And who amongst us doesn’t appreciate being asked?

Millennials also want to hear from you, and they want it immediately – not in annual service reviews.

These folks need and want more feedback about their work so that they know they are making positive contributions.

We all feel this way regardless of our generation; however, Millennials want immediate, as in “right now”, feedback not just annually but daily in some cases. This will be tiring and even exhausting yet this is what our research shows.

Those of us in the older generations are generally content with feedback through structured reviews with supervisors periodically throughout the year.

For Millennials, though, feedback based on clearly defined and explained expectations, and clearly articulated job descriptions should follow closely on particular projects or accomplishments. If you think about it, this makes a certain amount of sense.

So, “chill”, all you Boomers and Xers, you don’t have to follow these new hires around all day, reviewing every little task they complete.   Rather, integrate and adopt the consistent behavior of offering the Millennial brief evaluative comments in the midst of his work and pointing out how his efforts relate to the larger mission and vision.

Another thing to remember is that Millennials want to express themselves through their work and will do so often very creatively.

Boomers and Xers have placed greater emphasis on accomplishment as the primary means of self-expression.

For Millennials, how they do their work is just as expressive as what they accomplish.

Expect to hear them say “what an awesome” job they have done because they believe their accomplishments are “awesome”.

The authors of The M-Factor note this is a generation with an intuitive sense of “personal branding.” Sure, everyone has an iPhone they say, but no one has an iPhone case just like mine.

Being unique and being noticed are powerful motivators for Millennials. One way to do this is to give them room to put their own creative stamp on their work, whether it is the décor of their workspace or the design of a newsletter, the creation of a new website, or the Internet marketing.

Another way is to let them own something, a project or responsibility, which is fully in their control and means a great deal to them. Proceed very cautiously and allow them opportunity to grow one small project at a time.

In summary, we have examined Millennials and their expectations about the workplace from several different viewpoints:

• Their relationship with their parents;
• Their sense of entitlement;
• Their need for speed and connectivity to the wired world;
• And their desire for meaning of their work and life.

For each of these areas, we have offered insight and ideas for “negotiating” through the challenges and taking advantage of the opportunities we will face in working with The M-Generation.

To be most effective at this interaction, and to supervise them, we must work smarter by understanding the unique and different behaviors and traits that are relatively fixed and permanent in this generation.

Don’t waste your time or their time asking how to change them. Accept their strengths and weaknesses for what they are. Realistically consider what behaviors you choose to challenge and what behaviors you will accommodate, and then make it absolutely clear what your expectations are.  Be prepared to negotiate with them.

It’s important to define sensible, well-articulated, and mutually understood boundaries, standards and expectations for these new hires to live up to and abide by.

However, it’s equally important to learn how to adapt to what they want and need, if they are to be productive in the workplace.

Once you negotiate a balance between challenge and accommodation, you must then negotiate with the Millennials to focus on releasing the exceptional gifts and talents that the generation can bring to the workplace.

Most importantly, as the authors of The M-Factor summarize in their practical wisdom and with which I totally agree:

• Keep learning.
• Stay resilient and flexible.
• Maintain a sense of humor.
• Find a way to center yourself and remain calm.

This generation will bring unique talents to the workplace. Find the time and patience to utilize them.

The END of this book and the beginning of your adventure …

Dr. L. Darryl Armstrong

L. Darryl ARMSTRONG and Associates Behavioral Public Relations LLC

http://www.ldarrylarmstrong.com

270.619.3803

 

 

 

Millennials are Wired to Network Chapter 5 of 7

“Recently a client of mine said, “What we need is a strategic plan!” This same client and his colleagues at the time were going through Patrick Lencioni’s Five Dysfunctions of a Team training with me. I held my tongue and eventually quietly said, “You first have to break down silos and work as a team before even thinking about building a strategic plan, if you are going to be successful.” What we often find is, Millennials want to jump in front of the train instead of boarding it for the ride to the station. – Dr. L. Darryl Armstrong

What Baby Boomers and GenXers can learn from Millennials about being “wired?”

Born into the digital world, M-Generation employees are wired for speed and constant connection. Connected to friends, family, and even strangers, they are masters of multitasking for immediate information gathering often bouncing off the walls like a ball bearing shot into a steel plated room.

When technology becomes obsolete, they rid themselves of it immediately for the latest upgrade. The replacement is  always the newest, fastest, slimmest and most fashionable.

Even though Boomers and GenXers are technologically savvy, we are awed by the ease with which Millennials navigate the complex and ever-changing digital terrain.

While you and I may “surf” YouTube occasionally, a Millennial will make and post his own movie in an hour and link it to everyone on his LinkedIn account.

Although we marvel at his skills, we also recognize the dark side of such technology and the impact that digital immediacy and constant connectivity can have on our employees and their audiences at large.

As Baby Boomers and Gen-Xers, we’re concerned that the Instantaneous, perpetual availability of friends and entertainment means that an M-Generation employee could be slacking off instead of working. We can’t believe it’s possible to be productive and wired-in at the same time.

How she can get any work done with the music playing constantly in her earphones? Has the informality of social media left Millennials unmindful to professional workplace etiquette, appropriate styles of communications, and the boundaries between professional and personal information?

Lancaster and Stillman in the M-Factor book point out our concerns that the continual flow of digital content is eroding the M-generations’ attention spans and impairing their ability to concentrate.

We’re concerned that the Millennials have no criteria for distinguishing what is authoritative information from what is just one blogger’s opinion.  Do they even understand that this is an important distinction?

Observing these digital natives, we may overly focus on their devices and the strange behaviors they conjure – heads buried in screens, fingers clicking out texts, and eyes darting around dozens of images per minute. These things, though, are outward expressions of what could be the defining personality of the Millennial generation – the concept of continuous collaboration.

“The M- Factor” predicts that the Millennial generation will be known as the “Great Collaborators”.  And this can be a good thing.

For the M-Generation, work is usually a team sport and isolation from friends, family, and coworkers is the worst! Remember the TV-show Friends? The analogy here is most appropriate.

When you see them plugged into their devices, remember that they are probably using that device to connect with someone, to communicate something that matters to them, or to attend to a community of their own making, all of which may be business related.

Reconciling yourself to your M-Generation employee’s constant immersion in the digital world may begin with this recognition. To prevent conflict and crisis from developing, develop a greater appreciation for your wired and constantly plugged in employee so that you can make his weird, wired ways work for you.

Find a project that is a perfect match for his interests and his technical know – how. Let him drive it as fast as he wants. You may pick up a few new tricks and learn something about social media yourself.

This also may result in a teachable moment if his enthusiasm, efficiency, and innovations collide with organizational traditions, protocols, and habits. You can demonstrate how “faster is not always better”.

Finally, it is important to develop the habit of assessing an M-Generation’s work based on what she produces, not by how she spends her time. Between dramatic changes in educational paradigms and the rapid evolution of technology in the past 20 years, your new hire’s ways of being productive may not bear any resemblance to your ways of being productive. The completed project, however, is what matters.

He may spend more time at the coffee shop than at his desk. Based solely on casual observation, you can’t tell whether he is working or playing. You wonder about his work ethic when he outsources tasks and assignments to friends, family, or even large groups of online acquaintances.

As a supervisor, you could insist that he conform to a work style that looks more productive to you. However, a better alternative is to evaluate his performance based on criteria that you can both agree on, namely, well-defined outcomes. In other words, you must negotiate an arrangement that meets both parties’ needs.

Let your M-Generation employee know what needs to be accomplished when, and do this in an upfront, direct, and clear way and ensure they have a well-written and they understand their job description.

Then step back and let him tackle it in his own “unique and wired” way. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Millennials Want Meaning for Their Work – Part 6

Three Key Strategies to Minimize Conflict and Prevent Crisis with the M-Generation in the Work Place Chapter 4 of 7

“… most Millennials enjoy being coached and mentored – remember they had a unique relationship with their parents and teachers in this regard. Offer them pointers and tips on workplace etiquette. You will probably find that they are grateful for advice that will help them move up the professional ladder and achieve the greater responsibilities that they want.  It can be a win-win situation.” – Lancaster and Stillman The M-Generation

You have hired, or if you run family businesses you may have “inherited” a member(s) of the M-Generation also known as a Millennial.  You probably realize that it is essential  you to better understand some of the behaviors, values and perspectives that this new hire may exhibit.

You may already have found some level of challenge and frustration.  Let’s looks at the key criteria necessary to minimize conflict and enhance performance in the workplace when working with Millennials.

• First, when recruiting and interviewing don’t promise more than you can deliver. When hiring a member of the M-Generation, be realistic about the work that he/she will do.
• Present a potential M-Generation employee with an exact description of the job. You want to make sure that he/she understands that the job may not include conducting the weekly briefings or managing upwards, or running the company just yet.
• Second, take advantage of the positive view of the M-Generation’s desire to do more and to tackle larger responsibilities. Take advantage of their eagerness and strong desire to be involved, and reward these traits whenever you can.
• Some assignments by nature are off limits to M-Generation new hires. After all, with their need to share information and lack of understanding about confidentiality, letting them handle business sensitive information is probably not an option early on in their orientation. However, look for projects that require attention and with information that can be shared. Be clear and direct in your explanations.
• Always give M-Generation employees specific parameters to work within, clarify what they will be held accountable for, what the schedule and deadline is, and then let them engage.

 

Finally, determine what “reward” is in the M-Generation new hire’s mind. What you and I perceive as “rewards” is often very different than what they see.  It may be hard to for you to embrace the “level of praise” that has dominated Millennials’ lives. Remember that this immediate reward concept has been “hard-wired” and reinforced constantly and consistently in their young lives.

“I wish someone would have told me that there will be soul-crushing frustrations and soul-smashingly beautiful moments, and sometimes they will occur all at once. I wish someone would’ve told me that you will have to figure out your career, your finances, your current experiences, your childhood traumas, your relationships and your friendships all at once, there’s no one by one.” – Adunola Adeshola Contributor @ Forbes

For the Millennial, rewards don’t have to be big to be meaningful. A simple gesture will go a long way. Recently in talking with an Assistant Chief of Police, he told me his Millennials want to be called by their first names, asked about their family (yes, you will need to remember the wife’s name and the kids’ names), and they want to be praised for being to work on time.

Rewards for Millennials should be “personal and tailored” to the individual. For example, one supervisor told us that he had a new hire who was a Starbuck’s junkie. So he gave him a gift card to the coffee shop where he buys his morning coffee.

Here is a scenario suggested by the authors of the M-Factor. If your Millennial puts in long hours on the congregation’s fundraiser for a local women’s shelter, ask her to be the one to present the check to the shelter’s director. She will be very happy.

We have learned much from B. F. Skinner and Pavlov about Skinnerian approaches to behavioral psychology over the years. It is also true for Millennials. The closer the reward follows the work, the greater impact it will have on their future performance and behavior.

Baby Boomers and GenXers are often confused and bewildered by the simple things that Millennials don’t know about living and working as an adult.

Research shows that the most common problems include unfamiliarity with workplace etiquette, what are appropriate communication venues, and what boundaries should exist between professional, personal and private matters.

As an example, Lancaster and Stillman note that you might have a casual dress policy for your church office, and yet be disconcerted by your M-Generation intern’s choice of board shorts and flip-flops for the weekly staff meeting. He may truly think this is appropriate.  You will need to tell him that it is not…in a tactful manner, write and communicate your policy on a regular basis. Yes, Millennials just like all of us will slip back into their old behaviors.

Or perhaps, you left a voice mail for Ms. Millennial expressing concerns about an upcoming project and asked her to call you as soon as possible. Instead, she sent a reply via text to your cell phone, complete with indecipherable abbreviations and emoticons. While you appreciate the fact that you can reach her quickly day or night by text or email, you wonder if she is a bit too relaxed about keeping the office hours that you agreed on. Plus you don’t know what the heck she is talking about in that text.

Millennials are “texters” often times because they don’t have the necessary social skills to inter-relate. Often you will find them jittery in meetings, always searching their phone, and texting when they should be listening.

However, our biggest concerns may be associated with the M-Generations’ use of social media. Often Millennials are not discrete about what they post on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. The photos and comments they may put online after a weekend beach trip with their college buddies may cause you some alarm.

To deal with this behavior and not exacerbate the situation or create high blood pressure for yourself, you must learn to accept that is the new “norm” while learning how to negotiate a mutually acceptable working arrangement with these employees.

Does this mean we will just have to agree with such behavior? No.

Although we believe these “folks” should know this stuff already, they don’t. The smart thing to do is to understand the Millennial sense of what is appropriate. Then take the time to communicate the guidelines and rules – written and unwritten – for professional etiquette and interaction in your organization.

So, we recommend you start right now. Create your organization’s list of guidelines and rules. This will save time and aggravation later. You will not know what your M-Generation new hire doesn’t know until you see his/her blind spots and inexperience in action.

Each M-Generation employee is teaching you something about the assumptions that she and her peers are bringing into the workplace. This experience makes you better equipped to train her successors. Prepare now to do a lot of coaching as new situations arise, even though you can’t believe coaching on a particular point of etiquette is necessary.

The upside to all of this is that most Millennials enjoy being coached and mentored – remember they had a unique relationship with their parents and teachers in this regard. Offer them pointers and tips on workplace etiquette. You will probably find that they are grateful for advice that will help them move up the professional ladder and achieve the greater responsibilities that they want.  It can be a win-win situation.

Millennials Teach Us About Networking and Are Always Doing It – Part 5 

 

 

What is the Single Greatest Complaint Leveled Against Millennials? Chapter 3 of 7

“Yes, I am entitled to apply for a vice president’s job. I was a community organizer for two years and have been here a year already!” – A Millennial 

What is the singular greatest complaint leveled against Millennials? Many employers would say that this generation sees each new undertaking with a “sense of entitlement” that is entirely out of proportion to their age and experience. After all, as the M-generation sees it, shouldn’t they at least be allowed to apply for a vice president of the company where they have worked for one year? After all, a community organizer can become president.

They are not taking into consideration that this president had a law degree and was a law professor for 12 years before he was a three-time State Senator, and a U.S. Senator for two years  before he ran for the office.

Simply, from childhood, the M-Generation has developed a reputation for “being overconfident and spoiled.” They expect praise (even coming to work on time to them is an important recognition) long before they have earned it. Also, remember they probably have no understanding or appreciation for the reporting and accountability hierarchy in an organization let alone what I took to build the organization.

As the authors of “The M-Factor” say, “This generation shows signs of being far too impressed with their own value and importance.”

Now, before you beat me with the proverbial wet noodle of indignation, I acknowledge this trait is tempered by individual personalities. While one Millennial may exude “cockiness and arrogance” that turns off even his/her peers, another one is a model of humility.

Authors do say that anecdotal evidence, along with the general trends, suggests that at some point you will shake your head in disbelief at the unreasonable expectations you have just discovered in your new employee.   Despite their intelligence and competency in many areas, the Millennial has a lot to learn.  But, in a different time in a different way, didn’t we all?

Let’s examine a few generalized expectations you may encounter so you will be prepared.

• Millennials may expect to advance quickly. Once they have mastered their current responsibilities, they want to be promoted to higher positions or greater responsibility NOW.
• They often have a very low tolerance for the mundane work that usually falls to the lowest rung of the workplace ladder. They don’t understand the concept of seniority, and to them, that is an anathema of their value system. They value capability over experience and believe that a fresh, young perspective is always more valuable than the tried and true methods of the “old gray heads”.
• The ideas of “doing your time” within a role and job and “paying your dues” just do not make sense to them and are at odds with their expectations. The kind of work and status that M-Generation new hires are likely to encounter in any job may not be to their liking.
• Many employers, when they encounter the M-Generation employee’s high expectations and impatience with their low status, are tempted to conclude that he/she is just plain “spoiled rotten”.

As a path to understanding, let’s consider how we acted out our own social norms of the 1960s and 70s and were complacent to “climb the ladder” appropriately by gaining experience and education.  The M-Generation new hire and his peers are simply acting out the social norms and experiences and examples that have thus far shaped their lives.

Many behavioral psychologist and sociologists have concluded that one prevailing norm for the Millennial has been the constant availability of choice. Simply, in all aspects of life, at home, at school, in extra-curricular activities and even the marketplace, they often could choose their experiences. Everything from what playlists they might load to their I-pod to what reading list they preferred in high school or college was a personal choice. For them, their world has been easily customizable.  It is going to be a shock to some of them to find out that life is not always that way.

In my mind, members of this generation can be overly-sensitive, overly critical, and hyper-active to the point that focus to get something done without “chasing the squirrel” can be detrimental. This can certainly be a factor in their employment lives. For example, there were college students who were appalled at “chalk drawings of presidential candidates” on the sidewalks. Few employers are expecting or prepared to deal with an employee reduced to crying over inanimate objects and even fewer are going to provide “safe spaces,” cookies and hot chocolate when something upsets one of their new hires.

Let’s remember that many of the parents of the M-Generation believed and practiced that praise and self-esteem were the first priorities in parenting and teaching realms. The child learns that if you play on the little league baseball team, you get a trophy for showing up. Turn in your homework, and get a gold star for turning something in with your name on it regardless of the content. Quit the debate team in a huff, then talk your way back on it because you want to show how important you are and deserve a second chance.

While effort is important and trying your best is important, life, and certainly, the business world does not necessarily hand out trophies for these worthy attributes.

Millennials often hear “You can accomplish whatever you want in life” hundreds of times by the times they are adults The flip side of that coin is that hard work, perseverance, and some luck are usually the prerequisites. The family business you are about to inherit it came from the hard work, perseverance and yes some luck. And, even with all that in place, there is still no guarantee.  Millennials may have a hard time grasping this. 

Granted it will be difficult to alter the high expectations about choice, and the need for quick and constant affirmation, of the typical Millennial.   Many employers may see it as impossible!  But fear not – there are ways to approach your new hire’s expectations that will minimize conflict and frustration while utilizing their potential.

Next: Minimizing conflict and crisis when dealing with a Millennial – Part 4

 

 

 

 

How to Effectively Work with the M-Generation Chapter 2 of 7

 “To prevent or manage a crisis, focus on learning as much as possible as soon as possible so that you will be able to build relationships with the people who could be impacted. This includes customers, employees, and social media followers. If you do this, you will find yourself communicating with the right people at the right time and in the right place.” – Dr. L. Darryl Armstrong, Bluegrass Public Relations Society Speech

In Chapter One of this series, we gave some general behavioral insights into the M-Generation, the people born between 1982-2000, who are currently entering the work place. In this chapter, we will look at the common characteristics that further define this generation and how to effectively deal with them.

As Baby Boomers and GenXers, our parents invariably worked hard and often long hours to provide us a better life. Parental involvement was limited, and our parents trusted us to our teachers and coaches, pastors and Sunday school teachers.

Parents came to ballgames, plays and special events. We knew that if the principal or teacher called our folks because of our unruly behavior during or even after school, we would suffer the consequences, and, yes, there would be some parental involvement at that juncture! This parental involvement did not include blaming any one else for our misdeeds. We were expected to accept responsibility for our behavior or accept the consequence.

Enter the “Helicopter Parent”

Photo by Tookapic on Pexels.com

However, in the last 30 years, we have seen a major shift in the parental role as parents have become more involved socially and educationally with their children. As a result of this era of “parents being the child’s friend”, the parent is no longer in a role of authority in their children’s eyes.

Millenials became their parents’ “colleagues” and “associates”, and with the proliferation of the cell phone, the kids were never far from the “nest” of the parents. So, enters the “helicopter” parent, and the parents, in many cases, enjoy this relationship because psychologist say it “gives them more meaningful lives” and therefore they don’t choose to or want to “push the child out of the nest.”

The Millennials are fine with this because they are not seeking or striving for independence in many cases. Educators and others have observed this trend for years.

Yes, it is the M-Generation that chose to live in their parent’s basements as long as possible while finding themselves and their calling whereas the Baby Boomers fought for and sought early independence from their parents the Millennials prefer the security of the nest.

Teachers, and counselors in some cases, have appreciated more parental involvement, if it was not “too much”.

Employers, on the other hand, frankly have little to no interest in parents “helicoptering” their Millennial employees.

“Sadly, it is increasingly common for employers to receive phone calls from a parent wanting to discuss problems or a disappointment their (adult) child has had at work says.” Lynne C. Lancaster and David Stillman, authors of The M-Factor: How the Millennial Generation is Rocking the Workplace” (Harper Collins, 2010).

Employers have even reported that Millenials have told them they have asked their “Mom or Dad as their colleague” to review their work or even do it for them. Just like they did in school and sadly, in this author’s opinion, many parents do so. These same parents maintain even more control of the M-Generation often by paying their bills, buying them cars, food or clothes and taking care of their children because after all these children are the “grandchildren” the Boomers and Gen-Xers always wanted.

Lancaster and Stillman note that one of the bigger surprises experienced in the work place is when the new hire millennial shares some feedback from a parent, who happens to be a senior vice president at a similar company.

This feedback about how the parent could do things better, if they were in charge, is not solicited or appreciated by the employer.

Simply, the M-Generation view their parents as valuable resources whose counsel and input will be as vital for their work life as it was when they were students. When you hire a millennial, you will get the parents as part of the bargain, whether you like it or not.

Initially, I thought this was hyperbole or outrageous complaining until I actually observed such behavior from a member of my own extended family. Since I left home at age 17 and paid my way through college, I found this enabling behavior to be an antithesis to my idea of maturity, healthy self-reliance, and productivity. I would dare to say that much of society feels the same way. But then, apparently there are a lot of helicopter parents who do not.

However, based on my own observations and research, I recommend that you forget about trying to change this perspective, or debate with the new hire (or their parents).

Whether this perspective and behavior is appropriate, healthy, or mature is irrelevant to them. The reality is you must accept the fact that this “parental helicoptering” and the M-Generation’s social behaviors are now at least 20 years into solidification, and you are not likely to change that perspective anytime soon.

There are strategies, however, that can be deployed to deal with this M-Generation behavior. One is to articulate and clearly establish boundaries up front in the working relationship regarding your feelings about parental involvement.

For example, personnel records, including performance reviews, are generally considered organizationally confidential and are not open for discussion with anyone other than the employee and her supervisors. This is a distinct and most appropriate boundary that you should clarify to a new hire in case his parent wants to explore his child’s experience at your company.

However, some researchers say it might also help to understand the close relationship Millenials have with their parents by viewing it the same way they do – as an asset when it comes to “reflection” on work place issues.

Remember these Millennials are products of parental engagement. They have been sharing and processing their experiences with their parents from the earliest of ages.

If your new M-Generation employees seemingly have this kind of relationship with their parents, encourage them to involve their parents in reflection on their profession, roles, responsibilities and chosen vocation. Do not, however, allow them to think that you and the parents will be having this kind of relationship.

Remember that Millennials don’t readily grasp the concept of confidentiality, especially in conversation with their parents. Therefore, it is important to provide them clearly articulated and well-defined guidelines on what kind of information is inappropriate for such conversations.

Lancaster and Stillman note that a Millennial’s relationship with his parents is the template for interaction with other older adults and authority figures.

If you can objectively observe or ascertain from his comments how a Millennial interacts with his parents, you may uncover clues on how he hopes to relate to you as an older colleague.

If your new hire sees his parents as a perpetually available resource, he may expect the same from you. If he is open to their counsel and coaching, he may readily accept the same from you as his mentor.

Accept the fact that you will have to spend extra time and attention on the Millennials, which can be burdensome at times. However their enthusiasm for your input may leave you feeling more gratified than grumpy.

Next: The single greatest complaint about Milleninals from employers – Part 3

THE MILLENIALS: Who are these people? Chapter 1 of 7

 

The M-Generation

“The best crisis to manage is the one you prevent!” Dr. L. Darryl Armstrong speaking to the National Association of Environmental Professionals

You are trying to transition your business to the next generation of ownership, or hiring Millennial generation (The M-Generation) employees.

You are frustrated and even chagrined!

If you are not careful you will create a crisis for yourself and your fellow employees and managers. However, there is hope and we will provide you some counsel as how to understand the M-Generation and how to work with them. Because most likely you are either a “Baby Boomer” or a “GenXer” doing the hiring.

You are thinking that these people must not have grown up in the same world that you did. You think to yourself, we may have a crisis developing, and you have no idea why. You would be right in both assumptions.

Although some of what you read or hear will seem negative, try to maintain an open-mind and understand I am approaching this as a behavioral psychologist with no “horse in your race.”

The description I provide here of the M-Generation is intended to be helpful and will show you how research and understanding is evolving to help us all better understand this generation.

Dealing with the M-Generation will be challenging, yet successful employers recognize the importance of learning as much about this generation as possible. Like it or not, they will be reshaping our world because by 2020 they will be 60% of our work force.

The basis of this series of articles and E-book comes from the research, including “The M- Factor: How the Millennial Generation is Rocking the Workplace” by Lynne C. Lancaster and David Stillman (Harper Collins, 2010) and from the Internet site PWC’s report Millennials in the Work Place – Reshaping the World. We also have integrated the work from other consultants who specialize in the M-Generation and work with them daily.

Perhaps, just perhaps, if you get better informed about the M-Generation, you can prevent a major crisis from developing, or at the least, better understand how to deal with the crisis when it does. The idea is to understand and utilize the particular talents of the M-Generation because you will be hiring and/or working with people who have unique characteristics and challenging behaviors for years to come.

As a behavioral psychologist, I am fascinated by people’s behaviors and their responses to behaviors. The behaviors I see being exhibited by the M-Generation and the responses from the Baby Boomers and Gen X folks provide an extra dose of fascination.

Millennials are anyone of the 76 million young people who were born between 1982 and 2000. They are entering the work force at a rapid pace, and they are being hired by managers between the ages of 40 and 65 (the “Baby- Boomers” and “GenXers”).

The hiring managers are somewhat bewildered by the people they are hiring, as well as learning that transitioning this generation into the work environment is rarely without issue and can be crisis inducing.

Why are there such generational differences between these three groups? Let’s look at the differences in the M-Generation’s cultural and historical memories. Just as World War II was only a textbook to those of us who grew up in the 1960s and 70s, the Vietnam War was is only a textbook memory to the M-Generation.

In our generation, we were just beginning to enjoy the benefits of such advanced technology as pocket transistor radios; the M-Generation is technologically savvy beyond any of our wildest expectations. Just stop and ask yourself, whom did you call to program your VCR just a few years ago?

I would suggest that there are three significant questions we must answer and understand to work with the M-generation:

1. How do they see their world and how do they process the information they see?
2. How do they expect and choose to operate in the world of work and why?
3. What do they expect to receive from their work and what do they perceive as rewards?

Research, surveys and analyses by many people more experienced than I am suggest that the good news is there are answers to some of these questions. The bad news is that many of our generation can’t relate to those answers and the M-Generation perspectives.

Some six key findings to be sensitive to when dealing with the M-Generation:

1. They will share information of all types and of depth across many different platforms and with many different people – discretion is not part of their typical vocabulary;
2. They require – read – must have – personalized attention;
3. They must be always winning and be recognized for even coming to work on time;
4. They use a variety of social media and social networking, unlike any generation previously, and their knowledge and use of this technology can be impacting to an organization, as well as society at large;
5. They are talented in certain areas of endeavors and less so in others;
6. They are critical and show little regard as to who they are critical about or towards and they often don’t hesitate to voice their views and opinions.

Seniority and your feelings are irrelevant to many of the M-Generation. For example, they may understand how to use Microsoft Power Point, yet invariably would explain to you how to use Apple iPhoto to get better results on the presentation that you spent hours on developing.

They have trouble dealing with lines of authority, and command positions are simply irrelevant to many of them. In fact, they would without hesitation go straight to a CEO and argue their case against a change in the organization’s protocols without your knowledge.

And their parents, well, they also can be an issue. Fathers and mothers (think “Helicopter” parents) of the M-Generation have been known to reprimand employers at social engagements over incidents their children just mentioned in passing to them.

Now, having laid this foundation, allow me to caveat it by saying not all M-Generation people are of this ilk.  However, research and experience show these generalizations are not that far from the reality of their behaviors in the work place. So then, how do we deal with the M-Generation at work?

As Dorothy said in the Wizard of Oz, “Toto, I don’t think we are in Kansas anymore!”

Next: Part 2 – How do we deal with the M-Generation in our work place?

 

 

 

 

INATTENTION TO RESULTS – The 5th of the Five Dysfunctions of a Team

Inattention to Results – The 5^th of the Five Dysfunctions of a Team

“You can accomplish anything, if you are not concerned about who gets the credit.” President Ronald Reagan

You may have determined by now that building a team is not an easy task. The effort requires planning and extensive consideration of all the organizational needs.

We must ask ourselves as we build our program do we have the right means to accomplish the mission. For example:

• Does the team have all the resources they need to serve the organization as best they can?
• What tools or resources are missing? List and prioritize your needs.
• How can you better train your team? Using your resources or outside assistance?
• Do you help the team meet the needs of the organization, or do you get in the way? Who gets the blame and who gets the credit?

That brings us to the fifth of the five dysfunctions of a team the inattention to results. When a team member isn’t held accountable, too often they tend to protect their self-interests and themselves. Without accountability, the results the team hopes to achieve will never come to be.

Therefore, I am a believer in two things when it comes to team building.

One, I must understand myself well enough to know when to lead and when to follow as there are occasions when the best leader is a follower.

Second, if I am the leader of the team, I take responsibility for modeling the behavior I want from my teammates, and I own any failures of my team. However, I always share and reflect any successes to the entire team for their credit. Teams should celebrate their accomplishments and successes. Leaders should congratulate teams in public and correct team members in private.

Leaders help their team members overcome the five team dysfunctions by leading through behavioral example, ,that is by “walking their talk,” always setting a positive, warm, friendly, and welcoming tone when dealing with people even when it is challenging to do so.

As leaders we accomplish a results-oriented culture when we have built team trust, engaged in productive conflict and debate, committed to mission and held ourselves accountable.

We achieve success in our effort by dedicating ourselves strategically and methodically to overcoming the five dysfunctions of a team.

TRUST – The First Dysfunction of the Five Dysfunctions of a TEAM

Trust is the foundation of every team. If I as a Leader have built no trust with my teammates I can’t build a team. Without trust we won’t as a team ever achieve true commitment, accountability, and organizational results. @DoctorDarryl #ChurchSafetyMinistry #Leadership #TeamBuilding http://www.ldarrylarmstrong.com

Planning for Emergencies and Crises at Your Church Requires Vision #churchsafetyministry @DoctorDarryl

Planning for Emergencies and Crises at Your Church 

In our last column, we discussed the phases necessary to develop your church security plan.

• Develop a planning team.
• Facilitate a discussion and risk assessment using the Collaborative Informed Consent model.
• Draft your goals and objectives.

To write and use your plan, use the six specific steps explained below.

Consult with Community Partners

 “Without prophetic vision, the people shall perish …” Proverbs 29:18

All planning begins with a vision. Your team should develop the vision and understand it well enough to easily explain it to any congregant.

A “shared vision” is critical to achieving desired results.

One church’s vision was: “When you come to church here, you will feel safe; our ‘sheepdogs’ are protecting our flock.”

Engage local emergency management, first responders, and law enforcement partners. Explain what you want to accomplish, and ask them to join your planning group.

Seek out “fence-line” neighbors who may share a property line with the church.  Ask them to help you “keep an eye out” on unusual activity and immediately report it to authorities and the church contact. Encourage them that if they “see something, say something.”

The active shooter in Texas parked his vehicle, walked 50 plus yards dressed in battle gear and carrying a rifle before spraying rounds of fire into two sides of the building. Then he entered the church.  The church’s parking lot is the first and one of the most important locations to have “eyes and ears”.

Risk Assessment Considerations

The planning committee must consider threats and prioritize them. For example, tornadoes are  likely to happen in the spring or summer. Consider what damage could occur, how much time is available to warn the congregants, and how long the threat could last.

Consider the “after-shocks” and follow-on effects of the threat. Robberies, assaults, and active shooters could turn your church into a crime scene, which means it could be cordoned off for days, maybe weeks, and the media demands will be incessant.

Setting Goals and Desired Outcomes

Prioritize each threat from high to low. Set goals (general statements about the desired outcome) for your highest priorities.

An objective is a step to take to achieve the goal. If your goal is to prevent fires, objectives could be providing fire prevention training to cooks, ensuring the church has available fire extinguishers and that congregants know how to use them as well as an evacuation plan, if necessary.

Developing and using table-top scenarios

Specific plan scenarios should be outlined based on priority.  What do you do in the event of an active shooter, tornado or medical emergency? The responses and responders will be different for each.

Consider length of response time (particularly in rural areas), who in the church will make the decisions, and what the courses of action are.

Use facilitated table-top exercises with your committee to develop specific action steps. Look under “Resources”  at www.ldarrylarmstrong.com for an example. If your church membership has first-aid responders who attend regularly, involve them and explain how they can help.

Plan Preparation, Review and Approval

Determine courses of action for each high priority threat (include active shooter scenarios). Compare the costs and benefits. Present the draft of the written plan to the organization’s leadership for approval or changes.

Plan Implementation and Maintenance

Share the plan before finalizing with a review group of your community partners, emergency responders, and law enforcement. Get their feedback and include all genders and ages as third-party insights are extremely valuable.

Communications Internally and Externally

Disseminate understandable, concise information to the internal and external audiences. Use the church website or social media to push out the information.  Inform your local media. If the church has a website for members, this information can be shared there.

 Training Responders

Choose volunteers who meet your criteria and who agree to train. Use table-top exercises to hold practice drills. Review and update the plan at least every two-years or if there are changes to buildings, policies or personnel.

Finally, arrange for crisis communications and media relations training for at least three members of the team, In the event of an active shooter, your pastor, deacons, and critical leadership will need it.

Further information

These columns share the expertise and ideas gleaned from our experience and those involved in church security. We challenge you and your leadership to explore what has become a vitally important role in today’s houses of worship — safety and security for those who come to worship.

Interested persons can find additional information including a video introduction on church security, podcasts, and materials designed to inform and educate at www.churchsafetyministry.com. A series of webinars are under development, and those interested in attending these online seminars can register at the website to receive announcements on dates.

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(L. Darryl Armstrong Ph.D. is the principal at L. Darryl ARMSTRONG and Associates LLC. His firm provides crisis communications and prevention consulting services and training to clients nation-wide. He has more than 40-years of experience in helping clients prepare for emergencies and crisis. A graduate of Murray State University in communications and behavioral psychology and the Executive Security Institute with an emphasis in security planning, he holds a doctoral degree in neuro-linguistics. He is available for limited speaking engagements and consulting. 1.888.340.2006, ldarrylarmstrong@gmail.com and www.ldarrylarmstrong.com.)

 

 

 

Church Safety and Security Plan – Start with a Simple Three Phased Process

A OneNewsNow.com survey of 4000 churches in 2008 found that 75% of them had no security plans!

“Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.” Acts 20:28

“More guns are not the simple answer,” says Terry Mattingly at GetReligion.org.

 After the November Texas shooting, many small churches reacted by seeking a qualified Carry Concealed Weapons holder.  A reaction is not a church safety and security plan.

Assessing your church’s vulnerabilities is the foundational step in understanding what your risks are and how to prepare.

Become Proactive Instead of Reactive in the Process

A thoughtfully written, communicated, and exercised plan of action for church safety and security is a much better and safer solution and it begins with a facilitated discussion with your congregation.

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) advises identifying threats, developing goals, and planning courses of action. Then implement, review and consistently maintain your plan.

Take into account your geographic region. Are you subject to natural disasters like the New Madrid Fault in Western Kentucky or hurricanes at Tybee Island, Georgia? Perhaps you worship at a church in tornado alley, or you are subject to fires or floods.

Active shooters, disgruntled congregants, angry church members, sexual predators and hate groups are always possible threats.

Churches are “Soft Targets”

The American Crime Prevention Institute notes that criminals see houses of worship as “soft targets” for theft, robbery, embezzlement, vandalism, arson, and violence from hate crimes. They are “soft targets” because many don’t have security systems, are meagerly staffed, leave their doors unlocked, and never think of robbery when taking up an offering.

Jimmy Meeks, who retired after 35 years in law enforcement and has been a minister for 44 years, is a consultant with Sheepdog Seminars for Churches, a training firm focused on teaching church security measures.  He notes that sexual abuse can and does occur in the church, citing 23 sexual crimes reported at Protestant Churches every day.

Sadly, the recent Texas church shooting points out the vulnerability of congregations when it comes to active shooters seeking revenge and the importance of being prepared even in a small country congregation.

Three Initial Planning Phases

Regardless of the size of your church, now is the time to implement a six-step emergency planning process starting with three general phases.

The first phase is to form a collaborative planning “ministry safety and security” team. Collaborative teams are made up of congregant volunteers who are willing to “co-labor” and get the job done. Choose this team wisely. We will discuss criteria for such teams in a future column.

This team should consist of your pastor, deacons, principal leadership, local law enforcement and emergency response personnel, an attorney, and your insurance agent. Others to consider are people with private security, teaching, counseling, and crisis communications experience.

Whenever possible, your team should have a right mix of genders and ages on this team because people in their 60s will see issues differently than those in their 20s.

In the second phase, facilitate your planning dialogue and risk assessment using the Collaborative, Informed Consent model. This model starts with the premise that the team “agrees” to provide their consent to the plan because they collaborate to design it and become well informed about its use.

Kay Armstrong, a senior consultant at L. Darryl ARMSTRONG and Associates, explains, “This engagement model uses a structured facilitation process that allows for a candid discussion about the pros and cons of having a plan for church safety and security. Participants can freely talk about their fears, current issues, and the perceived risks. This process helps them realize the possible emergency scenarios that could face the church; how to prioritize them; and how to develop options to handle them.”

Once the numerous situations are listed, discussed, vetted and prioritized, the committee can develop well-defined goals and objectives, which is the third phase.

Further information

These columns share the expertise gleaned from our four decades of experience in crisis planning and management and from experts in church safety and security nationwide. We challenge you to explore what has become a vital role in today’s houses of worship – safety and security – and to realize that just carrying a weapon in a house of prayer is not enough.

Find additional information including an introductory video on church safety and security, podcasts, and downloadable materials at www.ldarrylarmstrong.com. anyone interested in participating in a pilot webinar can register at our website for future presentation dates.

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