I just read an interesting article comparing Generation Y to the upcoming Generation Z. According to Dan Schawbel, founder of Millennial Branding and Author of Promote Yourself, the study of about 1,000 people across 10 countries including the United States reveals attributes that distinguish Gen Z and Gen Y employees. “Gen Z has a clear advantage over Gen Y because they appear to be more realistic instead of optimistic, are likely to be more career-minded, and can quickly adapt to new technology to work more effectively,” Schawbel said. “Additionally, since Gen Z has seen how much Gen Y has struggled in the recession, they come to the workplace better prepared, less entitled and more equipped to succeed.”

So what should we expect from the 16-20 year olds entering and soon to be entering the workforce? Here’s what I am most excited about. Gen Z prefers face-to-face communication over technology. Even though the Z-ers are still into technology, 53% answered that they prefer in-person communication over electronic. I think some of them may be actually getting sick of Facebook. Probably because too many of their parents are on it! For whatever reason, I am still excited because it is so important to service providers to be able to communicate face to face with their customers to really develop the relationships they need to be successful.

Another positive result, particularly in this economy is that money doesn’t seem to be the driving force for Gen Z. “Only 28% of Gen Z said money would motivate them to work harder and stay with their employer longer, as opposed to 42% of Gen Y.”

Managers should take note that more than half of both Gen Z and Gen Y feel that honesty is the most important quality for being a good leader. The study showed that the younger generations feel their leaders should really be able to clearly communicate the vision of the organization and their department. Remember, this is the age of instant gratification. They are used to having everything at their fingertips, so if we want to encourage the verbal communication it seems they are looking for, we better be good communicators. If you are not clear on the mission, value and expectations or your organization or department, get familiar. This generation won’t wait around for you to figure it out. Get in the know. Ask questions so you have a good understanding of your expectations. Then you will be able to articulate that with confidence and sincerity down the ranks. That’s how we can build a motivated and productive department with our X-ers and Z-ers.

If you want to see the whole study, read more here:http://millennialbranding.com/2014/geny-genz-global-workplace-expectations-study/

Thoughts…….. Contact me at abbe@TECResourceCenter.com

As we start the New Year, I know people are busy making resolutions, setting goals, and really committed to turning over a new leaf.  One of the most common culprits that de-rail people when it comes to achieving their goals or keeping their resolutions is time.  We start out strong, but then things start getting hectic and we wane off.  We’re too busy doing our jobs that it seems we don’t have time to stay focused on the things we promised ourselves we would achieve this year.  That’s the time when we need to use our time management skills the most.

Let’s start with the to-do list.  Is it a time management tool?  If so, then where is the plan for time?  To-do lists can often become a negative reminder of all the things you have not accomplished from past days, added to the things you need to accomplish today.  That’s not a plan; it’s just a list of work.  It’s a good start, but you have to do more to change that to-do list into an actual plan to accomplish your goals.

After you make your to-do list for the day, try these 3 steps:

Step 1 – Prioritize your list.  Highlight the things you must absolutely get done today.  If you think everything on your list is a priority, try reviewing that with your supervisor.   Just because it is important, doesn’t mean it has to be a priority for today.  Understanding and defining deadlines can help you prioritize.

Step 2 – Re-order your list based on the best time of day to get each accomplished.  For example if one of your priorities is getting material ready for a 3 o’clock  meeting, that needs to be done well before 3, so that would have to be at the beginning of the list.

Step 3 – Add time estimates.  Here’s where you put the pedal to the medal.  You have to estimate how long each item on the priority list will take you as if you could work on it without any interruptions.  Larger tasks should be broken down into smaller steps and time estimates put on each step to get a more realistic idea of how long the entire task will take.  Maybe you can do the first 2 steps today and the next 2 steps later in the week if the project is not due until the following week.

Once you get all the realistic time estimates for your priorities, add up the time.  It should not add up to more than 4 or 4 1/2 hours because we know we don’t actually work in an atmosphere where we can work full throttle with no interruptions.  That’s why we need to leave flexibility in our schedules so that we can achieve the priorities we set for the day, despite the emergencies that will undoubtedly come up.

I like to go a step further in assuring I get my tasks completed.  I take out my outlook calendar and actually put my priorities on my calendar.  By doing this, I feel less stressed because everything goes on the calendar and I know nothing will fall through the cracks.  I use reminders and I don’t dismiss them until the task is completed or rescheduled to another acceptable time.  Managing your time like this makes you in control.  And when new assignments come up, you will be able to intelligently incorporate them into your schedule and give realistic estimates to people regarding when you will be able to complete them.

Give it a try.  Let me know how you make out.…….. Contact me at abbe@TECResourceCenter.com