Excerpt from the first interview of Bruce Tulgan, a non-practicing lawyer:
...I've been conducting in-depth interviews with young people in the workplace steadily since 1993. That was shortly before the oldest Gen Yers—those on the cusp of Generation X—started arriving in the workplace as teenagers. Since then, we've followed Gen Yers as they have become the new young workforce and have been developing a comprehensive picture of who they are, how they became that way, and what motivates them. Of course, the identity of any generation is very complex and is always constantly changing. When I describe GenYers, I am making vast generalizations about tens of millions of people. Every individual has his or her own unique story. But there are broad trends in attitude and behavior that shift with each generation.
Generation Y is the generation of kids where every kid did get a trophy, just for participating. So many so-called 'experts' have jumped onto the bandwagon of this topic, but our research shows that most of these so-called 'experts' have got it all wrong. In many recent books and articles, many of these 'experts' argue that, since Gen Yers have always gotten a trophy just for showing up, maybe
the best way to manage them is to give them lots of praise and, basically, give them a trophy just for showing up. These 'experts' tell managers to create "thank-you" programs, "praise" programs, and “reward" programs. They recommend turning recruiting into one long sales pitch; transforming the workplace into a veritable playground; rearranging training so it revolves around interactive computer gaming; encouraging young workers to find a "best friend" at work; and teaching managers to soft-pedal their authority. In my view, this approach is out of touch with reality, especially in today's environment.
The message of Not Everyone Gets a Trophy is simple: The high-maintenance Generation Y workforce calls for strong leadership, not weak. This is a good time for managers and leaders to be giving GenYers a wake-up call about realistic expectations.
Click to read the rest of "Author Spotlight: Bruce Tulgan" (ypulse).
And an excerpt from the second interview of Tulgan:
In any law firm, regardless of size, when it comes to raising profits, serving clients more effectively, upgrading your client base, and keeping employees happy, there is no getting around the fact that you are as good as your people. Bruce Tulgan agrees unequivocally: It takes hard work and an investment of time, “but there’s a concrete return on your investment in managing people more effectively.”
If you feel as if you’re always fixing someone else’s work, the firm’s resources are being squandered, low performers are receiving high pay, and you’re losing high performers, you may be taking on responsibilities that should be delegated. Effective management skills are the key to eliciting more and better work out of fewer people. If you’ve ever “written down” a bill because a job took too long, you’ll want to think about how you’re managing your people.
Click to read the rest of "How To Become The Manager Your Employees Need" (The Complete Lawyer).
Note (added June 10, 2009): Article by Tulgan: "Managing Generation Y" (American Management Association's Moving Ahead Newsletter).
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