Great article: MICHAEL JACKSON AND THE ZOMBIECONOMY by Umair Haque @ Harvard Business - http://tr.im/zombieconomy
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josh Allan
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josh Allan
I’m finding Safari 4 to be DREADFUL. Thank goodness for Time Machine… back to Safari 4 Beta for me.
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josh Allan
Pixar is 10 for 10… “UP!” is fantastic! (And Doug might very well be my favorite cartoon dog of all time… “POINT!!” Hahaha…)
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josh Allan
Interesting thoughts in TIME today on how Twitter will change the way we live — http://tr.im/twittertime
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josh Allan
““Some people walk in the rain. Others just get wet.”” - ROGER MILLER http://tumblr.com/xn81xb79n
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for anyone who considers themselves creative (or knows somebody who does)
josh Allan
I just watched an incredible and insightful video on the oft-impossible weight of creativity from Elizabeth Gilbert (author of Eat, Pray, Love) at TED this year.
If you consider yourself to be a creative person, or know someone who does, please take 20 minutes to watch this video.
Join the dialogue… leave a comment!
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benjamin morrison
interesting talk. i think she definitely hit on something, but didn’t take it all the way (or took it the wrong way). i think the point that WE as humans are not the source of creativity is key to not self-destructing. there’s a lewis quote from the great divorce where he says something like “when the poet moves from the love of the thing he’s telling to the love of the telling, he finds himself in hell” or something to that effect. so, not just “divine inspiration”, but dedication to that which you are telling, not to your telling. the wrong turn i think was the “ole to you anyway”/”you are god” line near the end because you show up and do your work even without inspiration… though that seems almost oxymoronic. but interesting overall.
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Lon
loved the video… regardless of her conclusions, i think it’s intriguing as it’s the open thoughts of a person on a creative journey, teetering on the divine…
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3 great insights for managing gen Y
josh Allan
Happy Wednesday, my friends!
I came across this interview today, and thought it had some really great things to say (don’t worry, it’s short!).
MANAGING MILLENNIALS: OPENNESS, BALANCE, SPEED
Get with it, baby boomers: A new generation craves information, speedy decisions and yes, an element of play at work, says CEO Brian FetherstonhaughKarl Moore: This is Karl Moore talking management for The Globe and Mail. Today I am speaking to Brian Fetherstonhaugh who is the CEO of OgilvyOne Worldwide, which is the new media arm of one of the largest advertisement firms in the world. So, good afternoon Brian, it’s nice to have you with us again.
Brian Fetherstonhaugh: Hello Karl, good to see you.
KM: Will it change how we manage people in their 20s and early 30s in this world they live in? How is it different to manage that generation?
BF: It’s a great question. We have done a fair bit of research on the millennial generation as employees; what are they looking for, what’s different from when you and I started in the workplace? And there are a couple of core values, three of which [include] the desire for openness: they have this insatiable appetite to be in the know and to share information in a way that I did not have when I first came into the company. So the implications for leadership are always to put it out there – what the new information is, and the reasons for that information and also to get over the fact that your employees will share their salary information with each other.
I didn’t grow up in that world but it is completely prevalent. Everybody knows when somebody gets a raise; everybody knows who got a bonus and who didn’t. So as a manager of the baby boomer generation, this is a new reality but it’s the truth about the workplace and the millennial workplace.
Another [core value] is the desire for an element of play at work. Even in a recession there is a healthy element of play and social networking. This is one of the reasons people like companies and aren’t in freelance businesses or independent contractors. So the workplace needs to be fun again. There has been a long patch of American business and Canadian business that hasn’t been that fun, it’s been more of an “all work and no play” experience and I think we need to recreate that balance. In our own company we brought back “Thirsty Thursdays” and events and parties, small inexpensive reasons for people in the company to get together, and that’s been really successful.
The final thing that the millennial generation has is an insatiable appetite for speed: speedy decisions, and speed of progression within their own careers. It comes from sort of a “Google reflex” which is if they have a question they go onto Google or their search engine of choice, and they find the answers instantly There have been tremendous short feedback loops and so as a leader in a company with millennial employees you need to understand that. You don’t always need to make a decision in two seconds flat, but you need to know that the millennial employee is expecting it and has grown up with that so at minimum set up expectations.
KM: Do you find they are less hierarchical and really want to have a voice in terms of decision making?
BF: Great point, absolutely I think that there is this extreme desire for early engagement. I often give young people in our company advice on this.
Part of the wisdom I think that baby boomer leaders can pass on is that there are consequences to that. You walk into a business situation, you are 23, 24 or 25 years old, and you want to put your hand out and contribute into big-time business decisions. A lot of millennials don’t understand the consequences of that, which is if you do that once or twice and you do it badly because you don’t have context, you are going to get killed “Big” people will ask you to not be on the team any more.
So I think there is expectation setting on both sides, this very strong desire to contribute, but I think there are ways of channelling it and making it succeed so that the millennial employee finds their voice but also, frankly, does their homework and inoculates their opinion and is really prepared to make that viewpoint because it’s not Facebook, it’s a multimillion-dollar business decision, and it’s different.
As the resident non-spokesperson for Gen Y, I will say just a few things about this.
To be honest, I almost completely agree on his 3 insights — but, naturally, I have a few thoughts:
1) OPENNESS
Openness IS key; as a generalization, we Gen Y’ers hold very few things “sacred,” and are completely baffled as to why a person wouldn’t want to talk about things like money, spirituality, or politics. (What else is there to talk about!?)
In the age of Google/Facebook/Twitter, nothing can be hidden anymore, anyway.
2) BALANCE
Play at work is good, but the paragraph in the interview is missing something pretty crucial — the fact that work isn’t, and never will be, our entire life.
This is a pretty significant shift, as most of the Boomers I know, at least, seem to live to work. We, on the other hand, look at the same issue from the other side — “How can I enjoy and derive meaning from the things that make me money? How do I design a lifestyle to where I can experience everything I want to?”
3) SPEED
Understanding our propensity for speed is very perceptive (well done, Brian). It certainly does impact nearly everything we do, most notably the way we think. We cannot even comprehend why some decisions could take so long. We see a world that is inundated with technology… shouldn’t we be using it? Shouldn’t business be moving with the pace of the world? Makes all the sense in the world (to us).
I hear some derivation of the last section a lot — the part where Gen Y’ers feel entitled to make multimillion dollar decisions within 3 months on the job, or expect some kind of instantaneous promotion after Day 7.
I think most of this is a complete misunderstanding, to tell the truth.
The Gen Y’ers I know don’t expect any of those things. But they do want desperately to be involved and to be appreciated for their talents. (After all, it’s how our beautiful Boomer parents raised us!) The big hurdle to jump here is the “pay your dues” mentality that threatens to infect any reasonable adult at some point. And I do think this paradigm really does seem reasonable; it seems fair.
The problem is that it’s simply not in the best interest of your business anymore.
Because the mentality of the emerging workforce has shifted, the rules have changed. If you have employees that are craving engagement, why would you even CONSIDER risking their disengagement? If you have passionate followers, how could you POSSIBLY think that crushing their passion can have a profitable outcome?
The goal is redirection and focus of that passion — something that more mature organizational people really should be good at, with all their experience.
Until next time…
Join the dialogue… leave a comment!
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Rick Warden
Interesting article! Do you see any differences between “gen Y” and Barna’s “mosaic generation” ?
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josh Allan
Hi Rick!
We’re still pretty “close” to all of this to see how clear generational delineations are going to play out, in my opinion, but for our purposes I think it’s safe to consider Gen Y and Barna’s “Mosaics” to be essentially the same group.
Does it seem like these ideas play out as true for you, in your context??
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12 songs you need on your iPod
josh Allan
As you probably know, one of my obsessions is new music. It’s like a drug for me… and thankfully much cheaper. ;-)
Even if you’re not as flashy as Elton, IMHO at least, here are 12 songs that will make your iPod categorically better.
It’s a proven fact, actually.*
MUSIC STARTS HERE — links go straight to iTunes!
1.
Meese - “Next In Line“Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
2.
Everest - “Angry Storm“Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
3.
Deb Talan - “Big Strong Girl“Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
4.
Iron & Wine - “Communion Cups & Someone’s Coat“Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
5.
The Format - “She Doesn’t Get It“Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
6.
The Cast of Glee - “Don’t Stop Believin’“Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
7.
Bell X1 - “Eve, The Apple Of My Eye“Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
8.
Brandi Carlile - “Hiding My Heart“Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
9.
The Rescues - “I Miss Missing You“Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
10.
Jim Bianco - “Painkiller“Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
11.
Augustana - “Rest, Shame, Love“Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
12.
The Weepies - “How You Survived The War“Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
* I did a study. Not really. But it is on Wikipedia.**
** Not really. But you will love this music!//
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Jessica Perez
Sweet stuff - thanks for sharing!
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josh Allan
Just added myself to the http://wefollow.com Twitter directory under: #consultant #coach #blogger!
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the grass ain't greener over here
josh Allan
In 2004, I worked as a night time producer and deejay at Mix 100.3 FM in Denver. My shift was 7pm-midnight; I would begin my 45-minute commute every evening right after saying hello and having a quick dinner with my newlywed wife, and wishing her a nice night.
I would race up Kipling Parkway on my way to Highway 6, which leads into downtown. By October the nighttime would arrive early, and it would be pitch black by the time I would leave. A snappy cold would hit my face on the way out the door, and the dark sky around the streetlights would be full of the frosty haze that gathers in the Colorado winter months, threatening to blanket you in snow at any moment.
There’s something about the winter darkness that makes me contemplative, and I would stare past the oncoming headlights into the beautiful houses that lined the hills above the road. They were too far away to see anything inside except the warm glow of lamps and the flicker of televisions, but that was enough for me to envision having a house of my own, and the happiness it would bring.
“If I had a house,” I reasoned, “I would be making enough money and wouldn’t have to work a crappy nightshift.” (Radio station = cool. But night shifts… not so much.) “If I had a house, I would sit at home with my wife, and someday, family, and enjoy such a pleasant evening. I would work the hours that ‘normal people’ do, and it would be glorious.”
Eventually I shifted to working day hours at the station, and it was glorious… for awhile. Then I grew tired of that. And then I got laid off (try as I might, I couldn’t outrun corporate budget cuts at the station) and wasn’t able find a job to save my ever-loving soul. Colorado began to be the problem.
“If I could only find a job in California,” I thought, “THEN life would be amazing. I’d be near the beach, the mountains, and Mickey! What’s not to love?”
It’s been just over three years since we moved to Southern California, and during that time I’ve learned something.
The grass ain’t greener over here.
In fact, it’s never greener anywhere.
Our first year in California was one of the most difficult years of our lives. But somehow, through that experience we changed our mindsets. I changed my mindset.
I decided that I could paint my grass.
People do that you know. The lawn around me could be as green as I wanted it to be.
It’s easy to find cons, to see downsides. Learning to find contentment and happiness is so much harder.
But it makes life so much better.
“Be happy. Talk happiness. Happiness calls out responsive gladness in others. There is enough sadness in the world without yours.” — Helen Keller
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benjamin morrison
how pauline! :) truly we need to learn to find contentment in whatever state we are. that grass really is NEVER greener once we get there. good post!
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josh Allan
Headline of the day: “Are Baby Boomers Killing Facebook & Twitter?” PC World - http://tr.im/m341
If you liked that, then try these…“Many poets are not poets for …
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josh Allan
“If you have a talent, use it in every which way possible. Don’t hoard it. Don’t dole it out like a…” http://tumblr.com/xn81tw7xb
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benjamin morrison 1:57 pm on June 14, 2009 Permalink
what did you not like about it? (before i download the update, i’d like to know.)
josh Allan 8:09 am on June 28, 2009 Permalink
Now that I’ve used it a bit it’s not as bad, but it seemed MUCH slower than 4 Beta at first. The biggest thing is that I liked the tabs at the top of the window in 4 Beta and they moved them back below the URL bar with no option to have it at the top in the final release. Annoying.