Has the Generation Gap Narrowed?

Recently, I had a conversation with a friend who is in the process of building her career in the publishing field. For the past 10 years, this 30-something mother has been occupied with raising her children and working odd jobs. But, like so many of us, she has decided to jump into an exciting, full-time career.

She has been using networking and round table clubs to learn about and connect with her new industry. After one such meeting she told me about an intense conversation she’d had with another female networker in her group who was in her 50s and acting as a type of recruiter for the industry. The women accused her of not “paying her dues” and having the luxury of looking at this career as a hobby. This woman went so far as to tell her to call when she was really serious and not just looking for some kind of validation. Needless to say, my friend was offended by this person’s condescending assumption on her goals with respect to moving into a new career.

These types of conversations highlight an important point about what is currently happening in the workplace between the generations and their varied reactions to the current economic climate. Just as cultures within organizations have experienced adjusting to the global work environment, various generations of workers are experiencing the pains of adjusting to the instability of our economy. We seem to be looking at our older/younger counterparts as the enemy in a climate of sweeping lay-offs and overwhelming unemployment rates.

Although each generation processes change differently, the result is often a broad spectrum of workers being more flexible and adapting their attitudes about work. I see younger groups taking the idea of finding and maintaining their jobs more seriously and I see the older groups becoming more flexible about learning new technology and working virtually. I have also seen a shift in the perception that there is an endless abundance of opportunities – you can always find another job.

It is important to realize that the effects of the current economic climate are not necessarily a condition of tenure or age. The generational gap, which has always existed in the workforce, has possibly narrowed somewhat with the realization of the economic realities and the non-discriminatory nature of company layoffs. What is important for anyone still employed or looking for employment is the melding of both work ethics and innovation. All generations can learn something from the each other, and use that knowledge to help ride out this crisis. The employer must manage this economic situation by bringing these groups together as a cohesive team that is focused on production and flexibility. This takes a comprehensive structural review of the company’s values, attitudes, and work process to build that type of multi-generational team.

For business owners or employers, what experience would you like to share in re-shaping multi-generational teams within this economy? What other experiences would anyone like to share related to the multigenerational workforce?
 

How strategic partnerships can be mutually beneficial.

In an age of niches and specialties, it seems like everyone has an area of expertise. This idea of filling a specific need is ingrained in many small businesses. How else can you compete against the big guys who offer it all? This is great when your clients want exactly what you have to offer, but what happens when a client needs what you can’t provide? Instead of trying to fill a void that you’re not equipped to fill, why not partner with someone who you know can do the job.

Recently, a colleague of mine called me to partner with him on an event. Since we are in the same industry, our sharing clients may seem strange to some. However, we both have the foresight to realize that one company may be able to offer what the other cannot. After years of planning this annual event, the client decided that they’d like to be more strategic in the generation of collaterals and themes around the event. My team was able to use our experience in marketing to provide the client with elegant, branded materials and an eco-friendly alternative to standard paper invitations – something that was very important to this “green” client. His company still provided the client with the event planning and logistical support that they required.

He was able to maintain the long-term relationship he had with his client, while freeing up time to work on other, ongoing projects. Ultimately the customer was satisfied and the partnership was a great triumph.

Of course, working successfully with colleagues takes trust, clear boundaries and a mutual benefit. Beforehand, we drafted an agreement to ensure that our collaboration would not only be successful, but also ethical. Creating this type of contractual agreement prevents miscommunication about responsibility and compensation.

As a project manager, I have often relied on the expertise of colleagues to provide my clients with what they need. As a business owner or manager you have to embrace your strengths, but you also need to realize when someone else might be able to do the job better. Instead of turning the client away or trying to do something you are not skilled at, try building relationships with a network of trusted allies and have the ability to be a full-service provider for your customers. 

Have you partnered on work with another company? What was the result? Do you have recommendations for how partnerships can be lucrative?

Are you ready to join in the conversation on social networking site Twitter?

We live in an intensely connected world – one that allows us the opportunity to share our thoughts and ideas with hundreds of people through the click of the mouse. The old-fashioned art of conversation has not disappeared (thankfully), but new methods of communicating virtually and being “in” the conversation are introduced all the time.

One that has the attention of many is TWITTER.

Don’t know what Twitter is? Here’s how it describes itself:
Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?

What they’ve left out is how it’s evolved to be a favored method of keeping connected with colleagues, other like-minded people and even prospective clients. The methodology of Twitter is simple: You post “what you are doing or thinking” right now and others who “follow” you get the update. They can take it, or leave it. Maybe they’ll find the information you’ve shared to be funny, helpful, intriguing or even irritating. Whatever it is, it’s out there. They can continue to follow you, or choose to stop, and you can do the same.

The magic is that it’s short and sweet – posts are limited to140 characters. While there are some rules on how you can and can’t use Twitter (no impersonations, violence, threats, unlawful use or phishing) the application allows a lot of room for creativity and sharing of whatever matters to YOU! Think about it, you have to interestingly condense your thoughts into 140 characters (not words, characters). It takes some practice, but it’s fun and addicting!

What I’ve noticed from a business perspective is that there is a wealth of information to be shared, and via Twitter, I get simple and direct access to it. I twitter at laurelcootepmb and I follow a variety of individuals who share information in which I am interested. That includes small business success, how to use social media more effectively, trends in sustainability and corporate social responsibility, the meeting and events industry, music and other topics. I also have shared my knowledge about these topics, as well as other things that might seem random, but might actually be intriguing to someone who hasn’t heard of them (things like walking a Labyrinth or why one should donate homegrown fruit to a food bank).

Strategically, I use Twitter to direct followers to my website when I’ve posted a new product or blog, to notify them of my upcoming speaking engagements or to let them know when I think something significant is going on in the world of small business, event management or CSR. Twitter is a great opportunity to give kudos to others who have made a difference in your life or to share another’s blog or knowledge with the world. It allows the opportunity to be a contribution to others, as well as to gather knowledge you might not otherwise have.

A great article targeted to event planners, but completely relevant to anyone in who wants to grow and develop their business can be found on the Event Solutions website at:
 http://www.event-solutions.com/breaking_news/19_ways_event_planners_can_use_twitter

Want to get started? Go to www.twitter.com and sign up for an account. Search for me at laurelcootepmb and click to follow me. Then check out the people I follow and see if anyone is of interest to you. Or, search for your friends, colleagues or associates and start communicating!
 

On Slideshare.net sharing with others is so much fun.

I’m online a lot. Between research for clients, looking up information for the blog and checking my email and LinkedIn accounts, you can sometimes find me online for hours at a time.

And from time to time throughout my online journeys, I come across a website that I am really impressed with. Slideshare.net is one such site.

Slideshare.net not only provides its users with a wealth of information and inspiration for putting together amazing slideshow presentations, it also allows visitors to download these presentation, contact the creator and comment on what they like about the content and design. You can even add your own presentations to the site to share with other users.

Once I started sifting through the content, I was instantly hooked. Each slideshow presented its themes in a unique and different way. Some presenters used color, fonts and pictures so effectively it made me reconsider my own presentation format.

Now don’t get me wrong, not everything on Slideshare.net is a uniquely designed, wildly original, engaging presentation; but I think you’ll find it to be worth taking a look at.

Do you have any other websites that inspire you in your presentations? Have you got any useful tips for being an effective presenter? We’d love to have your feedback.

No way! How leaving comments on corporate blogs can benefit your business.

For some time now, I’ve been updating this blog — sharing my business insights and giving readers a little piece of myself each week. This is great fun, but seriously, this blog is not a monolog. Blogging is a group activity, and nothing makes me more excited than when people let me know they are reading and are engaged in the topic I present, or in what I have to say.

You might wonder: what’s the point of leaving comments and what is the benefit to my own business?

Well, comments do a couple of things:

1. They can introduce you to a blog or community you are interested in becoming a part of. Maybe you’d like to offer to write a guest post, or maybe you’d like to work with the blogger. The best way to build a relationship is to comment.
2. They can introduce people interested in a particular topic to you. By posting comments on blogs that share similar topics, you can gain exposure to others who are interested in the same information.
3. Comments can provide a link back to your own company blog or website. Leave a genuine response to a post (don’t turn it into an sales pitch) and be sure to include a way for people to find you if they’re interested in what you have to say. Some blogs enjoy very high readership, so gaining exposure on their sites can help drive traffic to yours.
4. They provide inbound links to your website, which is a good way to build search engine optimization for your own company URL.
5. A good comment can be a gateway to a great discussion and can help you get some of your challenging questions answered.

Whatever your reason for commenting, it’s always appreciated by the blogger. The web 2.0 world would cease to exist if people no longer participated in online discussion. So go ahead, leave us a comment and tell us what you really think!
 

Do you have any great blogs that you read on a regular basis? What keeps you coming back for more? And what gets you interested enough to leave them a comment?

If you’d like more information on how you can build an online presence for your company, contact Pick My Brain at 310.771.0665.

How to ensure stress doesn’t rule your life in the workplace.

Forty eight percent of Americans say their stress has increased in the last five years. And given the current economic outlook, that stress is likely to continue to increase in the foreseeable future.

Although a certain level of stress is an unavoidable part of being human, it is important not to let this pressure get out of control and dictate your wellbeing. Knowing ways to manage stress (especially in the workplace) will keep you sane and focused on your tasks.

Reader’s Digest has compiled a great list of “37 Stress Management Tips.” Here are a few that work at work.

•  Be proactive. At the first sign of “Why me…” turn it around. Don’t sit in silence and wallow in self-pity, get up and do something about it.
• Don’t bite off more than you can chew. If a request comes your way and you don’t know if you can handle it, it’s OK to say no.
• Speak your stress. When you feel like the pressure is mounting, say it out loud. We’ve all been there. You’ll be pleasantly surprised how many people are willing to come to your aid. No one around? Pull out a pocket recorder and start dumping that to do list – you’ll have a record and can free yourself to focus on the moment.
• Breathe in, breathe out. Just taking a moment to sit quietly and take deep breaths can help stop a freak-out before it starts.
• Take a walk. Ten minute away from your desk/office will relax your body and free your mind.

By ignoring what your mind and body are telling you, you are opening yourself to feeling overburdened and stressed. Taking the time to recognize and remedy stress will increase your productivity in the long run.

What are some ways you use to manage stress in the office? Or what are some of the things that are causing you stress that you are trying to overcome?
 

How business can thrive in a Web 2.0 world. 

Informal conversation is probably the oldest mechanism by which opinions on products and brands are developed, expressed, and spread.
Professor Johan Arndt

When Johan Arndt, a famed marketing professor, penned these words over 25 years ago, I’m sure he was not referring to the Internet. But in this world of Web 2.0 and instant feedback, his words have never been so relevant. Social networking sites, review boards, blogs and wikis make it easy for companies to connect with potential clients. And clients are finding ways to influence the products and services they want.

So how can your company use the web 2.0 environment to its advantage? And how do you overcome the pitfalls of instant access?    

According to Tim O’Reilly, who is credited with coining the term, Web 2.0 is “the business revolution in the computer industry caused by the move to the Internet as platform, and an attempt to understand the rules for success on that new platform.”

Basically, customers have gone digital and companies are scrambling to embrace these new (and ever-changing) technologies to attract more business. But why would companies have difficulty embracing the Internet and it communicative capabilities?

Think about it – you’re a major corporation and you’ve just kicked off a multi-million dollar advertising/public relations campaign. In the early days of the Internet, consumption was still a spectator sport. Consumers would see your ads in print, on TV or even on your website. They’d hear about your public relations on television, in the newspaper or on the radio. Customers didn’t really have the chance to challenge you and life was grand.

Today, things are very different. If consumers want to challenge your appeals they have infinite outlets to do so. They are taking to their blogs and podcasts. They are creating You Tube videos that mock your advertising concepts. Your wikipedia page is updated in a matter of seconds.

But maybe you’re not a multi-million dollar company – how does this affect you? Web 2.0 affects all businesses – big and small – in good ways and bad. Your customers are able to go online and post reviews of your products/services. They can recommend or blast you on their blog or link to your website from theirs.

There is nothing we can do to change this rapid dissemination of information. So why not embrace it? Ask customers if they can write a review about you on a certain site. Befriend bloggers and ask them to rate your product/services. Join online groups and communities of people who can use what you have.

Tim O’Reilly calls it a revolution. I think it’s simply an evolution and an opportunity for small businesses to get their voice heard over the yells of the competition.

If you’d like more information on how to build your company’s online presence contact Pick My Brain at 310.771.0665.
 

Being empowered to take a stand against gossip.

 Backstabbing and whispers can wreak havoc on a workplace. Once the rumor mill starts it can be very difficult to stop. But, what if you never let it start? How would that impact your colleagues? Your environment? Your life?

Whether you are a business owner, manager, employee or even an intern, taking a stand against destructive behavior in your workplace will position you as a leader. Recognizing gossip before it starts, avoiding it when it surrounds you and knowing how to stop it when it’s already in motion are the keys to spreading productivity instead of rumors in your office.

 Recognize:

• Do your conversations start with the preface, “Don’t tell anyone, but…”
• Are you/colleagues only talking about people when they are not in the room?
• Would you be uncomfortable having this conversation in front of the person you are talking about?
• Could this information ruin someone’s reputation?

If you answered ‘yes’ to one or all of these questions you are participating in gossip. Run for your life!

Avoid:

• Curiosity killed the cat, so don’t ask questions that you know are going to spawn gossip.
• If you know Michael is the office gossip, politely avoid him. And when you do have a conversation with him, make sure you are the one setting the tone.

But sometimes a gossiper is so good, so well trained, so practiced in his/her craft that you can’t recognize you’re gossiping until you’re in the thick of the conversation.

Stop:

• Walk away from conversations that you know are gossip.
• Change the subject if you are part of a conversation that you are not comfortable with.
• If some of the facts of the conversation are questionable, let the gossip know you’d like to verify these points with the subject. That is probably the fastest way to stop a gossip.
• When all else fails, just tell people you don’t like to gossip. You know how much it would hurt you and you don’t want to hurt others.

The gossip bug has hit all of us at one time or another. But, workplace gossip is an avoidable poison. All it takes is one person to stand up to rumors to make a huge impact on the entire group. But, if you must, feed your need to dish by talking about the sordid lives of your favorite celebrities.

If you want to be a more effective manager or business owner let Pick My Brain help. Contact us at 310.771.0665 for more information.
 

Managing your company’s time when it seems like it’s getting away.

When I started my third company I realized it was time to truly get organized! Balancing the obligations of business owner, wife and mother is not always easy, and sometimes I feel like I’m running in three directions at once.  So, I sat down, met with my employees and we created a timeline. Our timetable had project descriptions, assignments and deadlines. We scheduled weekly meetings to discuss progress and redefine deadlines as needed. By doing this, I could see when my employees and I were going to start, evaluate and finish projects. The companies began to run like well-oiled machines and life was grand.

But what happens when something pops up that’s not on the timeline? When new business prospects would like a proposal written, or current clients need a little extra TLC? Well, if your timetables are too rigid your deadlines can crumble like a house of cards. The trick is creating buffers into your realistic structure to ensure that everything gets done in a timely, prioritized manner.
   
Rule #1: Keep the ship sailing. As a business owner, executive or manager it is your responsibility to keep your team focused when the plan gets thrown out the window. Even when things are hectic, by utilizing a timeline you can monitor progress at all times. Then, make sure employees know what their priorities are and provide realistic deadlines for when things must be done.

Rule #2: Don’t make promises you can’t keep. We all want our clients to be happy, but you have to know where to draw the line. If you have existing projects where deadlines cannot be altered, honor those deadlines and resist taking on new projects or obligations that could overburden you and your team, compromising current business.

Rule #3: When all is said and done – get back on track. It’s not uncommon to get off track and to stop using the timeline as your business tool. Timelines can be revisited and revamped after they have been put on hiatus. If you get in the habit of setting and meeting deadlines, you will begin to see success. Once you’ve created this level of structure for yourself and your employees, keep it up.

I am not suggesting rigidity, or that you detail every day to the minute. You and your employees need some freedom to create and the flexibility to work. But, detailing projects and assigning tasks to members of your team with (and I can’t stress this enough) REALISTIC deadlines is the easiest and most effective way to get the job done. Just remember to build in some flex space and learn how to prioritize for when an unexpected storm blows through the office.
 

Perfecting your 30-second sales pitch.

Have you ever been to a dinner party or networking event and someone asks, “So, what do you do?” Now’s your chance! You have a captive audience and an opportunity to engage them in your company’s story and potentially bring on a new client.

“I’m a consultant,” you say. And just like that, the chance to be interesting and engaging has passed you by. Or, maybe you’re the type that starts with, “I was born in a hospital in Florida…” and proceeds to share your life story that ends with, “I’m a consultant.”

Either way, you probably flubbed the opportunity. When you have the chance to inspire people with what you do – take it! But you must keep some important concepts in mind to be effective and empowering.

1. Time is not on your side. Try to keep your pitch to 30 seconds. It’s what we call the ‘elevator pitch.’  If you can tell someone about yourself and what you do during an elevator ride, you’ll garner success!  If people want to know more, they’ll ask. But, as long as you’re clear and concise you’ll be surprised that you can tell the entire story in that time.
2. Speak to your passion. Tell people what it is about your work that really excites you and the value clients get from working with you. Make sure you tell people the things Do you love about your work (and not just that it pays the bills). Make sure you include the details and answer the questions before you have to be asked.
3. Practice makes perfect. Your pitch should come naturally and fluidly. Start by writing it down on paper. That way you can see if anything is missing. Once you have your pitch developed – memorize it and own it.  Finally, practicing in front of the mirror (as crazy as you’ll feel doing it) is a great way to get comfortable with your story.  Make eye contact with yourself, so you can get used to relating to yourself as others relate to you!
4. Keep it simple. Chances are the people you meet are not experts in your field – so don’t talk to them like they are. Be conversational and avoid terms/topics that might be confusing.

Keep in mind – you are your own expert. People are only going to know the things you share with them. So, if you can’t explain what your company does, how can you expect others to understand your product or service enough to hire you?

At Pick My Brain, we can help you develop a pitch that is sure to bring your company new clients. Contact us at 310.771.0665 for more information.