Leadership Lessons: 4 Ways to Connect with Younger Workers

By Nicole Fallon

Every year, a new batch of college graduates enters the job market. With each graduating class, the generational balance in the workplace shifts, leaving baby boomer and Gen X leaders wondering how to relate to their younger counterparts.

"As more millennials enter the workforce, experienced business leaders will be faced with some real challenges," said David Scarola, vice president of business coaching service provider The Alternative Board. "[Generation Y is] characterized as being technology-savvy, especially with social media. They are strong multitaskers, have high expectations of themselves and their employers, and prefer to collaborate and work in teams." 

If you're feeling a little out of touch with your younger employees, Scarola suggested a few ways to engage and connect with them:

   Embrace technology. Although many baby boomer leaders are becoming more comfortable with technology, some are still hesitant about using it. Allow your younger staff to help lead your company in a more tech-friendly direction, with suitable IT controls.
    
    Provide employees with mentors. Gen Y is sometimes perceived by older generations as lazy, and this may have to do with poor expectations. Don't wait for the performance review to provide feedback to younger workers. Pairing them up with an experienced mentor is a great way to improve the culture of a changing workforce.
    
    Celebrate creativity. Younger workers want to do things differently, much like any "next generation." Rather than responding to their new ideas with, "That's not how we do things around here," keep an open mind. Not all new ideas are good, but plenty of them are. These ideas may help your business connect better with prospects and with employees.
    
    Support a civic cause. In a study by Bentley University, 84 percent of millenials think it's more important to make a positive difference in the world than to get professional recognition. If you can find a social mission for your business that engages your employees, they will see this as a higher purpose and feel more connected with the business.

Scarola cautioned that working with Gen Y is a two-way street: Leading a younger staff doesn't mean you should abandon the strategies that got you to where you are today.

"Baby boomer [and Gen X] business leaders have been highly successful because of their ability to think strategically, to plan, to measure, to adapt and to communicate," he told Business News Daily. "They are most successful when they rely on trusted advisers, and especially their peers, to leverage collective wisdom to improve the businesses and the personal lives of each other. Experienced leaders should seek to educate younger workers on the importance of the strategies and tools that they've used to create a successful business."

culled from:businessnewsdaily.com

• Embrace technology. Although many baby boomer leaders are becoming more comfortable with technology, some are still hesitant about using it. Allow your younger staff to help lead your company in a more tech-friendly direction, with suitable IT controls.
   
• Provide employees with mentors. Gen Y is sometimes perceived by older generations as lazy, and this may have to do with poor expectations. Don't wait for the performance review to provide feedback to younger workers. Pairing them up with an experienced mentor is a great way to improve the culture of a changing workforce.
   
• Celebrate creativity. Younger workers want to do things differently, much like any "next generation." Rather than responding to their new ideas with, "That's not how we do things around here," keep an open mind. Not all new ideas are good, but plenty of them are. These ideas may help your business connect better with prospects and with employees.
   
• Support a civic cause. In a study by Bentley University, 84 percent of millenials think it's more important to make a positive difference in the world than to get professional recognition. If you can find a social mission for your business that engages your employees, they will see this as a higher purpose and feel more connected with the business.

Scarola cautioned that working with Gen Y is a two-way street: Leading a younger staff doesn't mean you should abandon the strategies that got you to where you are today.
"Baby boomer [and Gen X] business leaders have been highly successful because of their ability to think strategically, to plan, to measure, to adapt and to communicate," he told Business News Daily. "They are most successful when they rely on trusted advisers, and especially their peers, to leverage collective wisdom to improve the businesses and the personal lives of each other. Experienced leaders should seek to educate younger workers on the importance of the strategies and tools that they've used to create a successful business."
- See more at: http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/6193-engaging-young-workers.html#sthash.09q6DJnq.dpuf

Every year, a new batch of college graduates enters the job market. With each graduating class, the generational balance in the workplace shifts, leaving baby boomer and Gen X leaders wondering how to relate to their younger counterparts.
"As more millennials enter the workforce, experienced business leaders will be faced with some real challenges," said David Scarola, vice president of business coaching service provider The Alternative Board. "[Generation Y is] characterized as being technology-savvy, especially with social media. They are strong multitaskers, have high expectations of themselves and their employers, and prefer to collaborate and work in teams."
If you're feeling a little out of touch with your younger employees, Scarola suggested a few ways to engage and connect with them:
- See more at: http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/6193-engaging-young-workers.html#sthash.09q6DJnq.dpuf

5 Tips For Teaching Leadership Skills

By Nicole Fallon Taylor

It's often said that it takes a certain type of person to be a great leader. These individuals exhibit qualities like passion, integrity, a take-charge attitude and the ability to inspire others. Employers and executives recognize this, and these "born leaders" are often first in line for promotions to leadership roles.

But people with leadership potential don't simply become leaders overnight. It's up to existing leaders to train the next generation, showing them how to guide a group of people toward a specific vision or goal.

Whether your company has a structured training program or you simply teach by example, here are a few key things to keep in mind when you're training future leaders. [5 Simple Ways to Become a Better Leader]
Choose the right people

While certain individuals may seem like shoe-ins for a leadership position based on their personality or their current role within a company, it's crucial to take all performance and experience factors into account before determining their leadership candidacy.

"Before you start teaching and enhancing the skills of a leader, you have to start with the right person," said Brian Sullivan, a vice president at sales and management training firm Sandler Training. "This person should have a track record of success [in their current role] and have already exhibited leadership traits. Not everything they'll be doing as a leader is necessarily something they've done before, but these two fundamental items are the springboard for any type of training."

Sullivan also told leaders not to allow favoritism to come into play when choosing a successor, and make a decision based solely on a candidate's qualifications.
Make sure they understand the business

A good leader must always be training the next generation of leaders, said Stephen Sheinbaum, founder of financial technology company Bizfi, which provides alternative finance for small businesses. To do this, leadership candidates need to be well-versed in where your business is headed, and what kinds of people and skills will be needed to make that happen.

"If a greater use of technology is going to be key to the future growth of your company, then you've got to make sure that your leaders understand that technology and its importance in your industry," Sheinbaum said. "They may not be the ones writing the code, but they have to know how to hire, communicate with and guide the coders that you will need."
Build their listening skills

One of the most important skills a leader can acquire is how to listen. A true leader always takes his or her team's feedback into account when making decisions. This skill can be taught by being a good listener yourself.

"Always listen to the input you receive, and act on it," said Guryan Tighe, a partner at Speakeasy Strategies public relations firm. "If you have only your own agenda in mind, you can't truly hear others' input and potentially, the next great idea. Make sure your business is set up to stimulate people around you to create and take initiative. For example, ask the trainees about their training experience, as this encourages an environment focused on growth and development."
Help them craft a future vision

"Vision" is a word that is commonly thrown around in reference to leaders, but what does it really mean? Denise Brosseau, CEO of Thought Leadership Lab, believes it involves the ability to inspire others to see a future worth striving for.

"[Leaders should] focus on crafting a compelling vision of the future that they will work to bring about," said Brosseau, author of "Ready to Be a Thought Leader?" (Jossey-Bass, 2014). "This future must be something they are passionate about, but they must also have the credibility and experience to make progress toward achieving it."

Teaching leadership candidates how to create and articulate their own future vision will help them when it comes time to actually execute plans to get there.
Look at their motivations

If a leadership candidate seems more excited about being "the boss" who's in charge of others, he or she probably isn't the best person for the job. A good leader knows that his or her job is working for everybody else, said Dale Falcinelli, chairman of the advisory council at Lehigh University's Baker Institute for Entrepreneurship.

"Leadership is an executive club, and it shouldn't be taken for granted," Falcinelli told Business News Daily. "Leaders aren't caught up with the notion of people working for them. They'll have the passion and drive to get where they need to go, and they'll know that to get there, they have to work for and through other people."


culled from:businessnewsdaily.com

The True Measure of Leadership Is Staying Calm in the Storm

Marty Fukuda

Contributor

Business success often is coupled with stories of surviving a difficult stretch to emerge a better company. A checking account down to the last few cents, one-month away from shutting the doors for good, or years of mediocrity before that spectacular breakthrough are common business folklore.
Hearing tales of others moving from the brink of failure to greatness help keep the downtrodden motivated. Inspiration is crucial, but so is a plan. Here are four keys to leading in difficult times:

Keep a cool head.

There's an oft-used phrase referring to leadership: The speed of the leader is the speed of the team. No doubt, a leader's behavior has a trickle-down effect. When your organization is paddling rough waters, what the team needs more than ever is focus. Leaders who show signs of panic or fear will not keep their teams on-point.
The team needs to be calm to focus. It's essential you show confidence and a collected demeanor in front of your team,  regardless of the emotions flowing through your veins Direct the focus away from fear to the task of turning around the business.

Be brilliantly transparent with your team.

The leader who is in a public state of denial will not endear himself to his team. The group will begin to whisper and disintegrate. Keep employees in the loop when the company is facing challenges.
If the right people populate your organization, they will rally and help you tackle the challenges. They have ideas that can help, but they'll only come out if you fully explain the situation. The key is to not be reckless in your transparency, but brilliant. Sharing your worries simply to get them off your chest does little good. A leader must steer his team's focus to tackling the problem.
Related: How a Transparent Team Culture Can Improve Customer Service

Paint an inspiring vision.

A team needs a unifying vision more than ever when facing adversity. A united team can overcome obstacles but a panicked team will surely crumble. Good leaders will paint a vision for their teams and develop with them a strategy for getting back on top.
As the plan progresses, publicly recognize steps in the right direction, however small the victories may be. Your team will begin to see the light on the other side of the tunnel and pick-up momentum. Never underestimate an inspired team's ability to accomplish great things – when they have a clear vision.

Move from reactive to proactive mode ASAP.

When a business has its back against the wall, reacting swiftly may take precedence over all else. Undoubtedly, your action timeline is cut short. But while a defensive, counter-puncher mode may be necessary for the short-term, the quicker you get your team back to a proactive state, the better long-term decisions will likely be. Play defense for as long as you have to and not a moment longer.
Whether it's a company or a division of a larger institution, chances are at some point, adversity will mar the landscape. Obstacles are a normal part of business and life. Resist the urge to feel sorry for yourself or play the blame or what-if games. You don't have time for that. Your team needs you more now then ever. Get focused and remember that the best teams arise from adversity that much stronger for getting through the experience.

culled from:entrepreneur.com

6 Reasons Why 'My Way or the Highway' Management Doesn't Work Anymore

Brenton Hayden

Contributor

Say what you will about opposites attracting -- the fact is that for the most part, we feel drawn towards those who are most like us. This is especially the case in upper levels of management. A quick look at leaders within companies will reveal that there tends to be a common culture -- a workplace not of diversity, but sameness -- in thought and action.
But while it’s only natural to appreciate those who follow and never challenge us, being too comfortable can obstruct the innovation, leadership and direction necessary to drive your company forward. When I hire, I look for people who will challenge me -- those who aren’t afraid to tell me things that may be tough to hear. When making key decisions, I want to be surrounded by those who will question my strategies and suggest changes that I may not have thought of.

When assembling your team, you don’t want people who think the same as you and who will agree with you every step of the way. It may sound counter intuitive, but you want thought leaders who will challenge you, question you and force you to explain yourself. Here are six reasons why:

1. Yes men will get in your way.

They’ll agree with you and make you feel better about yourself, but in the long run, yes men -- or women -- will become your worst nightmare. They’re not sincere, and they can’t be trusted, especially not in positions of authority. They’ll agree with what you say, but they won’t call you out on areas where you may be mistaken -- areas that if left unchecked could land you into trouble. Nowhere would this be more disastrous then when key decisions such as during an acquisition or merger are being made. Being surrounded by a group of yes men could sway you into making decisions that could seriously jeopardize the future of your company.

2. A fresh perspective can lead to innovation.

Constructive feedback is essential and a necessary part of innovation. The ability to run ideas by a team of objective thinkers is truly invaluable and giving your team the freedom to think independently of you can lead to tremendously valuable ideas. Allen Wesson, internal auditor of the Dallas Independent School District, tells of an employee who approached him with a plan to expand school audits. “I gave her time and freedom to develop her idea,” says Wesson. The result? An audit program that added significant value to the school and district.
It’s easy to develop tunnel vision, believing that our ideas are the best way to do things. But by seeking out opinions that may be different from ours, we bring in a fresh perspective -- the best way to get an honest and unbiased assessment of the situation.

3. Empowering your team will motivate them.

The best way to motivate your team is by giving them a sense of empowerment -- and independence.
“Autonomy is one of our fundamental human needs -- an essential component of a healthy workplace,” says Nadia Goodman, M.A.
According to Ben Dattner, an organizational psychologist and founder of Dattner Consulting, independence in the workplace fills our need for intrinsic motivation. Giving your team the freedom to generate new ideas and rewarding independent thinkers will go a long way towards creating an exceptional work culture where employees are happier, more motivated and committed to their jobs.
Related: Be the Leader They Respect: Your Weekly Tips (VIDEO)

4. Independent thinkers can help you to get the right result.

“It’s nice when people agree, but if everyone thought along the same lines all the time, nothing would ever change,” says Richard Branson. “Every company needs mavericks. Independence of thinking should be celebrated and encouraged.”
“The worst culture you can ingrain within a business is an atmosphere of saying yes to everything,” Branson continues. “When you are debating a new idea, those who disagree are crucial to getting the right result in the end. Yes men will only ever get so far.”

5. Thought leaders will keep you humble.

Stop thinking your way’s the only one. It’s not. Often, there are 100 ways to reach the end result, and chances are some of them may be better than yours. Surround yourself with people who will challenge you and try to ask opinions from those who you know will disagree with you. Often this can reveal real flaws in your plan. Keeping humble will save you from presuming that your strategies are infallible, and will help you to keep an open mind -- something that’s extremely important when there are major decisions with serious implications on the line.

6. What about losing control?

How do you empower your team without losing control of your company? Surrounding yourself with different advisers doesn’t mean that you have to hand over the reins of your business, but it does mean that you master the art of listening and considering a situation from new angles.
While conflicting viewpoints can be difficult to hear, often they’re exactly what you need. Striving to create a culture where new ideas and different opinions are encouraged will result in a workplace that’s thriving and growing -- one where innovation becomes second nature.
Is your work culture a place where challenging ideas and independent thinking is encouraged?

culled from:entrepreneur.com