GenXwords

Archive for February, 2010|Monthly archive page

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It’s our time….Goonies Anthem or GenX Manifesto?

In GenX Literature, GenX Pop Culture on February 22, 2010 at 9:35 pm

I finally opened “X Saves the World, How Generation X Got the Shaft but Can Still Keep Everything From Sucking“….and I ask myself WHY did it take me so long to put this manifesto of Gen X on the top of my reading list?!  Jeff Gordinier is witty, poignant & sharp. He adds just the right amount of cynicism and anti-conformity into discussion of the fabric that makes us similar that I am inspired by the first page…not an easy task, to inspire a GenX’er.

So far…a take home is that it is our time.  We are sandwiched between the successful self promoting boomers and the instant gratification millenials and we don’t like the limelight, yet we ARE making a difference.  Gordinier’s introduction reminded me to watch a clip of Mikey from the movie The Goonies where he proclaims that down here, its “our time”.

We’re in the trenches folks….we’re doing the work that is changing our world.  Despite our hatred of group mentality and comformity…isn’t it time to recognize we ARE a cultural group that is making change?

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Information…moving away from a scarcity model

In Technology, Work Values on February 18, 2010 at 1:23 pm

I was recently told by an elder (of the traditionalist generation) that once I joined his board, my job was to be “quiet for two years, then I can talk and contribute.”

It should not come as a surprise to anyone who has read this blog that being quiet is not my forte, nor is holding my tongue when I have something valuable to add or information to share.   My response you ask?  Initially, a chuckle as surely he was kidding.

But he was serious…totally serious.   He really believed that one needed to be informed by experience.  As he eloquently stated, one must take time to learn from those who control information because this is how it was always done.

Don’t get me wrong, I agree that listening and experience are very, very valuable and necessary.  The rub came with the suggestion that information I needed was controlled and certainly not accessible in other ways.  The disagreement was a difference in value of HOW the information was gained and the hierarchy it suggested.

Having grown up in the great depression, this gentleman was working from a scarcity model of information-where there truly was limited information available.  A model based on hierarchy and control.   Today,  information is much less scarce and in fact, almost anyone has access to it…good and bad information alike.

Just look at the google machine (and the recent Google Superbowl commercial ), we are beyond looking only at who controls  information, we are now at what do we do with the plethora of information available for consumption.  How do we explore all that is out there, filter what is useful and use it for the good of our groups and organizations?

The paradigm shift has already happened in how we GET information but how does one negotiate the different generational values placed on information, where it comes from and how and when to put it into action?  How can NFP organizations fully embrace this paradigm shift without loosing valuable elders?  And finaly…do I really have to wait two years before I can contribute information?  If so, I’m outta here…moving to a place where the information I share will be valued.

WHY are we meeting?

In Work Values on February 10, 2010 at 9:23 am

For those of you accustomed to spending half your professional existence crowded in small rooms, sitting in uncomfortable chairs doing things like taking about strategies, best practice, collaboration, policy governance and the occasional ice breaker or team building exercise…meetings with little real impact or purpose need no introduction.

Just last week I was sitting in a room with 30+ people, winding up our 4 hour “meeting” when we began talking about our next meeting.  People graciously signed up to be on this committee or that committee….much talk ensued about WHEN we would meet but one Gen X’er (and it wasn’t ME this time!) raised her hand about 15 minutes into the meeting setting negotiations to ask  “and why are we meeting again?”  Suddenly the meeting setting mayhem ended,  all I heard were crickets and the squeaks from people shifting in their metal folding chairs.

I thought she was brilliant.  I quickly stepped in to support her question to the group by asking about the purpose and outcome of  said meeting.  Not just an agenda, but a real examination of WHY we would meet and what we’d hope to get out of it.

Which brings me to a personal observation….it seems that there is a rub between generations and their values of process over outcome in group settings.  Sure, we have ALL wasted time in meetings, regardless of our generation.  We have ALL been victim of the genius who stands in front of a group and spouts things like “Lets strategize strategies based on scenarios” that leaves you scratching your head and looking around  waiting to see Ashton Kutcher run in and tell you you’re being punk’d because SURELY this group isn’t going to spend another several hours going nowhere.

Aside from those village idiot group facilitators, I see real value differences between generations and how they both facilitate and act in group meetings.  What I see most often is the impact and outcome focus of the GenX’er compared to the value on process from older generations.  By process I mean lengthy discussion about what we are doing, or what we could do instead of the focus on why we want to do it or what we hope to change because we are doing it.

I have two questions for you today…1) are you naturally a process or outcome type personality and have you noticed a difference between generations? and 2) rather off topic…lets have a little fun with the village idiot phrases you’ve heard in meetings, surely you have a few.

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The impending non-profit leadership shortage crisis…

In Generation demographics on February 8, 2010 at 9:22 am

There are half as many Generation X’ers as there are baby boomers.  Yes, half.

Study after study (2005-2006) states that 75% of Executive Directors/CEO’s of non profits plan to leave their jobs in the next five years.  Although this has changed some since the economic turn down in 2008,  the trend remains and the shift in leadership is still looming over the NFP sector.

So is it merely a shortage of numbers that the NFP sector is facing or are there more complicated factors at play?  If we had more GenX’ers, would we still be looking at a crisis?

The answer is  an unequivocal yes.  Which brings me to the main purpose of this blog…it is not only the people who work in the NFP sector who are changing, the entire nonprofit industry is changing.  And in this GenXer’s point of view…none too soon.

In my tenure in the sector, I have done all jobs from volunteer grunt worker to Executive Director, board chair to Executive Coach and hired consultant.  I’ve seen my fair share of the internal workings of hundreds of non profits.  In typical GenX fashion….I usually come in to these non profits, regardless of my role, and ask why.  This is not always received well.  People often look at me as if I have sprouted a second head and the common response is “because we’ve always done it this way”.  I can assure you I only have one head (at least on good days) so why the response?

Well..one explanation is that the NFP sector has been set up to address a social mandate, instead of a making profit.  We are designed to allocate a higher percentage of our resources to provide services vs. building infrastructure, supporting management/leadership change or evaluating our effectiveness for change trends. Although we have adjusted to many new demands from funders and communities, by and large, business is still being done the same way it was 30 years ago.

This is not a popular sentiment but I believe it IS an accurate assessment.  Our way of doing business has worked pretty well thus far, but with new political, economic, cultural  and demographic shifts, change is here.  How we collaborate, how we measure success, the role of leadership and how we negotiate this change is still up for grabs.

The good news is that private foundations and non profit consultants are beginning to recognize this and are allocating resources to find ways to negotiate successfully.  The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s  “Next Shift: Beyond the Nonprofit Leadership Crisis” is an excellent publication, worthy of the download.

Other good news?….this GenX’er LOVES change, planning for it, negotiating it, evaluating it…you name it, GenX’ers like to ask why and propose solutions.   That part of the crisis is exciting…waking up one day to find out I am the lone person standing because everyone has retired or my generation has decided this industry is too stuck in a rut-not so exciting.  It is time we look at the issue of leadership change as more than mere numbers, and more as a cultural shift, a change in the entire industry.

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Technology…game or workhorse?

In Technology on February 4, 2010 at 9:47 am

The dreaded technology issue…I had to bring it up sooner or later so it might as well be now.

I don’t pretend to be a tech geek but I am confident finding information online, manage to juggle three email accounts, a website, social networking sites and enjoy reading blogs or the NYT on my fancy iPhone.  I am not afraid of technology, but I know several folks who are and it is hurting the non-profit and public sectors.

A good friend (and very technically savvy boomer I might add) sent me an interesting article in the NYT yesterday.  It describes an online textbook business model like Netflix, offering greater access to expensive textbooks at a cheaper price for students. Essentially using technology to increase access to information and cut cost.  It is a business model making technology work for the student.

What was even more interesting was a reader comment.

“Technology is big business, so technology needs to be a workhorse, not a game. Another example are school boards – in California we have 1,000 or so school districts. Each district has 5-7 board members. In my 4 year term, it requires a full 48-feet of bookshelf space to house the materials I wade through each month to do my job. The binders, printing, assembling costs are absurd. 48-feet of information is useless. I need a computer to help me wade through the information and make use of it. A paperless board would save our district $200k per year.…. but, but, but we have board members who can barely figure out how to use email, let alone download a document. The old refuse to learn, dictating how the young will learn – oh my.

…I watch our young and older administrators. The older ones have a secretary and staff. The younger ones have a blackberry, apple this or that in their pockets. The older ones take forever to respond to anything. The young are johnny on the spot, responsive and informed. Will somebody do an analysis and get this under control?”

Here is your analysis...people use age as an excuse NOT to use technology. In the spirit of the movie Forgetting Sarah Marshall…it’s over, find a new show.  Age is not a valid excuse  for not using a tool that will increase efficacy and reducing the cost of business.  Some of the most tech savvy people I know are boomers or traditionalists.  They have embraced the unknown of technology like the rest of us  and have made it work for them, as it should be.

My tolerance for looking at technology as an add on or game that you can either play or not play is waning.  Technology is here, lets work together to figure out how to use it to our advantage for the sake of our non-profit mission and services.   If you are fearful and want to change, its cool, just ask the Gen X’er sitting next to you with an iPhone in her hand, I’d be glad to help you out.

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10 Things boomers have taught me….

In Uncategorized on February 3, 2010 at 10:19 am

Yes, I have learned many good things from the generations that came before me.  Some of these were intentional (from being mentored and “developed”), a few were learned from a desire NOT to do it the way I saw it modeled.

The non-profit and public sector may be on the brink of a crisis in leadership, but there is a strong foundation to work with.   As earlier generations of leaders retire they are becoming volunteers and donors,  still filling vital roles that enable our non-profits to function.    Recognizing difference in our values is one step in making the transition seamless.  Embracing what we learn from one another is another step.   So without further ado….

10 things boomers have taught me

  1. Process is sometimes just as important to a group as the result
  2. Self-assessment is a worth-while venture
  3. Question authority-even when it comes to Non-profit administration
  4. Value all of my time.  Work, personal and family
  5. Rules change
  6. My demand for inspiration in my job is not universal
  7. Think quickly, speak slowly
  8. Listen actively
  9. Hand written thank you cards to your donors are still appreciated AND expected
  10. Use technology well and you will impress

What have YOU learned from other generations?

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…don’t you want to be “developed”?

In Work Values on February 2, 2010 at 10:05 am

I’m not talking about the kind of “development”  most of us women X’ers remember from the book “Are you there God, its me Margret.”  I’m speaking of job development and the phenomenon of forced mentoring.

A prime example….I was enjoying a nice latte with a fellow Generation X’er friend while she was venting about a recent conversation she had with her supervisor. Here is the brief synopsis of what happened:

Friend: I’m really excited to share some opportunities for change in this department and am passionate about not loosing this department to a regional center model. I think there are a lot of things we could change here that would make us more effective and a better place to work.

Supervisor (of the boomer variety): Um yeah…we prefer to keep doing things the way we have been doing them, we have been quite successful. Moving from a local relationship driven service to a regional center is how we are moving and where we are going.  Get on board with the change we are suggesting. Don’t you want to be developed professionally?  You obviously NEED me to mentor you for more experience.

Friend: laughs…initially thinking she was joking about needing experience and a mentor-after all, she’s been in this field for nearly 15 years and is not wet behind the years.  She then realizes her supervisor was serious-she really did challenge her development and experience….thus what led up to the commiserating over coffee with me.

I am not personally opposed to mentoring or development-but it must be from somebody I WANT to emulate, whose values and choices I believe in, not have somebody stuff their idea of what I need down my throat.  Does this make me less loyal to my organization?  Does it mean I don’t value what boomers have built or are willing to offer? Does it make me apathetic and cynical?

No…it means  if you want to “develop” me in the workplace you must inspire me, let me be part of the change.  When you can’t let me be part of the change, tell me why and how decisions are being made that affect me.  Value my insights and suggestions for what they are, not behind a wall of resistance based on “this is how we’ve always done it” or a filter of  “you just need more experience.”

Thoughts? Is this a generational difference or just a poor working environment issue?

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setting the stage….

In Generation demographics on February 1, 2010 at 9:08 am

Upon testing the idea of this blog out with friends of multiple generations, common responses were “can’t we all just get along?”  and “well we are all here {in the non-profit world} for the same reason, social change.  So I don’t see a problem working with many generations” and my personal favorite “oh yeah, you Gen X’ers think you are so different, if you’d just commit to your work there would be no issues.”

I ask myself…..do values really differ across generations? Is there truly a crisis in numbers looming in the future of non-profit leadership? Is the business of non-profits changing?

In typical Generation X fashion….I consult the web for the answers of such questions.  Then I order a few books on Amazon…and read a few blogs.

Low and behold…the answer to all the above questions is a resounding YES. The impending crisis has to do with numbers, values AND a changing work place.

The numbers break down as follows (disclaimer: slight variance on year spread by generation, depending upon source):

  • Traditionalists (1925-1945) and Boomers (1946-1964) account for 160 Million people
  • Generation X (1965-1979) numbers are a fraction of the previous generations-typically approximated at 45 million
  • Generation Y/Millennials rival the boomers in size, about 80 million
  • A national study in 2006 predicted that there would be over 640,000 vacation non-profit senior management positions over the next decade, more than double existing in 2006.

Values….a big discussion worthy of more blog posts which will surely follow this one.  To summarize, there are big differences between management style & hierarchy; motivation to choose non-profit career; emphasis on process vs. results in the work place; conflict resolution and work styles.

All research related to generations and the workplace point to the general conclusion that not only are the people in the non-profit work place changing, but the workplaces themselves are changing.

I come back to the question “can’t we all just get along?.”  My answer is this….it is far more complex and begins with setting the stage, understanding the actors, recognizing the difference in how we act and how all these factors influence the evolving non-profit workplace.

 

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