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Why Gen X vs. Gen Y vs. Boomers = BS
Tweet Share on Facebook January 19, 2009 Comment (12)Millenials, the once pejorative term that has morphed into a positive label adopted by so many blogs (many of which I have the utmost respect for), is absolute BS.
Whether you're a "boomer" or a member of Generation X, Y, or Z--we are not each other's competition. At least no more so than we are within our respective generational capsules. Members of each group are essential at every job.
What would the office be without the benign and crusty old-timer; or the still wet behind the ears know-it-all rookie? I'm not suggesting that differing advice may not be applicable to each group, but I do think the whole thing is overblown; nothing more than career Websites honing in on a niche. In an overcrowded blogosphere, it seems many people would have you believe one generation is dramatically different than another when it comes to the world of work. -
How to Fire Someone
Tweet Share on Facebook January 19, 2009 Comment (24)Firing poor performers is one of the hardest things managers do--and also one of the most important.
Firing is about being committed to having great employees. You can do everything else right--setting clear goals and expectations, delegating effectively, giving feedback, striking the right balance between being hands-on without micromanaging, and so forth--but if you aren't willing to transition out people who aren't performing in the way you need, you'll never accomplish what you otherwise could. If you're serious about running a high-performing department or organization, you will have to fire people.
Most managers, however, get little training in how to fire someone. I have needed to fire more times than I would have liked, and here's some advice about how to make it go smoothly: -
From HR: The Truth About Job Postings and the Hiring Process
Tweet Share on Facebook January 16, 2009 Comment (7)If human resources departments had full disclosure requirements, this is what we’d find:
“Our job requirements are rough and incomplete estimates of what might actually be needed to do the job. Most are obsolete. Many are ridiculously inflated and ones such as ‘five years of experience’ were chosen because they sound good. Often, we don’t really know what we want.”
“Just because we recruit for a position doesn’t mean we plan to fill it with anyone from outside of our organization. We may already know our selection-- it’s Gretchen from down the hall--but we won’t say that.”
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Some 'Insensitive' Advice on 401(k) Loans
Tweet Share on Facebook January 15, 2009 Comment (12)A few weeks ago, I advised readers to save money in case of a layoff. I got a few angry comments from people calling me insensitive. Whether I'm insensitive or not is up for debate, but I thought I'd go ahead and offer some additional insensitive layoff-preparedness advice:
Do not take out a 401(k) loan.
I know; it's tempting. You need cash. Or the value of your 401(k) has dropped so substantially that you feel as if you're entitled to some fun. (Really. I read on a message board how a bunch of people were planning to take 401(k) loans out to go on vacations because the economy was so depressing.)
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How Your Sense of What Is Possible Is Probably Wrong
Tweet Share on Facebook January 15, 2009 CommentBack when I used to rock-climb a lot, I was constantly learning lessons that applied to the rest of my life. One of those lessons is the possibility expansion principle—the idea that getting out of your own way and reaching for the seemingly impossible can end up expanding your concept of what is possible.
Twice in a short time, I balked at climbing routes I thought were too hard for me (climbing routes are rated by difficulty, and these were rated as harder than I typically climbed). Both times, my climbing partners pushed me to try it, and both times—after a suitable amount of whining—I tried and succeeded. The second one ended up being one of my most fun climbs ever.
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How Not to Worry About the News
Tweet Share on Facebook January 14, 2009 Comment (4)The holidays are behind us. Back to a steady news diet of layoffs, bankruptcies, defaults, Ponzi schemes, bailouts, the deficit, dwindling property values, and a skyrocketing unemployment rate. Who could blame you for wanting to hide under the bed?
But what we tend to forget when we're being constantly bombarded with gloom and doom is that human beings and human society are amazingly resilient.
What's more, there are things we can do to become even more resilient:
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When Do You Know It’s Time to Work for Yourself?
Tweet Share on Facebook January 13, 2009 Comment (2)Since there are precious few jobs available right now, many of us have started thinking about working for ourselves or starting a company.
There is a quick and simple test to determine if you are ready for this step. First, know that it's not really about working for yourself—so you're asking the wrong question.
The question should really be: When do you know it's time to work for others?
To be successful in your own business, you simply have to have an intense focus on working FOR your customers and prospects. In other words, it is not about you; it's about them. It's not about you simply making money—it is serving them that will bring you what you need.
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The 8 Best Ways to Mentor Someone
Tweet Share on Facebook January 12, 2009 Comment (3)There's little at work that is more satisfying than spotting someone who's relatively inexperienced but smart, driven, and generally awesome—and then helping that person develop professionally. I think it's one of the most rewarding things about managing people (second only to having the power to make things run well rather than being at the mercy of an ineffective manager).
If you have some great but inexperienced people on your staff, consider taking them under your wing and doing the following:
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How to Vaccinate Against Recessionitis
Tweet Share on Facebook January 12, 2009 Comment (2)The media—and that includes blogs—love to drop the term recessionproof.
News flash: It's impossible to recessionproof anything. That's like trying to stop a world war with a slingshot or hold back the ocean with your retaining wall. If the stuff is gonna hit the fan, it will find you. Sorry if it hurts, but that's life.
There is seemingly no escape from the mood of economic doom and gloom that has permeated American society. But I have important news for you: All this recession talk is hurting your career. Jobacle.com urges you to vaccinate yourself against the latest illness plaguing working stiffs: recessionitis.
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Career Quiz: Look Around, Are You in Siberia?
Tweet Share on Facebook January 9, 2009 Comment (3)One of the most important things you can do for your career is to look around.
I don't mean gazing at the horizon and fantasizing about that dream job you hope to land some day. I mean the foreground, which is often less pleasant and where you may be find career warning signals.
If you see a team of highly competent and upwardly mobile folks, then that's a good sign. If you see a collection of characters who will never be promoted and who have been dumped into their jobs from elsewhere, then you should scramble to a dog sled—for you are in Siberia.
Siberia is not reserved for fools or losers. It often contains very talented people who, at some point, crossed a person who could exercise the power to exile. Regardless of the reasons behind the presence of any of its inhabitants, Siberia is career-confining. There is an unwritten understanding within the organization that the Siberians (and this apparently includes you) aren't going anywhere.
